Ubufakazi buveza ukuthi uJesu waba uMpristi Ophakeme ngesikhathi ebhapathizwa ngo-29 C.E. Sikwazi kanjani lokho? Ngesikhathi uJesu ebhapathizwa, wabonisa ukuthi uzimisele ukunikela ngokuphila kwakhe e-altare elingokomfanekiso elimelela ‘intando’ kaNkulunkulu. (Gal. 1:4; Heb. 10:5-10) Ngenxa yokuthi i-altare elingokomfanekiso laba khona kusukela uJesu ebhapathizwa kuqhubeke, kumelwe ukuba nethempeli elikhulu elingokomoya​—elimelela ilungiselelo lokukhulekela uJehova ngendlela ehlanzekile ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo—​nalo laba khona ngaleso sikhathi. I-altare liyingxenye ebalulekile yalelo thempeli elingokomoya.​—Math. 3:16, 17; Heb. 5:4-6.

Njengoba lase likhona ithempeli elikhulu elingokomoya, kwase kudingeka kube nompristi ophakeme. Ukuze lokho kwenzeke, uJehova wagcoba uJesu “ngomoya ongcwele nangamandla.” (IzE. 10:37, 38; Marku 1:9-11) Kodwa singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi uJesu wagcotshwa njengoMpristi Ophakeme ngaphambi kokuba afe futhi avuswe? Sizothola impendulo esenza siqiniseke lapho sibheka isibonelo sika-Aroni nabapristi abaphakeme abalandela ngemva kwakhe ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose.

UMthetho KaMose wawuthi ngumpristi ophakeme kuphela ongangena eNgcwelengcwele yetabernakele, kamuva, eNgcwelengcwele yethempeli. INgcwelengcwele neNgcwele kwakuhlukaniswa yisihenqo. Umpristi ophakeme wayedlula kuleso sihenqo ngoSuku Lokuhlawulelwa kuphela. (Heb. 9:1-3, 6, 7) Njengoba nje u-Aroni nalabo abamlandela bagcotshwa baba abapristi abaphakeme ngaphambi kokuba ‘badabule isihenqo’ setabernakele kumelwe ukuba uJesu wagcotshwa waba uMpristi Ophakeme wethempeli likaJehova elikhulu elingokomoya ngaphambi kokuba afe, ngemva kwalokho wadlulela ezulwini, “edabula isihenqo, okuwukuthi, inyama yakhe.” (Heb. 10:20) Ngenxa yaleso sizathu, umphostoli uPawulu ubhekisela kuJesu “njengompristi ophakeme” ozayo, ‘odabula etendeni elikhulu neliphelele ngokwengeziwe elingenziwanga ngezandla,’ futhi ongena “ezulwini ngokwalo.”​—Heb. 9:11, 24.

Awukho umehluko phakathi kwesikhathi isivumelwano esisha esaqiniswa ngaso nesamiswa ngaso. Kungani? Ngesikhathi uJesu enyukela ezulwini, enikela ngokuphila kwakhe okungenasono ngenxa yethu, wathatha izinyathelo ezimbili kwezintathu zokuqinisekisa noma zokwenza isivumelwano esisha sibe semthethweni. Lezo zinyathelo zaziyomisa isivumelwano , noma zisenze sisebenze. Yiziphi lezo zinyathelo?

Okokuqala, uJesu wavela phambi kukaJehova; okwesibili, uJesu wanikela ngomhlatshelo wakhe kuJehova; okokugcina, uJehova walamukela igazi likaJesu elachitheka. Zingakenzeki lezi zinto, isivumelwano esisha sasingasebenzi.

IBhayibheli alisitsheli ngokuqondile ukuthi uJehova wawamukela nini umhlatshelo kaJesu. Ngakho asikwazi ukusho ngokuqondile ukuthi isivumelwano esisha saqiniswa nini futhi samiswa nini. Noma kunjalo, siyazi ukuthi uJesu wanyukela ezulwini kusasele izinsuku eziyishumi kube yiPentekoste. (IzE. 1:3) Phakathi naleso sikhathi esifushane, wanikela umhlatshelo wakhe kuJehova, uJehova wawamukela. (Heb. 9:12) Ubufakazi balokho babonakala ngokucacile ngePentekoste. (IzE. 2:1-4, 32, 33) Kusobala ukuthi isivumelwano esisha sase simisiwe futhi sisebenza.

Ngamafuphi, isivumelwano esisha samiswa futhi saqiniswa ngemva kokuba uJehova amukele igazi likaJesu elachitheka. Isivumelwano sabe sesisebenza sinoMpristi Ophakeme uJesu, enguMlamuleli waso.​—Heb. 7:25; 8:1-3, 6; 9:13-15.