Ngelanga elilandelako, ngoSondo, ngoNisan 9, uJesu nabafundi bakhe basuka eBhethaniya baya eJerusalema. Njengombana batjhidela eBhethifage eNtabeni yama-Oliva, uJesu uthi ebafundini bakhe ababili:

“Iyani esabelweni lesa enisiqalileko, nizakuthi ningangena kiso, nifumane udumbana nodumbanyana babotjhiwe. Batjhaphululeni nibalethe kimi. Nakuba nomuntu onibuzako, nithi kuye, ‘IKosi iyabatlhoga.’ Nakezwa lokho uzonivumela nibathathe.”—Matewu 21:2, 3.

Abafundi bayabhalelwa ukubona ukuthi isinqophiso sakaJesu sisiphorofido seBhayibheli. Kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bayakubona ukuzaliseka kwesiphorofido sakaZakariya. Wabikezela ukuthi iKosi ethenjisiweko kaZimu izokungena eJerusalema “ithobekile begodu ikhwele udumbana, udumbana wamambala.”—Zakariya 9:9.

Abafundi nabafika eBhethifage bathatha udumbana nodumbanyana, abantu abalapho bayabuza bathi: “Kubayini nitjhaphulula udumbanyana loyo?” (Markosi 11:5) Kodwana nabezwa ukuthi iinlwanezi zifunwa yiKosi, bavumela abafundi bona bazise kuJesu. Abafundi babeka izambatho zabo zangaphandle phezu kwakadumbana nodumbanyana, kodwana uJesu ukhwela phezu kwakadumbanyana.

Njengombana uJesu atjhinga eJerusalema, isiqubuthu siyanda. Abantu abanengi baqhisa izambatho zabo endleleni. Abanye baqunta iimpande emithini namkha “amatjhwaba emasimini” bawaqhisa phasi. Barhuwelela bathi: “Siyakurabhela, msindise! Ubusisiwe oza ngebizo lakaJehova! Ubusisiwe umBuso ozako kababethu uDavida!” (Markosi 11:8-10) AbaFarisi abaphakathi kwesiqubuthu bayasilingeka nabezwa ukumemezelokhu. Bathi kuJesu: “Mfundisi, khewukhalime abafundi bakho.” UJesu uthi kibo: “Ngiyanitjela ngithi, laba nabangathula, amatje azokurhuwelela.”—Lukasi 19:39, 40.

UJesu uqala iJerusalema, uthoma ukulililela uthi: “Ngathana wena, ngitjho wena, bewuzilemukile ngelangeli izinto eziphathelene nokuthula—kodwana nje zifihliwe emehlwenakho.” IJerusalema lizokujeziswa ngokungalaleli kwalo kwangamabomu. UJesu uyabikezela: “Izitha zakho zizokubiyela ngeengodo ezihlabako begodu zikubhode zikuragelele mahlangothi woke. Zizokurhayila wena nabantwabakho ziniphose phasi, angekhe zitjhiye ilitje phezu kwelinye kuwe.” (Lukasi 19:42-44) Amezwi kaJesu ayazaliseka, iJerusalema liyatjhatjalaliswa ngomnyaka ka-70.

UJesu nakangena eJerusalema, ‘idorobho loke liyavungama, lithi: “Ngubani lo?”’ Isiqubuthu sisolo sithi: “Lo mphorofidi uJesu, weNazaretha leGalile!” (Matewu 21:10, 11) Abantu abahlangana nesiqubuthu ebebakhona lokha uJesu nakavusa uLazaru batjela abanye ngekarisomraro leyo. Nababona lokhu, abaFarisi bayalila, bathi imizamwabo ayiphumeleli. Bathi komunye nomunye: “Iphasi loke liyamlandela.”—Jwanisi 12:18, 19.

UJesu nakaseJerusalema uya ethempelini bona ayokufundisa, njengombana ajayele ukwenza. Nakalapho ulapha iimphofu neenrhole. Abaphristi abakhulu nabatloli bayasilingeka nababona izinto uJesu azenzako begodu nabezwa nabesana barhuwelela ethempelini bathi, “Siyakurabhela, sindisa iNdodana kaDavida!” Abadosiphambili bezekolo babuza uJesu bathi: “Uyezwa bona abantwanaba bathini?” UJesu uthi kibo: “Akhenge nikufunde lokhu na, ‘Emlonyeni wabantwana namasana, wenze bona kuphume indumiso’?”—Matewu 21:15, 16.

UJesu uqala izinto ezenzeka ngethempelini. Nje-ke isikhathi sesikhambile, uyakhamba nabapostoli bakhe. Ngaphambi kobana kube nguNisan 10, ubuyela eBhethaniya, ulala khona ngoSondo.