UJesu bekaphendula umbuzo wabapostoli bakhe omalungana nesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe nesokuphela kwephasi. Acabanga ngalokhu, ubanikela isiyeleliso ngokubenzela omunye umfanekiso. Ngilabo abaphila hlangana nokuba khona kwakhe abazokubona ukuzaliseka kwawo.

Uthoma umfanekiswakhe nganasi indlela: “UmBuso wezulu ungafaniswa neentombi ezilitjhumi ezathatha iimbani zazo zayokuhlangabeza umkhwenyana. Ezihlanu zazo beziziindlhadlha, ezihlanu zazo bezihlakaniphile.”—Matewu 25:1, 2.

Ngokwenza umfanekiso lo, uJesu akatjho ukuthi ingcenye yabafundi bakhe ezokuzuza ilifa lomBuso wezulwini iziindlhadlha bese kuthi enye ihlakaniphile. Kunalokho, utjho ukuthi malungana nomBuso, umfundi ngamunye angakghona ukuzikhethela ukuthi ufuna ukuba ngophaphamileko namkha oyendako. Nokho, uJesu akazazi ukuthi iinceku zakhe zingahlala zithembekile begodu zifumane iimbusiso zakaYise.

Emfanekisweni lo, zoke iintombi ezilitjhumi ziyaphuma ziyokuhlangabeza umkhwenyana begodu zihlanganyele emnyanyeni womtjhado. Nakafikako, iintombi zizokukhanyisa endleleni ngeembani zazo, zimdumise njengombana aletha umakotakhe ngendlini alungiselelwe yona. Alo kwenzekani?

UJesu uyahlathulula: “Eziziindlhadlha zathatha  iimbani zazo kodwana khenge zithathe namafutha, kwathi ezihlakaniphileko zaphatha amafutha ngamabhodlelo neembani zazo. Umkhwenyana wariyada, zoke zayenda zalala.” (Matewu 25:3-5) Umkhwenyana akafiki ngesikhathi alindelwe ngaso. Kubonakala ngasuthi uriyada khulu, kangangobana neentombi zibanjwa buthongo. Kungenzeka abapostoli bayakukhumbula lokho uJesu akhe akutjho ngomuntu othileko obelethwa ebukhosini owaya enarheni ekude begodu ‘ekugcineni wabuya ngemva kokuzifumanela ubukhosi.’—Lukasi 19:11-15.

Emfanekisweni lo, uJesu uhlathulula okwenzekako nakufika umkhwenyana: “Phakathi nobusuku kwazwakala itjhada: ‘Nang’ umkhwenyana! Phumani niyomhlangabeza.’” (Matewu 25:6) Inga-kghani iintombezi zikulungele begodu zikuphaphamele na ukufika komkhwenyana?

Uraga uthi: “Yeke zoke iintombezo zavuka zalungisa iimbani zazo. Eziziindlhadlha zathi kezihlakaniphileko, ‘Akhe nisiphungulele amafuthenu, ngombana iimbani zethu sezizokucima.’ Ezihlakaniphileko zaphendula zathi: ‘Mhlamunye nathi azasitlhayelela nasingawabelana nani. Khambani niye kilabo abawathengisako, niyozithengela.’”—Matewu 25:7-9.

Iintombi ezihlanu eziziindlhadlha azikakuphaphameli begodu azikakulungeli ukufika komkhwenyana. Azikaphathi amafutha aneleko yeke kufuze ziyowafuna. UJesu uthi: “Nazisayowathenga, umkhwenyana wafika. Iintombi ebesele zilungile zangena naye emnyanyeni womtjhado, kwavalwa umnyango. Ngemva kwesikhathi, iintombi ezikhambilekweza zafika, zathi, ‘Kosi, Kosi, sivulela!’ Wathi kizo, ‘Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, anginazi.’” (Matewu 25:10-12) Lo-ke mphumela obuhlungu ezaqalana nawo wokungakuphaphameli nokungakulungeli ukufika komkhwenyana!

Abapostoli bayabona ukuthi umkhwenyana uJesu akhuluma ngaye lo, nguye. Ngaphambilini khewazifanisa nomkhwenyana. (Lukasi 5:34, 35) Alo, bobani iintombi ezihlakaniphilekwezi? UJesu nakakhuluma ‘ngomhlambi omncani,’ ozokunikelwa umBuso, usebenzise amezwi naka: “Mbathani, nizilungiselele begodu nikhanyise iimbani zenu.” (Lukasi 12:32, 35) Nje-ke emfanekisweni lo, abapostoli bayazwisisa ukuthi uJesu uqalisele kibo. Ngimuphi-ke umlayezo uJesu awudluliselako ngomfanekiso lo?

UJesu akabatjhiyi bazibuza. Uphetha umfanekiswakhe ngokuthi: “Ngalokho hlalani nilindile, ngombana anilazi ilanga ne-iri.”—Matewu 25:13.

Kusemtarini ukuthi uJesu uyelelisa abalandeli bakhe abathembekileko bona ‘bahlale balindile’ malungana nokuba khona kwakhe. UJesu uzokuza begodu kufuze bazilungiselele bebahlale baphapheme—njengeentombi ezihlanu ezihlakaniphileko—ukuze bangalahlekelwa lithemba labo eliligugu bese balahlekelwe kufumana umvuzwabo.