Kusukela ngomnyaka uJesu abhabhathizwe ngawo, usesaziwa ngabantu abanengi. Izinkulungwane zamaJuda sezibone izimangaliso zakhe njalo imibiko ephathelane laye isisabalale yonke indawo. Khathesi abantu abanengi bayamdinga eMkhosini Wamathabanikeli (loba oWezihonqo) oseJerusalema.

Abantu bakhuluma okunengi ngoJesu ensitha ngezinsuku zokuqala zomkhosi. Bakhuluma izinto ezitshiyeneyo ngaye, abanye bathi: “Uyindoda elungileyo,” kodwa abanye bathi: “Kalunganga, udukisa abantu.” (UJohane 7:12) Loba kunjalo kakho olesibindi sokuziveza egcekeni ukuthi uyamsekela uJesu ngoba abanengi bayesaba ukuthi abakhokheli bamaJuda bazakuthini.

Kuthi sekuphakathi komkhosi uJesu afike ethempelini. Abanengi bayamangala besizwa indlela afundisa ngayo. Njengoba engazange aye ezikolo zaboRabi, amaJuda ayazibuza athi: “Indoda le yaluthatha ngaphi ulwazi lweMibhalo olunengi kangaka yona ingazange ifunde ezikolo?”​—UJohane 7:15.

UJesu uphendula esithi: “Engikufundisayo kayisikho kwami, ngokwalowo ongithumileyo. Loba ngubani ofuna ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu uzakwazi ukuthi engikufundisayo kuvela kuNkulunkulu yini kumbe ngikhuluma engizicabangela khona.” (UJohane 7:16, 17) UJesu ufundisa izinto eziseMthethweni kaNkulunkulu yikho kusegcekeni ukuthi ufuna kudunyiswe uNkulunkulu hatshi yena.

Uqhubeka esithi: “Angithi uMosi walinika uMthetho? Kodwa kakho loyedwa phakathi kwenu olalela uMthetho. Lifuna ukungibulalelani?” Kungenzeka abanye abaphakathi kwexuku bavela phandle kweJerusalema yikho kabakwazi ukuthi kulabantu abafuna ukubulala uJesu. Kibo kakulangqondo ukuthi kungaba lomuntu ongafuna ukubulala indoda efundisa kuhle kangaka. Yikho bayamangala ukuthi usengenwe kuyini, bathi: “Uledimoni wena. Ngubani kanti ofuna ukukubulala?”​—UJohane 7:19, 20.

Sekulomnyaka lezinyanga eziyisithupha abakhokheli abangamaJuda bezame ukubulala uJesu ngenxa yokuthi ubesilise indoda ethile ngeSabatha. Khathesi uJesu uveza ububi babo. Uchasisa ukuthi ngaphansi koMthetho umntwana ongumfana kumele asokwe ngelanga lesitshiyagalombili ngemva kokuzalwa, lanxa ilanga lelo liyabe liliSabatha. Ngemva kwalokhu ubuza athi: “Nxa umuntu esokwa ngesabatha ukuze kungephulwa uMthetho kaMosi, kungani lingivukela ngolaka ngokuthi ngisilise indoda ngesabatha yaqina saka? Yekelani ukwahlulela ngelikubona ngamehlo nje kodwa yahlulelani ngendlela elungileyo.”​—UJohane 7:23, 24.

Izakhamizi zeJerusalema ezikwaziyo ukuthi bakhona abafuna ukubulala uJesu zithi: “Indoda le kayisiyo yini abafuna [ababusi] ukuyibulala? Kodwa khangelani! Lanxa izikhulumela phakathi kwabantu, kabatsho lutho kuyo. Kanti ababusi sebekwazi sibili ukuthi lo nguye uKhristu?” Pho kungani abantu bengakholwa ukuthi uJesu unguKhristu? Bathi: “Thina siyakwazi ukuthi indoda le ivela ngaphi. Kodwa nxa uKhristu efika kakho ozabe ekwazi ukuthi uvela ngaphi.”​—UJohane 7:25-27.

UJesu uhle abaphendule khonapho ethempelini athi: “Liyangazi futhi liyakwazi ukuthi ngivela ngaphi. Angibuyanga lapha ngokuthanda kwami kodwa ongithumileyo ukhona sibili, lina kalimazi. Ngiyamazi ngoba ngingummeli wakhe, njalo nguye ongithumileyo.” (UJohane 7:28, 29) Abantu bathi besizwa amazwi la acacileyo bazame ukumbamba. Mhlawumbe bafuna ukumbopha  kumbe ukumbulala. Kodwa kabaphumeleli ngoba isikhathi sokuthi abulawe kasikafiki.

Kodwa abanengi bayakholwa kuJesu ngenxa yezimangaliso ezinengi asezenzile. Usehambe phezu kwamanzi, wasebenzisa izinkwa lenhlanzi ezilutshwana ukuthi anike izinkulungwane ukudla, wasilisa abagulayo, wenza abagogekileyo bahamba, wenza iziphofu zabona, wasilisa abalobulephero futhi wavusa labafileyo. Kabalahlekanga nxa bebuza besithi: “Kambe nxa uKhristu esebuyile uzakwenza izimangaliso ezedlula ezenziwa yindoda le?”​—UJohane 7:31.

AbaFarisi bathi besizwa ixuku lisitsho njalo, bona labaphristi abakhokhelayo bathume abalindi ukuthi bayebopha uJesu.