UYohane umBhaptizi uye wavalelwa ejele emva kokuba uYesu eye kwiPasika ka-30 C.E. Ebefuna abafundi bakhe babe ngabalandeli bakaYesu, kodwa abanye khange bayenze loo nto emva kokuba evalelwe.

Ngoku, njengokuba iPasika ka-31 C.E. isondele, abanye babafundi bakaYohane baya kuYesu baze bambuze bathi: “Kutheni thina nabaFarisi sizila ukutya kodwa bona abafundi bakho abayenzi loo nto?” (Mateyu 9:14) AbaFarisi bakwenza ukuzila ukutya kube yenye yeendlela abakhonza ngazo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha uYesu ude enze umzekelo ngomFarisi ozenza ilungisa aze athandaze athi: “Owu Thixo, ndiyabulela kuba ndingekho njengabanye abantu. . . . Ndizila ukutya kabini ngeveki.” (Luka 18:11, 12) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwakulisiko nakubafundi bakaYohane ukuzila kutya. Okanye mhlawumbi babezila ukutya kuba uYohane evalelwe ejele. Nabanye abantu ababukeleyo babezibuza ukuba kutheni abafundi bakaYesu bengazili ukutya, mhlawumbi nabo bazile ngenxa kaYohane.

UYesu ubaphendula ngokwenza umzekelo, athi: “Akukho sizathu sokuba abahlobo bomyeni bazile ukutya xa umyeni esekunye nabo, andithi? Kodwa liyeza ixesha lokuba umyeni athathwe kubo, batsho ke bazile ukutya.”​—Mateyu 9:15.

UYohane watsho ngokwakhe ukuba uYesu ngumyeni. (Yohane 3:28, 29) Kuyabonakala ke ukuba esekhona nje uYesu, abafundi bakhe abazokuzila ukutya. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, xa uYesu efile, abafundi bakhe baza kuzila baze bangabi namdla wokutya. Kodwa ukuvuswa kwakhe iza kutshintsha loo nto! Abazokuphinda babe naso isizathu sokuzila ukutya.

Emva koko, uYesu ubenzela imizekelo emibini, uthi: “Akukho mntu uthungela ilaphu elitsha phezu kwempahla endala, kuba liza kuyitsala, liyikrazule, ize yonakale kakhulu. Kungekho namntu ugalela iwayini entsha kwiibhotile zofele ezindala. Ukuba uyayenza loo nto, ezo bhotile ziyagqabhuka, zonakale, ichitheke naloo wayini. Kodwa abantu bayigalela kwiibhotile zofele ezintsha iwayini.” (Mateyu 9:16, 17) Uthini kanye kanye uYesu?

UYesu unceda abafundi bakaYohane umBhaptizi baqonde ukuba akukho mntu umele alindele abalandeli bakhe ukuba benze amasiko amaYuda akudala, njengokuzila ukutya. Akazanga ukuzokupetsha okanye atsale indlela endala ekukhonzwa ngayo nehleli iza kupheliswa. UYesu akazanga ukuzokukhuthaza indlela yokukhonza yamaYuda namasiko abantu. Akazanga ukuzokupetsha okanye ukuthungela ilaphu elitsha kwelidala okanye agalele iwayini entsha kwiibhotile zofele ezindala.