Ngubani uBharaba?

Womane amaVangeli akhuluma ngabantu abashintsha ukuphila kwabo ngandlela-thile ngokuhlangana noJesu isikhashana. Lokhu kuhlangana kubhalwe emavesini ambalwa kuphela, kodwa abonisa isici esisodwa somusa. “Kodwa uNkulunkulu ubonakalisa uthando lwakhe ngathi ngoba uKristu wasifela siseyizoni” (Roma 5,8). UBaraba ungumuntu onjalo owavunyelwa ukuba athole lomusa ngendlela ekhetheke kakhulu.

Kwakuyisikhathi somkhosi wePhasika lamaJuda. UBharaba wayeseboshiwe kakade elindele ukubulawa. UJesu wayeboshiwe futhi ecaleni likaPontiyu Pilatu. UPilatu, azi ukuthi uJesu wayemsulwa emacaleni ayebekwe wona, wazama iqhinga lokuba akhululwe. “Kodwa emkhosini umbusi wayenomkhuba wokukhulula abantu noma yisiphi isiboshwa abasifunayo. Kepha ngaleso sikhathi babenesiboshwa esinedumela elibi, igama likaJesu uBaraba. Sebebuthene, uPilatu wathi kubo: Nithanda yiphi na? Ngizonikhululela bani, uJesu uBaraba noma uJesu, okuthiwa unguKristu?” ( Mathewu 27,15-enye).

Ngakho uPilatu wanquma ukubanika isicelo sabo. Wakhulula indoda eyayiboshelwe ukuvukela umbuso nokubulala, wamnikela uJesu entandweni yabantu. Ngakho uBaraba wasindiswa ekufeni futhi uJesu wabethelwa esiphambanweni esikhundleni sakhe phakathi kwamasela amabili. Ubani loJesu uBaraba njengomuntu? Igama elithi "Bar abba[s]" lisho "indodana kababa". UJohane umane ukhuluma ngoBarabas ‘njengomphangi,’ hhayi lowo ogqekeza indlu njengesela, kodwa omunye wohlobo izigelekeqe, abazimele, abaphangi abayibo, abaphanga, abacekela phansi, abasizakala ngosizi lwabanye. Ngakho uBaraba wayengumuntu omubi.

Lokhu kuhlangana okufushane kuphetha ngokukhululwa kukaBaraba, kepha kushiya imibuzo engaphenduleki. Waphila kanjani impilo yakhe yonke ngemuva kobusuku obunemicimbi? Wake wacabanga yini ngezehlakalo zaleso sikhathi sePhasika? Ingabe kumenze washintsha indlela yakhe yokuphila? Impendulo yale mibuzo isalokhu iyindida.

UPawulu akazange akubone ukubethelwa nokuvuka kukaJesu ngokwakhe. Uyabhala: “Okokuqala ngedlulisela kini lokho nami engakwamukela, ukuthi uKristu wafela izono zethu ngokwemibhalo, nokuthi wangcwatshwa, nokuthi wavuswa kwabafileyo ngosuku lwesithathu njengokwemibhalo.”1. AbaseKorinte 15,3-4). Sicabanga ngalezi zehlakalo eziwumgogodla wokholo lobuKristu ikakhulukazi ngenkathi yePhasika. Kodwa singubani lesi siboshwa esikhululiwe?

Leso siboshwa esikhululiwe esizogwetshwa nguwe. Igciwane elifanayo lobubi, igciwane elifanayo lenzondo, kanye negciwane elifanayo lokuhlubuka elamila empilweni kaJesu uBaraba nakho kulele ndawana thize enhliziyweni yakho. Kungase kungalethi izithelo ezimbi empilweni yakho njengoba kusobala, kodwa uNkulunkulu ukubheka ngokucacile: “Ngokuba inkokhelo yesono ingukufa, kepha isipho somusa sikaNkulunkulu singukuphila okuphakade kuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu” (KwabaseRoma. 6,23).

Ekukhanyeni komusa ovezwe kulezi zigameko, uzophila kanjani impilo yakho yonke? Ngokungafani noBharaba, impendulo yalo mbuzo ayiyona imfihlakalo. Amavesi amaningi eTestamenteni Elisha anikeza izimiso ezisebenzayo zokuphila kobuKristu, kodwa impendulo cishe ifinyezwe kangcono nguPawulu encwadini yakhe eya kuThithu: “Ngokuba umusa kaNkulunkulu ophilileyo ubonakale kubo bonke abantu, usifundisa ukuba sifulathele abangamesabi uNkulunkulu. izidalwa nezinkanuko zezwe, nokuphila ngokuqonda, ngokulunga nangokuhlonipha kulo mhlaba, nilindele ithemba elibusisiweyo nokuvela kwenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu omkhulu noMsindisi wethu uJesu Kristu, owazinikela ngenxa yethu ukuze asihlenge kukho konke ukungalungi. futhi yazihlanza njengempahla yaba abantu abashisekela imisebenzi emihle.” (Thithu 2,11-enye).

ngu-Eddie Marsh