Njengoba uJesu nabafundi bakhe beqeda uhambo lwabo oluya ngaseningizimu yePhereya bephikelele eJerusalema, bawela uMfula iJordani eduze kweJeriko. Kukhona nabanye abahamba nabo, baya ePhasikeni lika-33 C.E.

UJesu uhamba phambi kwabafundi, uzimisele ukufika ngesikhathi edolobheni lapho iPhasika lizoba khona. Kodwa abafundi bangenwe amanzi emadolweni. Ekuqaleni, ngesikhathi kufe uLazaru futhi uJesu esezosuka ePhereya aye eJudiya, uTomase wathi kwabanye: “Masihambe nathi, ukuze sife kanye naye.” (Johane 11:16, 47-53) Ngakho ukuya eJerusalema kuyingozi futhi kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani abafundi besaba.

Ukuze abalungiselele okwakusazokwenzeka, uJesu ubizela abaphostoli bakhe eceleni bese ethi kubo: “Sikhuphukela eJerusalema, iNdodana yomuntu izonikelwa kubapristi abakhulu nakubabhali. Bazoyinika isigwebo sokufa, bayinikele kubantu bezizwe ukuba bahlekise ngayo, bayibhaxabule futhi bayibulalele esigxotsheni; kodwa ngosuku lwesithathu izovuswa.”—Mathewu 20:18, 19.

Okwesithathu manje uJesu etshela abafundi bakhe mayelana nokufa kwakhe nokuvuswa kwakhe. (Mathewu 16:21; 17:22, 23) Kodwa manje uthi uzobulawelwa esigxotsheni. Bayamuzwa kodwa abaqondi ukuthi usho ukuthini. Kungenzeka balindele ukubuyiselwa kombuso wakwa-Israyeli emhlabeni, befuna ukuthola inkazimulo nodumo embusweni wasemhlabeni kanye noKristu.

Kwabahamba noJesu, kukhona uSalome, unina kaJakobe noJohane. UJesu uqambe laba baphostoli ababili ngegama elisho ukuthi “amaDodana Okuduma,” ngokungangabazeki ngenxa yentshiseko yabo. (Marku 3:17; Luka  9:54) Sekuyisikhathi laba ababili befisa ukuba nezikhundla eziphezulu eMbusweni kaKristu. Nonina wayekwazi lokho. Ezobakhulumela, manje uza kuJesu afike aguqe phambi kwakhe bese ecela okuthile. UJesu uyamphendula: “Ufunani?” Yena uthi: “Khipha izwi lokuba la madodana ami amabili ahlale enye ngakwesokudla sakho enye ngakwesobunxele sakho, eMbusweni wakho.”—Mathewu 20:20, 21.

Empeleni abantu abenze lesi sicelo uJakobe noJohane. Njengoba esanda kusho indlela azohlazeka ngayo, uJesu uthi kubo: “Anikwazi enikucelayo. Ningakwazi yini ukuphuza indebe esengizoyiphuza?” Bayamphendula: “Singakwazi.” (Mathewu 20:22) Namanje, abaqondi kahle ukuthi lokhu kusho ukuthini kubo.

Noma kunjalo, uJesu uthi kubo: “Nizoyiphuza ngempela indebe yami, kodwa ukuhlala ngakwesokudla sami nangakwesobunxele sami akukhona okwami ukuba ngiphane ngakho, kodwa kungokwalabo abakulungiselelwe nguBaba.”—Mathewu 20:23.

Lapho bezwa ngalokho uJakobe noJohane abakucele kuJesu, abanye abaphostoli abayishumi bathukuthela bagane unwabu. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi kukhona okwashiwo uJakobe noJohane lapho abaphostoli benempikiswano mayelana nokuthi ubani omkhulu kunabo bonke? (Luka 9:46-48) Kunoma ngabe yikuphi, kulokho okwenzeka manje kubaphostoli abayiShumi Nambili, kuyabonisa ukuthi abasisebenzisanga iseluleko uJesu abanikeze sona sokuzibheka njengomncane kunabo bonke. Isifiso sabo sokufuna ukuvelela asipheli.

UJesu unquma ukusilungisa lesi simo esishubile nesizobanga inzondo. Ubizela abayiShumi Nambili kuye, bese ebaluleka ngothando athi: “Niyazi ukuthi labo ababonakala bebusa izizwe, bazenza izingqongqo phezu kwazo nezikhulu zazo, basebenzisa igunya phezu kwazo. Akumelwe kube njalo phakathi kwenu; kodwa noma ubani ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu kumelwe abe yisikhonzi senu, futhi noma ubani ofuna ukuba owokuqala phakathi kwenu kumelwe abe inceku yenu nonke.”—Marku 10:42-44.

UJesu ukhuluma ngesibonelo okufanele basilingise—isibonelo sakhe. Uyachaza: ‘INdodana yomuntu ayizelanga ukukhonzwa, kodwa ukukhonza nokunikela ngokuphila kwayo kube yisihlengo sabaningi.’ (Mathewu 20:28) UJesu ubelokhu ekhonza abanye iminyaka engaba mithathu. Futhi usazoqhubeka ebakhonza kuze kufike ezingeni lokuba abafele! Abafundi kufanele babe nesimo sengqondo esinjengesikaKristu, sokufisa ukukhonza kunokukhonzwa, sokuba mncane kunabo bonke kunesokuba sezikhundleni ezibenza bavelele.