Abaphostoli bakaJesu benza inkonzo yabo eGalile, kodwa onguye owaveza ukuthi uJesu yiMvana kaNkulunkulu kenelisi ukwenza lokho. Sekuleminyaka engaba mibili uJohane uMbhabhathizi esejele.

UJohane wayekuveze egcekeni ukuthi iNkosi uHerodi Antiphasi yayiphambanisile ngokuthatha uHerodiya, inkosikazi yomfowabo uFiliphu. UHerodi wayetshiye inkosikazi yakhe wasetshada loHerodiya. Yena uthi ulandela uMthetho kaMosi kodwa eMthethweni lo, ukutshada kwakhe loHerodiya yikuphinga futhi yikwephula umthetho. UHerodi uthi esekhuzwe nguJohane abesemphosela ejele, mhlawumbe etshotshozelwa nguHerodiya.

UHerodi uyaswela ukuthi amenzeni uJohane ngoba abantu ‘bathi ngumphrofethi.’ (UMathewu 14:5) Kodwa uHerodiya ‘umbambele isikhwili’ njalo ulokhu ezama ukudinga indlela zokumbulala. (UMakho 6:19) Ithuba lokuthi akwenze lokhu licina lifikile.

IPhasika lika-32 C.E. lithi selizafika, uHerodi enze idili elikhulu lokuthakazelela ukuzalwa kwakhe. Zonke izikhulu zakhe zikhona kanye labakhokheli bebutho labanye abahlonitshwa beGalile. Edilini leli, indodakazi kaHerodiya ethiwa nguSalome icelwa ukuthi igidele abanxusiweyo. Uyise kaSalome nguFiliphu owayengumkaHerodiya. Amadoda ayakholisa kakhulu ukumbukela egida.

UHerodi uyathokoza kakhulu ngokugida kukaSalome abesesithi kuye: “Cela loba kuyini okufunayo, ngizakunika.” Uze afunge athi: “Ungaze ucele loba kuyini ngizakupha, ngitsho lengxenye yombuso wami.” USalome uthi engakaphenduli aqonde kunina afike ambuze athi: “Ngiceleni?”​—UMakho 6:22-24.

UHerodiya uhle athi ithendele seliwele egumeni. Uphanga athi: “Ikhanda likaJohane uMbhabhathizi.” USalome ubuyela masinyane kuHerodi afike athi: “Ngifuna unginike ikhanda likaJohane uMbhabhathizi khathesi lisemganwini.”​—UMakho 6:24, 25.

Lokhu kumzwisa ubuhlungu uHerodi, kodwa uhlupho yikuthi izethekeli zakhe zimzwile efunga kuSalome. Kuyamyangisa ukuthi ale ukugcwalisa isifungo sakhe lanxa kusitsho ukuthi abulale indoda engelacala. Yikho uHerodi ubiza umlindi, amthume ukuthi aye ejele ukuze enze into le etshwaqisa igazi. Masinyane nje umlindi ubuya lekhanda likaJohane lisemganwini, aliphe uSalome. USalome yena ulihambisa kunina.

Abafundi bakaJohane bathi sebezwile ngalokhu bafike bathathe isidumbu sikaJohane bayesingcwaba. Ngemva kwalokho babikela uJesu okwenzakeleyo.

Ngokuya kwesikhathi, uHerodi uzwa ukuthi uJesu usilisa abantu lokuthi uxotsha amadimoni. Lokhu kuyamethusa njalo uyazibuza ukuthi indoda le enza izinto lezi akusiJohane uMbhabhathizi yini ‘osevusiwe kwabafileyo.’ (ULukha 9:7) Ngakho uHerodi Antiphasi usekufuna ngabomvu ukumbona uJesu. Kodwa ayisikho ukuthi ufuna ukuzwa izinto azitshumayelayo. Ufuna ukwazi ukuthi lokho akucabangayo yikho yini sibili.