UJesu usuka eJerikho aye eBhethani. Indlela ahamba ngayo ilomqanso ongaba ngamakhilomitha angu-20 njalo ayihambeki lula. ULazaro labodadewabo ababili bahlala esigabeni esincane seBhethani esingaba ngamakhilomitha amathathu nxa usuka eJerusalema futhi siseceleni elisempumalanga kweNtaba Yama-Oliva.

AmaJuda amanengi asefikile eJerusalema elande iPhasika. Abuye iPhasika lingakaqalisi ‘ukuze azihlambulule ngokoMthetho kaMosi’ nxa kungenzeka ukuthi ake athinta isidumbu loba enza okunye okuwangcolisileyo. (UJohane 11:55; AmaNani 9:6-10) Amanye amaJuda la ayabuthana ethempelini futhi ayazibuza ukuthi uJesu uzabe ekhona yini ePhasikeni.​—UJohane 11:56.

Kulokudideka sibili mayelana lokuthi uJesu uzabuya yini ePhasikeni. Abanye abakhokheli benkolo bafuna ukumbamba besebembulala. Baze batshela abantu ukuthi nxa ekhona ozakwazi ukuthi uJesu ungaphi abatshele “ukuze bambambe.” (UJohane 11:57) Abakhokheli laba bake bazama ukubulala uJesu esevuse uLazaro. (UJohane 11:49-53) Yikho-ke abanye bangabe bethandabuza ukuthi uJesu uzabuya ebantwini.

UJesu ufika eBhethani ngoLwesihlanu, “sekusele amalanga ayisithupha ukuthi kube liPhasika.” (UJohane 12:1) Ilanga elilandelayo (iSabatha likaNisani 8) liqala ngemva kokutshona kwelanga, yikho ufike khona kungakabi liSabatha. Ubengeke asuke eJerikho ngeSabatha eliqala ngoLwesihlanu ntambama kusiya ngoMgqibelo ntambama ngoba umthetho wamaJuda kawukuvumeli lokho. Kumele ukuthi uJesu ufikele ngakibo kaLazaro njengenjayelo.

USimoni laye uhlala eBhethani futhi unxuse uJesu labanye bakhe kanye loLazaro ukuthi badle endlini yakhe ngoMgqibelo ntambama. USimoni ‘wayeke waba lobulephero’ futhi kungenzakala ukuthi welatshwa nguJesu. UMatha ovele ekhuthele ubemukela kuhle abantu bemzini. Kodwa uMariya uya kuJesu enze into etshiya abantu besola.

UMariya uvula imbodlela ye-alabhasta ‘elamafutha anukelelayo ayingxenye yelitha, inadi yoqobo.’ (UJohane 12:3) Amafutha la aligugu sibili ngoba intengo yawo (odenariyu abangu-300) ingalingana lomholo womnyaka wonke. UMariya uthela amafutha la ekhanda likaJesu lasenyaweni zakhe abesemesula inyawo ngenwele zakhe. Indlu yonke iqalisa ukunukelela ngenxa yamafutha la.

Abafundi bayacaphuka bathi: “Kanti amafutha la anukelelayo adlaliselwani?” (UMakho 14:4) UJudasi Iskariyothi uthi: “Kungani amafutha la anukelelayo engathengiswanga ngabodenariyu  abangu-300, imali yakhona yasiphiwa abayanga?” (UJohane 12:5) Kayisikho ukuthi uJudasi ulendaba labayanga. Nguye ogcina ibhokisi lemali yabafundi futhi untshontsha imali kulo.

UJesu uyamvikela uMariya athi: “Kanti limhluphelani owesifazana lo? Ungenzele into enhle kakhulu. Abayanga lihlala lilabo, kodwa mina kalisoze lihlale lilami. Uthe ethela amafutha la anukelelayo emzimbeni wami, ubewulungiselela ukungcwatshwa kwami. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, loba ngaphi lapho izindaba lezi ezinhle ezitshunyayelwa khona emhlabeni wonke, kuzakhulunywa ngokwenziwe ngowesifazana lo, ahlale ekhunjulwa ngakho.”​—UMathewu 26:10-13.

Sekulensuku ezithile uJesu eseBhethani futhi abanengi sebezwile ukuthi ukhona. AmaJuda amanengi abuyile endlini kaSimoni ezobona uJesu loLazaro, “lowo [uJesu] ayemvuse kwabafileyo.” (UJohane 12:9) Khathesi abaphristi abakhokhelayo sebebumba icebo lokuthi babulale uJesu loLazaro. Bacabanga ukuthi abantu abanengi sebekholwa kuJesu ngenxa yokuthi uLazaro uvuswe kwabafileyo. Balenhliziyo embi sibili.