Yezu avuye i Yeriko aca yerekeza i Betaniya. Ni urugendo rugoye kandi ruduga rw’ibilometero 20. I Yeriko hari nko ku metero 250 munsi y’urugero rw’ibahari, i Betaniya na ho hakaba nko ku metero 610 hejuru y’urugero rw’ibahari. Lazaro na bashikiwe babiri baba muri ico gisagara gitoyi ca Betaniya, kikaba kiri nko ku bilometero 3 uvuye i Yeruzalemu, ku ruhande rwo mu buseruko rw’Umusozi w’imyelayo.

Abayuda benshi baramaze gushika i Yeruzalemu kugira bahimbaze Pasika. Baje kare kugira “bihumanure nk’uko vyasabwa” nka hamwe boba bakoze ku muvyimba canke bagakora ikindi kintu cotuma bahumana. (Yohani 11:55; Guharūra 9:6-10) Bamwe muri bo bakoraniye ku rusengero. Bariko baribaza nimba Yezu azoza kuri Pasika.​—Yohani 11:56.

Hari ibihari bikomeye vyerekeye Yezu. Abakuru b’idini bamwebamwe bashaka kumufata kugira bamwice. Mbere barategetse ko hagize uwumenya aho ari akwiye kubibamenyesha ‘kugira bamufate.’ (Yohani 11:57) Abo bakuru b’idini baragerageje kwica Yezu igihe yazura Lazaro. (Yohani 11:49-53) Birumvikana ko bamwebamwe bibaza nimba Yezu aza guseruka ku mugaragaro.

Yezu ashika i Betaniya ku wa gatanu, “hasigaye imisi itandatu ngo pasika ibe.” (Yohani 12:1) Uwundi musi (Isabato yo ku wa 8 Nisani) uza gutangura izuba rirenze. Ku bw’ivyo, yashitse imbere y’uko Isabato itangura. Ntiyari gushobora kugira urugendo rwo kuva i Yeriko kw’Isabato, ni ukuvuga kuva ku wa gatanu izuba rirenze gushika ku wa gatandatu izuba rirenze, kubera yuko amategeko y’Abayuda atavyemera. Birashoboka ko Yezu aja kwa Lazaro nk’uko yabigize imbere y’aho.

Ku wa gatandatu ku mugoroba, Simoni na we nyene akaba aba i Betaniya, aratumira ku nzimano Yezu n’abo bari kumwe, harimwo na Lazaro. Simoni yitwa “umunyamibembe,” kumbure akaba ari umunyamibembe yakijijwe na Yezu. Nk’uko Marita yama, aca atangura kwitaho abo bashitsi. Mariya arakorera Yezu ikintu kidasanzwe, ubu ho kikaba kivyura ibihari.

Mariya arapfundurura ikebano ryo mu tubuyenge twa alabasitironi, canke agacupa karimwo nk’“ingero imwe y’amavuta amota neza, ikaba yari narada nyayo.” (Yohani 12:3) Ayo mavuta arazimvye cane, igiciro cayo (idenariyo 300) kikaba cababa umushahara w’umwaka wose! Mariya asuka ayo mavuta ku mutwe wa Yezu no ku birenge vyiwe, agaca amuhanagura ibirenge akoresheje umushatsi wiwe. Iyo nzu yose ica imota ayo mavuta.

Abigishwa barashavura, bakabaza bati: “Ni kuki habaye iryo sesagurwa ry’amavuta amota neza?” (Mariko 14:4) Yuda Isikariyoti aravyiyamiriza ati: “Kubera iki aya mavuta amota neza  atagurishijwe idenariyo amajana atatu zigahabwa aboro?” (Yohani 12:5) Si ukuvuga ko Yuda arajwe ishinga n’aboro. Ahora yiba mu gasandugu ajejwe karimwo amahera y’abigishwa.

Yezu araburanira Mariya, akagira ati: “Mugorera iki uyu mugore? Ankoreye igikorwa ciza. Kuko aboro mubamana, mugabo jewe ntimuzonyamana. Kuko igihe uyu mugore yasuka ku mubiri wanje aya mavuta amota neza, yabigize kugira antegure ku bw’amaziko. Ni ukuri ndabibabwiye: Ahantu hose iyi nkuru nziza izokwamamazwa mw’isi yose, ivyo uyu mugore yakoze na vyo nyene bizovugwa bibe icibutso ciwe.”​—Matayo 26:10-13.

Yezu amaze umunsi urenga ari i Betaniya kandi vyamaze kumenyekana hirya no hino ko ari ho ari. Abayuda benshi ntibaza kwa Simoni kuraba Yezu gusa ahubwo baza no kuraba Lazaro, “uwo [Yezu] yari yazuye mu bapfuye.” (Yohani 12:9) Abakuru b’abaherezi baca baja inama yo kwica Yezu na Lazaro. Abo bakuru b’idini babona ko abantu benshi bariko bizera Yezu kubera Lazaro yasubiye kuba muzima. Umve ingene bononekaye yemwe!