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UJohane uMbhaphathizi
Umlayezo kaJohn the Baptist wawunamandla. Indlela yakhe yayinkulu ngendlela efanayo. Watshonisa abantu ngaphansi kwamanzi. Indlela yakhe yaba yingxenye yegama lakhe - uJohn the Baptist. Kepha kwakungekhona ukubhaphathizwa okwakukukhulu. Ubhapathizo lwaluwumkhuba ovamile esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuvela kukaJohane. Okuyinto enkulu kakhulu, ayibhabhadisa. Ukubhabhadiswa kwakungezinye zezinto ezazidingeka kumproselithe ongumhedeni ukuba abe ngumJuda, kanye nokusoka nemihlatshelo yasethempelini nezinye izidingo eziningi.
Kepha uJohane akagcinanga ngokubiza amaproselithe angamaqaba ukuba abhapathizwe, kepha futhi nabantu abakhethiwe, amaJuda. Lokhu kuziphatha okunamandla kuchaza ukuvakasha lapho iqembu labapristi, amaLevi nabaFarisi bamkhokhela ehlane. UJohn wayeyisiko labaprofethi beTestamente Elidala. Ubize abantu ukuthi baphenduke. Walahla inkohlakalo yabaholi, waxwayisa ngesahlulelo esizayo futhi wabikezela nokuza kukaMesiya.
Ngokwendawo, uJohn the Baptist wayehlala emaphethelweni omphakathi. Umsebenzi wakhe wawusehlane oluphakathi kweJerusalema noLwandle Olufile, indawo enamadwala, engenalutho, kodwa abantu abangenakubalwa baphuma bayolalela intshumayelo yakhe. Ngakolunye uhlangothi umyalezo wakhe wawufana nalowo wabaprofethi basendulo, kepha ngakolunye uhlangothi wawunamandla - uMesiya othenjisiwe wayesendleleni futhi kungekudala eza lapho! UJohn watshela abaFarisi, abababuza igunya lakhe, ukuthi igunya lakhe lalingasuki kuye - wayeyisithunywa nje sokulungisa indlela, ukumemezela ukuthi inkosi isendleleni.
UJohn akazange enze mzamo nakancane ukuzikhangisa - wamemezela ukuthi umsebenzi wakhe kuphela kwakuwukubhapathiza Lowo owayezofika futhi owayezomdlula. Umsebenzi wakhe kwakuwukubeka nje inkundla yokuthi uJesu abonakale. Kwathi lapho uJesu evela, uJohane wamemezela, “Bheka, nanti iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elithwala isono somhlaba.” Izono zethu azisuswa ngamanzi noma ngokwenza imisebenzi emihle. Bathathwa nguJesu. Siyakwazi esikusukayo ekuphendukeni. Kepha umbuzo omkhulu ukuthi amabhasi ethu ahloselwe bani.
UJohane wathi uNkulunkulu umthume ukubhabhadisa ngamanzi - okuwuphawu lokuhlanzwa kwezono zethu nokuthi siyabuya esonweni nasekufeni. Kodwa omunye umbhabhadiso wawuzofika, kusho uJohn. Lowo owayezolandela emva kwakhe - uJesu - wayezobhabhadiswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, okuyinkomba yempilo entsha kuKristu amakholwa ayithola ngoMoya oNgcwele.
nguJoseph Tkach
