Akudingeki sicabange ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi babengekho abafundi abangu-70 lapho uJesu emisa iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa lokho kwakusho ukuthi uJesu wayengabamukeli noma babemshiyile. UJesu wayemane nje efuna ukuba nabaphostoli bakhe kuleso senzakalo.

Abaphostoli bakhe abangu-12 nabafundi bakhe abangu-70 bonke babengabafundi bakaJesu. Kubafundi bakhe abaningi uJesu waqale wakhetha amadoda angu-12 awabiza ngokuthi abaphostoli. (Luka 6:​12-16) WayeseGalile lapho ‘ebiza abayiShumi Nambili’ futhi “wabathuma ukuba bahambe bayoshumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nokuba belaphe abagulayo.” (Luka 9:​1-6) Kamuva, lapho eseJudiya, uJesu ‘wakhetha abanye abangu-70 wabathuma ngababili.’ (Luka 9:51; 10:1) Ngakho, uJesu wayenabafundi ababeshumayela izindaba ezinhle ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene.

AmaJuda ayebe abafundi bakaJesu ayesaqhubeka nokugubha iPhasika laminyaka yonke, cishe ayeligubha kanye nemindeni yawo. (Eks. 12:​6-11, 17-20) Njengoba isikhathi sokufa kwakhe sasisondela, uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe baya eJerusalema. Kodwa akazange ahlele ukuba kube nePhasika elikhulu labo bonke abafundi bakhe—abaseJudiya, eGalile nasePereya. Kuyacaca ukuthi uJesu wayefuna ukuba nabaphostoli bakhe kuleso senzakalo. Wathi kubo: “Bengifisa kakhulu ukulidla nani leli Phasika ngaphambi kokuba ngihlupheke.”—Luka 22:15.

Wayenesizathu esihle salokho. Maduze uJesu wayezokufa “njengeWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa isono sezwe.” (Joh. 1:29) Lokho kwakuzokwenzeka eJerusalema lapho iminikelo eya kuNkulunkulu yayenzelwa khona. Ukufa kukaJesu kwakuyoletha inkululeko enkulu kunaleyo eyaba khona ngenxa yewundlu eladliwa imindeni yama-Israyeli ngobusuku eyafuduka ngabo eGibhithe. (1 Kor. 5:​7, 8) Lokho uJesu akwenza kwakuyokwenza abayiShumi Nambili babe yisisekelo sebandla lobuKristu. (Efe. 2:​20-22) Ngokuthakazelisayo idolobha elingcwele iJerusalema ‘linamatshe esisekelo angu-12,’ kuwo kubhalwe “amagama angu-12 abaphostoli abangu-12 beWundlu.” (IsAm. 21:​10-14) Ngempela, abaphostoli abathembekile babeyoba nengxenye ebalulekile ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani uJesu ayefuna babe naye ePhasikeni lokugcina nakulokho okwakuzolandela ngokushesha—iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa.

Abafundi abangu-70 kanye nabanye babengekho kanye noJesu kuleso sidlo. Noma kunjalo, bonke abafundi ababezibonakalise bethembekile babeyozuza kulokho uJesu ayekuqalile—ukumisa iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa. Bonke labo ababa amaKristu agcotshiwe ngokuhamba kwesikhathi babeyongena ngaphansi kwesivumelwano sombuso, leso uJesu akhuluma ngaso nabaphostoli bakhe ngalobo busuku.—Luka 22:​29, 30.