Ngesikhatsi saJohane uMbhabhatisi, “bantfu bebalindzele Khristu, bonkhe bebatibuta ngaJohane batsi: ‘Kungenteka yini kutsi lomuntfu unguKhristu?’” (Luk. 3:15) Yini lebeyingenta emaJuda alindzele kutsi Mesiya avele ngaleso sikhatsi? Kunetizatfu letinyenti taloko.

Ngemuva kwekutalwa kwaJesu, ingilosi yaJehova yabonakala kubelusi lebebeluse imihlambi yabo emadlelweni lasedvute neBhetlehema. Lengilosi yamemeta yatsi: “Lamuhla, edolobheni laDavide nitalelwe uMsindzisi, iNkhosi lenguKhristu.” (Luk. 2:8-11) Ngemuva kwaloko, lengilosi yahlanganyela “nelibutfo lasezulwini lelalidvumisa Nkulunkulu litsi: * ‘Akadvunyiswe Nkulunkulu losezulwini, futsi akube nekuthula emhlabeni kubantfu labemukelwa nguye.’”—Luk. 2:13, 14.

Kufanele kutsi lesimemetelo sabatsintsa kakhulu labelusi labatfobekile. Abazange baphotise emaseko, baya eBhetlehema futsi nabakhandza Josefa, Mariya kanye neluswane lolunguJesu, “bakhuluma ngaloko lebebatjelwe kona ngaye.” Umphumela waloko waba kutsi “bonkhe labeva bamangala kakhulu ngaletintfo lebetikhulunywa ngulabelusi.” (Luk. 2:17, 18) Emavi latsi “bonkhe labeva” asho kutsi labelusi batjela nalabanye bantfu ngaphandle kwaJosefa naMariya. Njengobe labelusi babuyela ekhaya, bachubeka “badvumisa futsi babonga Nkulunkulu ngato tonkhe letintfo lebebativile nalebebatibonile, njengobe nje bebatjelwe tona.” (Luk. 2:20) Kuyacaca kutsi labelusi abazange bathule mayelana netintfo letinhle lebebativile ngaKhristu.

Ngesikhatsi Mariya ayisa indvodzana yakhe lelitibulo eJerusalema kute ayetfule embikwaJehova njengobe uMtsetfo waMosi wawusho njalo, umphrofethikati longu-Ana “wabonga Nkulunkulu, wakhuluma ngalomntfwana kubo bonkhe lebebalindzele kukhululwa kweJerusalema.” (Luk. 2:36-38; Eks. 13:12) Ngako-ke, tindzaba tekuvela kwaMesiya tachubeka tisakateka.

Ngemuva kwesikhatsi, “tati lebetivela eMphumalanga tefika eJerusalema, tabuta tatsi: ‘Uphi lomntfwana lotelwe, loyinkhosi yemaJuda? Sibone inkhanyeti nasiseMphumalanga, futsi site lapha kuze simkhotsamele.’” (Mat. 2:1, 2) Nayiva loku “iNkhosi Herodi yakhatsateka kakhulu kanye nabo bonkhe bantfu baseJerusalema. Yase ibita bonkhe baphristi labakhulu netati temtsetfo yababuta kutsi Khristu kufanele atalelwe kuphi.”  (Mat. 2:3, 4) Ngako-ke, bantfu labanyenti beva kutsi besekafikile Mesiya lotsenjisiwe. *

Lukha 3:15, locashunwe ekucaleni, ukhombisa kutsi lamanye emaJuda abecabanga kutsi kungenteka Johane uMbhabhatisi abenguKhristu. Nobe kunjalo, Johane wachaza watsi: “Loyo lota emvakwami unemandla kunami, netincabule takhe ngeke ngikwati kutikhumula. Yena utanibhabhatisa ngemoya longcwele nangemlilo.” (Mat. 3:11) Emavi aJohane lakhombisa kutfobeka enta kutsi kulangatelelwe kakhulu kufika kwaMesiya.

Kungenteka yini kutsi emaJuda angelikhulu lekucala leminyaka abebala sikhatsi sekufika kwaMesiya ngaloko lokushiwo siphrofetho semasontfo langu-70 lesikuDanyela 9:24-27? Nanobe kungenteka kutsi kwaba njalo, kodvwa ngeke siciniseke. Liciniso likutsi betitinyenti tindlela lebekuchazwa ngato emasontfo langu-70 ngesikhatsi saJesu, futsi kute nayinye kuto lesondzele endleleni lesiwacondza ngayo tsine lamuhla. *

Ema-Essene, lokucatjangwa kutsi abelihlelo lemaJuda lebelihlala elugwadvule, bekafundzisa kutsi kutawuvela boMesiya lababili ngasekupheleni kweminyaka lengu-490, kodvwa asiciniseki kutsi indlela ema-Essene labekabala ngayo yayisekelwe esiphrofethweni saDanyela yini. Nome ngabe yayisekelwe kuso, kubonakala shengatsi kwakungeke kwenteke kutsi emaJuda lamanyenti ayikholelwe imibono yalelicembu.

Ngelikhulu lesibili leminyaka C.E., emaJuda latsite bekakholelwa kutsi emasontfo langu-70 bekahlanganisa sikhatsi lesacala lapho kubhujiswa lithempeli lekucala nga-607 B.C.E. kudzimate kube ngulesikhatsi kubhujiswa lithempeli lesibili nga-70 C.E. Kantsi lamanye bekahlobanisa kugcwaliseka kwalesiphrofetho nesikhatsi sema-Maccabee, labephila ngelikhulu lesibili B.C.E. Ngako-ke, kwakungekho kuvumelana lokucacile ngendlela lobekufanele abalwe ngayo emasontfo langu-70.

Kube beyicondvwa ngalokucacile indlela yekubala sikhatsi semasontfo langu-70 ngelikhulu lekucala leminyaka C.E., besingalindzela kutsi baphostoli nobe lamanye emaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala abhekisele kuloku njengebufakazi bekutsi Mesiya lotsenjisiwe abefike ngesikhatsi lesifanele, anguJesu Khristu. Nobe kunjalo, kute bufakazi lobukhombisa kutsi emaKhristu ekucala enta njalo.

Kunalokunye lokufanele sikunake. Babhali bemaVangeli bebavame kubonisa kutsi tiphrofetho letitsite letisemiBhalweni yesiHebheru tatigcwaliseka kuJesu Khristu. (Mat. 1:22, 23; 2:13-15; 4:13-16) Nome kunjalo, akekho kubo lohlobanisa kufika kwaJesu emhlabeni nesiphrofetho semasontfo langu-70.

Nasesisonga lendzaba singatsi, ngeke siciniseke kutsi bantfu ngesikhatsi saJesu bebasicondza ngalokucacile siphrofetho semasontfo langu-70. Nome kunjalo, emaVangeli asiniketa letinye tizatfu letinengcondvo tekutsi kungani bantfu “bebalindzele” kufika kwaMesiya.