Kunezixuku ezinkulu ezithutheleke kuJesu zivela esifundeni saseDekapholi, empumalanga yoLwandle LwaseGalile. Zizele ukuzomlalela efundisa nokwelashwa, ziphethe obhasikidi abakhulu bomphako.

Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJesu utshela abafundi bakhe: “Ngiyasizwela isixuku, ngoba sesihlale nami izinsuku ezintathu futhi asinalutho oludliwayo. Uma ngisiphindisela emakhaya silambile, sizophelelwa amandla endleleni, kanti abanye kuso bavela kude.” Abafundi bayabuza: “Umuntu angazithathaphi izinkwa ezanele kule ndawo eyihlane angakwazi ukusuthisa ngazo laba bantu?”—Marku 8:2-4.

UJesu uthi: “Ninezinkwa ezingaki?” Abafundi bayaphendula: “Eziyisikhombisa, nezinhlanzi ezincane ezimbalwa.” (Mathewu 15:34) Ngemva kwalokho uJesu ubahlalisa phansi abantu. Uthatha izinkwa nezinhlanzi, athandaze kuNkulunkulu, bese ezinika abafundi ukuba bazinike abantu. Ngokumangalisayo, bonke badla basuthe. Okusele okuqoqwayo kugcwala obhasikidi abakhulu abayisikhombisa, nakuba kudle amadoda angu-4 000 kanye nabesifazane nezingane!

Ngemva kokuba uJesu esezihambisile izixuku, yena nabafundi bakhe bagibela isikebhe bawelele eMagadani, ogwini olusentshonalanga yoLwandle LwaseGalile. Uma befika lapho, abaFarisi kanye nabanye beqembu labaSadusi bavivinya uJesu, bamcela ukuba abavezele isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini.

Eziqonda izinhloso zabo, uJesu uyaphendula: “Uma kuhwalala nithi, ‘Izulu lizoba lihle, ngoba isibhakabhaka sibomvu njengomlilo,’ ekuseni nithi, ‘Namuhla izulu lizobanda, libe nemvula ngoba isibhakabhaka sibomvu njengomlilo kodwa liguqubele.’ Niyakwazi ukuchaza ukubonakala kwesibhakabhaka, kodwa aniyiqondi incazelo yezenzakalo ezenzeka manje.” (Mathewu 16:2, 3) UJesu ube esetshela abaFarisi nabaSadusi ukuthi akukho sibonakaliso abazosinikezwa ngaphandle kwesibonakaliso sikaJona.

UJesu nabafundi bakhe bagibela isikebhe, balibangise eBhetsayida esogwini olusenyakatho-mpumalanga yolwandle. Lapho besendleleni, abafundi bathola ukuthi bakhohlwe ukuphatha izinkwa ezanele. Baphethe isinkwa esisodwa kuphela. Ecabanga ngabaFarisi nabalandeli bakaHerode abangabaSadusi asanda kuhlangana nabo, uJesu uyaxwayisa: “Hlalani nivule amehlo; xwayani imvubelo yabaFarisi nemvubelo kaHerode.” Ngephutha, abafundi bacabanga ukuthi ukhuluma ngemvubelo ngoba bekhohlwe izinkwa. Ephawula lelo phutha labo, uJesu uthi: “Kungani niphikisana ngokuthi aninazinkwa?”—Marku 8:15-17.

UJesu usanda kupha izinkulungwane zabantu izinkwa. Ngakho kumelwe ngabe abafundi bayazi ukuthi akakhathazekile ngokuthi izinkwa zangempela azikho. Uyabuza: “Anisakhumbuli yini ukuthi ngesikhathi ngihlephulela amadoda  angu-5 000 olofu bezinkwa ezinhlanu, naqoqa obhasikidi abangaki abagcwele izingcezwana?” Baphendula bathi: “Abangu-12.” UJesu uqhubeka athi: “Lapho ngihlephulela amadoda angu-4 000 izinkwa eziyisikhombisa, bangaki obhasikidi abakhulu abagcwele izingcezwana enabaqoqa?” Bathi kuye: “Bayisikhombisa.”—Marku 8:18-20.

UJesu uyabuza: “Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ningaqondi ukuthi bengingakhulumi nani ngezinkwa?” Uyenezela: “Qaphelani imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi.”—Mathewu 16:11.

Ekugcineni, abafundi bayaqonda ukuthi ukhuluma ngani. Imvubelo isetshenziselwa ukubilisa nokukhukhumalisa isinkwa. UJesu lapha usebenzisa imvubelo njengophawu lokonakala. Uxwayisa abafundi ukuba baqaphele “imfundiso yabaFarisi nabaSadusi,” eyonakalisayo.—Mathewu 16:12.