Ukumka kwakhe eYeriko uYesu uya eBhethani. Le ndlela imbi kwaye iyenyuka kangangeekhilomitha ezimalunga ne-20. ULazaro noodadewabo ababini bahlala kule lali yaseBhethani. Ikwiikhilomitha ezimalunga nezintathu xa usuka eYerusalem, ibe ikwindawo eyehlayo ngakwimpuma yeNtaba YemiNquma.

AmaYuda amaninzi sele efikile eYerusalem eze kwiPasika. Afike ngaphambi kokuba iqalise ukuze ‘azicoce’ kuba hleze kuthi kanti ebebambe umzimba womntu ofileyo okanye enze enye into ewenza angacoceki. (Yohane 11:55; Numeri 9:6-10) Abanye kwaba sele befikile baqokelelana etempileni. Bayazibuza ukuba uYesu uza kuza na kwiPasika.​—Yohane 11:56.

Ininzi into ethethwayo ngoYesu. Ezinye iinkokheli zenkonzo yamaYuda zifuna ukumbamba zize zimbulale. Zide zakhupha umyalelo othi nabani na owaziyo ukuba uphi umele atsho ukuze ‘zimbambe.’ (Yohane 11:57) Ezi nkokheli bezikhe zazama ukubulala uYesu emva kokuba evuse uLazaro. (Yohane 11:49-53) Iyaqondakala into yokuba abantu bazibuze ukuba uza kubonakala na.

Ufika eBhethani ngoLwesihlanu, “ngosuku lwesithandathu ngaphambi kwePasika.” (Yohane 12:1) Usuku olutsha (iSabatha, Nisan 8) luqala ukutshona kwelanga. Yiloo nto ehambe wade wazokufika ngaphambi kokuba ibe yiSabatha. Ebengenakukwazi ukuhamba ngeSabatha aye eYeriko, ngoLwesihlanu ukutshona kwelanga ukuyokutsho ngoMgqibelo ukutshona kwelanga. Kaloku umthetho wamaYuda awuyivumeli loo nto. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYesu uya ekhayeni likaLazaro njengokuba ebekhe wenza ngaphambili.

USimon, naye ohlala eBhethani, umema uYesu nabapostile bakhe kunye noLazaro ekhayeni lakhe ukuba bazokutya ngoMgqibelo ngokuhlwa. USimon ‘wayekade eneqhenqa,’ mhlawumbi waphiliswa nguYesu ngaphambilana. UMarta ulungiselela ezi ndwendwe, njengokuba simazi ukuba ukhuthele. Wenza ntoni yena uMariya?

Uvula ibhotile yealabaska ‘eneoli enuka kamnandi, emalunga nehafu yelitha, inadusi yodidi.’ (Yohane 12:3) Le oli ixabiseke kakhulu, ibe ibiza iidenariyo eziyi-300, imali elingana neyomntu ophangele unyaka wonke. UMariya ugalela le oli kwintloko kaYesu nasezinyaweni zakhe aze azisule ngeenwele zakhe. Ivumba lale oli linukisa kamnandi indlu yonke.

Abafundi bayacaphuka baze bathi: “Kutheni kudlalwa ngale oli nje?” (Marko 14:4) UYudas Skariyoti uthi yena: “Bekutheni ukuze le oli inuka kamnandi ingathengiswa ngeedenariyo eziyi-300, ize loo mali inikwe amahlwempu?”  (Yohane 12:5) UYudas akatsho kuba ewacingela amahlwempu. Ibhokisi yemali yabafundi igcinwa nguye, ibe uyayiba loo mali.

UYesu uyamthethelela uMariya aze athi: “Nimhluphela ntoni lo mfazi? Intle le nto andenzele yona. Kaloku aza kusoloko ekho amahlwempu, kodwa mna andizukusoloko ndikunye nani. Xa lo mfazi ebendigalela ngale oli, ebelungiselela ukungcwatywa kwam. Ndiyaniqinisekisa ukuba, naphi na apho zishunyayelwa khona ezi ndaba zilungileyo emhlabeni, kuza kuthethwa nangaye lo mfazi, aze akhunjulwe ngale nto ayenzileyo.”​—Mateyu 26:10-13.

Segqibe into engapha kosuku ngoku uYesu eseBhethani, ibe abantu abaninzi baqalisa ukwazi ukuba ulapha. Baza ekhayeni likaSimon. Abezanga kuYesu yedwa, kodwa bafuna nokubona uLazaro, “lo [uYesu] wayemvuse ekufeni.” (Yohane 12:9) Ababingeleli abaziintloko ngoku bafuna ukubulala uYesu noLazaro. Ezi nkokheli zithi ukuvuswa kukaLazaro kwenza abantu abaninzi babe nokholo kuYesu. Zikhohlakele nyhani!