UJesu uqeda ukuthandaza nabapostoli bakhe abathembekileko. ‘Ngemva kokuvuma iingoma zokudumisa, bayaphuma baya eNtabeni yama-Oliva.’ (Markosi 14:26) Batjhinga ngepumalanga yeNtaba, esimini uJesu ajayele ukuya kiyo, ebizwa ngokuthi yiGetsemani.

Nabafika endaweni ehle yesimu le, hlangana nemithi yama-oliva, uJesu uthi kibo: “Yijani nihlezi lapha, ngisaya laphaya ngiyokuthandaza.” Uthatha abapostoli abathathu—uPitrosi, uJakopo noJwanisi—utjhinga nabo phambidlana. Utlhuwa khulu begodu uthi ebapostolini abathathwaba: “Ngilisizi khulu, bekube sekufeni. Hlalani lapha. Nihlale niqalile kunye nami.”—Matewu 26:36-38.

UJesu utjhinga phambidlana ‘uguqa phasi, uthoma ukuthandaza.’ Khuyini ayithandazelako ebudisini aqalene nabobu? Uthi: “Baba, zoke izinto ziyakghoneka kuwe; susa ikapho le kimi. Nokho ingasi ngokufuna kwami, kodwana ngokufuna kwakho.” (Markosi 14:35, 36) Utjho ukuthini? Kghani ungenwa mamanzi emadolweni ngendimakhe yokuba Sihlengo? Awa.

Nakasezulwini, uJesu wayibona indlela abahlunguphazwa ngayo abantu ababulawa maRoma. Nje uJesu uphila ephasini, unemizwa njengawo woke umuntu, nje-ke akakaqali phambili kilokho okumlindeleko. Nokho, okumtshwenya khulu kukuthi kungenzeka bona ukufa kwakhe njengesilelesi esikhohlakeleko kuhlambalaze ibizo lakaYise. Ema-irini ambalwa, uzokulengiswa esigodweni njengomuntu ohlambalaze uZimu.

Ngemva kokuthandaza isikhathi eside, uJesu ubuyela ebapostolini abathathu ubafumana bayile ngobuthongo. Uthi kuPitrosi: “Beningekhe nakghona ngitjho nokuhlala niqalile nami i-iri linye na? Hlalani niqalile begodu nithandaze qobe, bona ningangeni esilingweni.” UJesu uyazwisisa ukuthi abapostoli nabo bagandelelekile begodu badiniwe. Nje-ke, ungezelela uthi: “Kwamambala, ummoya uyafisa, kodwana inyama iyabogaboga.”—Matewu 26:40, 41.

Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu ukhamba ihlandla lesibili ubawa uZimu bona asuse “ikapho le” kuye. Nakabuyako, ufumana abapostoli abathathu balele godu kunokuthi bathandaze bona bangangeni esilingweni. UJesu nakakhuluma nabo “khenge bazi bona bamphendule bathini.” (Markosi 14:40) UJesu ukhamba ihlandla lesithathu, uyaguqa bese uyathandaza.

UJesu utshwenyeke khulu ngokuthi ukufa kwakhe njengesilelesi kuzokuhlambalaza ibizo lakaYise. Nokho uJehova uyayizwa imithandazo yeNdodanakhe begodu uthumela ingilozi bona iyomqinisa. Nanyana kunjalo uJesu uraga nokurabhela uYise, ‘uthandaza ngokudephileko.’ Ugandeleleke khulu ngokwamazizo. Uthwele  umthwalo obudisi. Phela ukuphila kwakhe okungapheliko nokwabantu abakholwako kusemahlombakhe. Ugandeleleke kangangokuthi ‘ingurumelakhe iba njengamathosi weengazi awela ehlabathini.’—Lukasi 22:44.

UJesu nakabuyela ihlandla lesithathu, godu ufumana abapostoli balele. Uthi kibo: “Ngesikhathi esinje, nilele begodu niphumulile! Qalani! I-iri lokobana iNdodana yomuntu ithengiswe ezandleni zezoni selitjhidele. Sikimani sikhambeni. Loyo ongithengisako sekatjhidele.”—Matewu 26:45, 46.