Kusentambama ngeLesihlanu, ngoNisan 14. Ngemva kokutjhinga kwelanga kuzokuthoma iSabatha langoNisan 15. UJesu sekahlongakele kodwana iinlelesi ezimbili ezimphahlileko zisaphila. NgokomThetho, iindumbu zabantu kufuze ‘zingahlali ubusuku boke esigodweni,’ kunalokho kufuze zibulungwe “khona mhlokho.”—Duteronomi 21:22, 23.

Ukungezelela kilokho, ilanga langeLesihlanu ntambama libizwa ngokuthi ngelokuLungiselela, ngombana abantu balungisa ukudla, baqedelela imisebenzabo engekhe yakghona ukulinda bekudlule iSabatha. ISabatha “elikhethekileko” lizokuthoma nakutjhinga ilanga. (Jwanisi 19:31) Libizwa ngokuthi liSabatha “elikhethekileko” ngombana ngelangeli kuhlangana amaSabatha amabili. Lokhu kutjho ukuthi uNisan 15 ungoMgqibelo okulilanga ekugidingwa ngalo iSabatha. UNisan 15 lilanga lokuthoma lokugidinga uMnyanya wesiKwa esinganaSibiliso othatha amalanga alikhomba, kuba liSabatha kinanyana ngiliphi ilanga uNisan 15 awela kilo.—Levitikusi 23:5, 6.

AmaJuda abawa uPilatu bona abulale uJesu neenlelesi ezimbili ezimphahlileko msinyana. Uzokwenza njani lokho? Ngokuthi baphulwe imilenze. Lokho kuzobenza bangakghoni ukusebenzisa imilenzabo ukuzisunduzela phezulu bona bakghone ukuphefumula kuhle. Amasotja aphula imilenze yeenlelesi ezimbili. Kodwana nakafika  kuJesu akhange amphule imilenze ngombana besekafile. Lokhu kuzalisa umtlolo wamaRhubo 34:21 ethi: “Alonde woke amathambakhe, kungabikho nelilodwa kiwo elizakwephulwa.”

Bona liqinisekise ukuthi uJesu uhlongakele kwamambala, isotja lithatha umkhonto limhlaba ehlangothini. “Kwaphuma iingazi namanzi.” (Jwanisi 19:34) Lokhu kuzalisa omunye umtlolo othi: “Bazakufuna isizo kimi, balilele loyo ebamhlabako.”—Zakariya 12:10.

UJosefa we-Arimathiya, “indoda enjingileko” begodu olilunga elihlonitjhwako leSanhedrini naye ukhona nakubulawa uJesu. (Matewu 27:57) Uhlathululwa ngokuthi ‘yindoda ehle nelungileko’ begodu ‘elindele umBuso kaZimu.’ Kuhlekuhle, bekangakhambisani nesiqunto esithethwe yikhotho sokuthwesa uJesu umlandu, ngebanga lokuthi ‘bekamfundi kaJesu kodwana angafuni ukuziveza ngombana asaba amaJuda.’ (Lukasi 23:50; Markosi 15:43; Jwanisi 19:38) UJosefa uqunga isibindi ubawa umzimba kaJesu kuPilatu. UPilatu ubiza isikhulu sebutho bona siqinisekise ukuthi uJesu uhlongakele. Ngemva kokufumana isiqinisekisweso uPilatu unikela uJosefa isidumbu.

UJosefa uze nelineni elisezingeni eliphezulu, nakafikako wehlisa umzimba kaJesu esigodweni. Uphuthela isidumbeso ngelineni, usilungiselela ukubulungwa. UNikhodemusi, “indoda eyaya kuJesu ebusuku kokuthoma” usiza ngamalungiselelo. (Jwanisi 19:39) Uza aphethe umqarho ongaba makhilogremu ama-30 wemire nomarobazibukhali. Umzimba kaJesu usongwa ngamatjhila athelwe ngamakha la, ngokwesiko lamaJuda lokubulunga.

UJosefa unesimu eduze nendawo uJesu abulawelwe kiyo, begodu esimini leyo kunethuna eligobhodlhwe edwaleni okungakhenge kulaliswe muntu kilo, kulapho uJesu abulungwa khona. Ngemva kwalokho kugedwa ilitje kuvalwa ngalo umnyango wethuna. Lokhu kwenziwa msinyana ngaphambi kokuthoma kweSabatha. UMariya Marhdalina noMariya unina lakaJakopo Omncani kungenzeka bebasiza ngokulungiselela isidumbu sakaJesu. Kwanje, bayagijima babuyela emva “bayokulungiselela amakha namafutha anuka kamnandi” ukwenzela bona bazokuthela umzimba kaJesu ngemva kweSabatha.—Lukasi 23:56.

Ngelanga elilandelako, okulilanga leSabatha abaphristi abakhulu nabaFarisi, baya kuPilatu bathi: “Sikhumbula okwakhulunywa mkhohlisi loya nakasaphila wathi, ‘Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu ngizokuvuswa.’ Ngalokho, khupha umyalo wokobana kugadwe ithuna bekube lilanga lesithathu, ukwenzela bona abafundi bakhe bangezi bamebe bese bathi ebantwini, ‘Uvusiwe kwabafileko!’ Bese ikohliso yamva izakudlula yokuthoma.” UPilatu uthi kibo: “Ningamfumana unogada. Khambani niyoligada ngendlela eningakghona ngayo.”—Matewu 27:63-65.

KungoSondo ekuseni, uMariya Marhdalina, uMariya unina lakaJakopo nabanye abafazi beza namakha bazokuthela umzimba kaJesu. Bakhuluma bodwa bathi: “Kazi sizaligedelwa ngubani ilitje okuvalwe ngalo ithuna?” (Markosi 16:3) Nokho iphasi lisikinyekile. Ingilozi kaZimu iligedile ilitje, abonogada abekho nethuna libonakala linganalitho.