Ngosuku olulandelayo, ngeSonto, ngoNisani 9, uJesu nabafundi bakhe bayahamba eBhethaniya balibangisa eJerusalema. Njengoba besondela eBhetfage, eNtabeni Yeminqumo, uJesu uthi kubafundi bakhe ababili:

“Hambani niye emizini ephambi kwenu, nizothola imbongolo iboshiwe, nethole layo likanye nayo. Kuqaqeni nikulethe kimi. Uma kukhona osho okuthile kini, kumelwe nithi, ‘INkosi iyazidinga.’ Khona-ke uzozidedela masinyane.”—Mathewu 21:2, 3.

Abafundi bayahluleka ukubona ukuthi lokhu uJesu abayala ukuba bakwenze kuhlanganisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, bayakwazi ukubona ukuthi kugcwaliseka isiprofetho sikaZakariya. Wayebikezele ukuthi iNkosi ethenjisiwe kaNkulunkulu yayiyongena eJerusalema “ithobekile igibele imbongolo, iphezu kwethole lembongolo, inkonyane yembongolokazi.”—Zakariya 9:9.

Lapho abafundi befika eBhetfage bethatha ithole leduna nonina, abantu abame eduze bayabuza: “Niliqaqelani ithole?” (Marku 11:5) Kodwa lapho bezwa ukuthi izilwane zidingwa yiNkosi, bayabayeka abafundi bahambe nazo baye kuJesu. Abafundi babeka izingubo zabo zangaphandle phezu kwembongolo kanye nethole, kodwa uJesu ugibela ithole.

Bayanda abantu abalandela uJesu njengoba eya eJerusalema. Abaningi bendlala izingubo zabo endleleni. Abanye “bagawula amagatsha anamahlamvu esigangeni” bawendlale phansi. Bayamemeza: “Ubusisiwe lowo oza ngegama likaJehova! Ubusisiwe uMbuso ozayo kababa uDavide!” (Marku 11:8-10) Kuyabadina abaFarisi abasesixukwini ukuzwa abantu besho lokhu. Bathi kuJesu: “Mfundisi, khuza abafundi bakho.” UJesu uyabaphendula: “Ngiyanitshela, uma laba bebengathula, amatshe abezomemeza.”—Luka 19:39, 40.

Njengoba uJesu ebuka iJerusalema, uyakhala athi: “Ukube wena, yebo wena, ubuziqondile kulolu suku izinto eziphathelene nokuthula—kodwa manje zifihliwe emehlweni akho.” IJerusalema lizozisola ngokunqaba ngamabomu ukulalela. UJesu uyabikezela: “Izitha zakho zizokwakha uthango nxazonke zakho ngezigxobo ezicijile, zikuzungeze, zikuvimbezele nhlangothi zonke. Zizokuphahlaza phansi wena nabantwana bakho. Akukho tshe kuleli dolobha eliyoshiywa phezu kwelinye itshe.” (Luka 19:42-44) Nangempela, iJerusalema liyabhujiswa ngo-70 C.E. njengoba kwasho uJesu.

Lapho uJesu engena eJerusalema, ‘idolobha lonke liyaxokozela, lithi: “Ubani lo?”’ Izixulu zazilokhu zithi: “Lona ngumprofethi uJesu, ovela eNazaretha laseGalile!” (Mathewu 21:10, 11) Laba abasesixukwini ababone uJesu evusa uLazaru batshela abanye ngalesi simangaliso. AbaFarisi bayakhala ngoba bayabona ukuthi abakwenzayo kufana nokuthela amanzi emhlane wedada. Bathi: “Izwe lonke liyamlandela.”—Johane 12:18, 19.

Njengoba uJesu eseJerusalema, uyofundisa ethempelini njengenhlalayenza. Elapho uvula amehlo ezimpumputhe elaphe nabayizinyonga. Lapho abapristi abakhulu nababhali bebona lokho akwenzayo futhi bezwa abafana ethempelini bememeza bethi, “Siyanxusa, sindisa iNdodana kaDavide!” bayathukuthela. Abaholi benkolo babuza uJesu: “Uyakuzwa lokhu abakushoyo laba?” Uyabaphendula: “Anizange yini nikufunde lokhu, ‘Ubangele ukuba imilomo yezingane nezinsana ikudumise’?”—Mathewu 21:15, 16.

UJesu uyaqalaza ubuka izinto ezisethempelini. Isikhathi sesihambile, ngakho uyahamba nabaphostoli. Ngaphambi kukaNisani 10, ubuyela eBhethaniya, achithe khona ubusuku bangeSonto.