UJesu ulokhu elabaphostoli bakhe abane eNtabeni Yama-Oliva futhi ubalandisela omunye umzekeliso. Uthe eseJerikho emalangeni asanda kwedlula wabalandisela umzekeliso wamamina otshengisa ukuthi kusele isikhathi eside ukuthi uMbuso ufike. Umzekeliso asebalandisela wona khathesi uhambelana kakhulu lalowo ake wawulandisa. Lawo uphendula umbuzo obuzwe ngabaphostoli omayelana lokuba khona kwakhe lesiphetho somumo wezinto. Utshengisa ukuthi abafundi kumele bakhuthale emsebenzini abaphathise wona.

UJesu uthi: “UMbuso unjengendoda eyathi isizakuya phetsheya yabiza izinceku zayo yazigcinisa impahla yayo.” (UMathewu 25:14) Abaphostoli bahle babone ukuthi uJesu nguye ‘indoda’ esemzekelisweni lo ngoba uke wazifanisa lomunye “umuntu” owaya kwelinye ilizwe “ukuze ayephiwa ubukhosi.”​—ULukha 19:12.

Indoda esemzekelisweni ithi ingakayi phetsheya itshiyele izinceku zayo impahla yayo eqakathekileyo. UJesu ubekhuthele ekutshumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu okweminyaka emithathu lengxenye esenza inkonzo yakhe, futhi ufundise abafundi bakhe ukuthi bawenze njani umsebenzi lo. Khathesi usehamba futhi ulethemba lokuthi bazaqhubeka besenza lokho abafundise ukuthi bakwenze.​—UMathewu 10:7; ULukha 10:1, 8, 9; khangela loJohane 4:38; 14:12.

Indoda esemzekelisweni inika inceku ngayinye impahla enganani? UJesu uthi: “Yanika inceku yokuqala amathalenta amahlanu, enye yayinika amabili, enye yayinika elilodwa, kusiya ngokuthi ngayinye yayisenelisa ukwenzani, yasisuka yaya elizweni elikhatshana.” (UMathewu 25:15) Izinceku lezo zizakwenzani ngempahla eziyitshiyelweyo? Zizayisebenzisa ngendlela ezathokozisa inkosi yazo yini? UJesu utshela abaphostoli athi:

“Eyayiphiwe amathalenta amahlanu yahle yayakwenza ibhizimusi ngawo, yasizuza amanye amahlanu. Eyayiphiwe amabili layo yazuza amanye amabili. Kodwa inceku eyayiphiwe elilodwa yasuka yayagebha igodi, yafihla imali yenkosi yayo.” (UMathewu 25:16-18) Kuzakwenzakalani nxa inkosi isiphendukile?

UJesu uqhubeka esithi: “Ngemva kwesikhathi eside inkosi yabuya, yafika yakhangela ukuthi izinceku zayo zaziyisebenzise njani imali yayo.” (UMathewu 25:19) Izinceku zokuqala ezimbili zenza konke ezazingakwenza, “kusiya ngokuthi ngayinye yayisenelisa ukwenzani.” Zombili zazikhuthele futhi zaphinda zazuza enye imali ngaleyo ezaziyiphiwe. Owayephiwe amathalenta amahlanu wathola amanye amahlanu, owayephiwe amabili laye wabuya lawo esephindwe kabili. (Ngalezonsuku umuntu kwakumele asebenze  okweminyaka engaba ngu-19 ukuze athole imali elingana lethalenta elilodwa.) Inkosi incoma inceku ngayinye isithi: “Wenze kuhle nceku enhle lethembekileyo! Ube ngothembekileyo ezintweni ezilutshwana. Ngizakuphathisa izinto ezinengi. Thokoza lenkosi yakho.”​—UMathewu 25:21.

Kodwa inceku eyaphiwa ithalenta elilodwa izenzela okwayo. Ithi: “Nkosi, bengikwazi ukuthi uyindoda ehluphayo, evuna lapho engahlanyelanga khona futhi ebutha amabele engawasebenzelanga. Yikho ngesaba ngasengisiyafihla ithalenta lakho emhlabathini. Nanku, thatha okungokwakho.” (UMathewu 25:24, 25) Kayizange izihluphe langokufaka imali yenkosi yayo ebhanga ukuze izale. Inceku le kayikwenzanga obekukhangelelwe ukuthi ikwenze.

Inkosi yayo kayiphambanisi sibili nxa isithi ‘iyinceku embi elivilavoxo.’ Iyalithathelwa ithalenta ebilalo liphiwe inceku ezimiseleyo ukusebenza gadalala. Inkosi ithi: “Wonke umuntu olakho uzaphiwa okunye futhi, njalo uzakuba lokunengi kakhulu. Kodwa ongelakho uzathathelwa lalokho alakho.”​—UMathewu 25:26, 29.

Abafundi bakaJesu balokunengi okumele bacabange ngakho futhi okunye kwakhona ngumzekeliso abasanda kuwuzwa. Bayabona ukuthi umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi uJesu abapha wona uqakatheke kakhulu. Ukhangelele ukuthi bakhuthale emsebenzini lo oyisibusiso. UJesu kalindelanga ukuthi bonke benze okufananayo emsebenzini wokutshumayela abalaye ukuthi bawenze. Umzekeliso asanda kuwulandisa utshengisa ukuthi ngamunye kumele enze angakwenza ‘kusiya ngokuthi wenelisa ukwenzani.’ Kodwa uJesu kasoze athokoze nxa omunye angaba ‘livilavoxo’ futhi ehluleke ukwenza angakwenza emsebenzini awuphiwe yiNkosi.

Kumele ukuthi abaphostoli bayathokoza besizwa amazwi athi: “Wonke umuntu olakho uzaphiwa okunye futhi.”