Lapho uJesu eseboshwe njengesigebengu, uyiswa ku-Anase, owayengumpristi ophakeme ngesikhathi uJesu emangaza abafundisi ethempelini lapho esemncane. (Luka 2:42, 47) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amanye amadodana ka-Anase aba abapristi abaphakeme, manje umkhwenyana wakwakhe uKayafase nguye osekuleso sikhundla.

Ngesikhathi uJesu esemzini ka-Anase, uKayafase uhlanganisa iSanhedrini. Kule nkantolo enamalungu angu-71, kukhona nompristi ophakeme nabanye ababekuleso sikhundla.

U-Anase uphenya uJesu “ngabafundi bakhe nangemfundiso yakhe.” UJesu umphendula athi: “Ngikhulume nezwe obala. Ngaso sonke isikhathi bengifundisa esinagogeni nasethempelini, lapho wonke amaJuda ebuthanela khona, futhi angikhulumanga lutho ekusithekeni. Kungani ubuza mina? Buza labo abakuzwile lokho engibatshele khona.”—Johane 18:19-21.

Isikhulu esimi lapho sishaya uJesu ngempama bese simkhuza sithi: “Ingabe yileyo ndlela ophendula ngayo umpristi omkhulu?” Kodwa uJesu azi ukuthi akukho okubi akwenzile, uphendula athi: “Uma ngikhulume kabi, fakaza ngalobo bubi; kodwa uma ngikhulume kahle, ungishayelani?” (Johane 18:22, 23) U-Anase wenza ukuba uJesu ayiswe kuKayafase, umkhwenyana wakwakhe.

 Manje, wonke amalungu eSanhedrini—umpristi ophakeme wamanje, amadoda amadala nababhali—asebuthene. Ahlanganela emzini kaKayafase. Akukho emthethweni ukuqula leli cala ngobusuku bePhasika, kodwa lokhu akuwavimbi ukufeza izinhloso zawo ezimbi.

Iningi lamalungu aleli qembu alinabo ubulungisa. Ngemva kokuba uJesu evuse uLazaru, iSanhedrini yanquma ukuthi uJesu kufanele afe. (Johane 11:47-53) Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ezedlule, abaholi benkolo bakhe uzungu lokubamba uJesu bambulale. (Mathewu 26:3, 4) Yebo, kufana nokuthi uJesu usegwetshelwe ukufa, ngisho nangaphambi kokuthethwa kwecala!

Ngaphezu kokuhlangana ngokungemthetho, abapristi abakhulu namanye amalungu eSanhedrini, bazama ukuthola abantu abazofakaza amanga ngoJesu ukuze bathole icala abazombeka lona. Baningi ababatholayo, kodwa ubufakazi babo abuvumelani. Ekugcineni, ababili bayafakaza bathi: “Samuzwa ethi, ‘Ngizodiliza leli thempeli elenziwa ngezandla, kuthi ngezinsuku ezintathu ngakhe elinye elingenziwanga ngezandla.’” (Marku 14:58) Ngisho nala madoda awavumelani ngokuphelele.

UKayafase ubuza uJesu: “Akukho ongaziphendulela ngakho? Awuzwa yini ukuthi laba bantu bafakaza bathini ngawe?” (Marku 14:60) UJesu akathi vu ngala manga ashiwo yilabo fakazi abakhuluma izinto ezingahlangani. Ngakho uMpristi Ophakeme uKayafase uza nelinye isu.

UKayafase uyazi ukuthi amaJuda awafune muntu ozodlalela ekutheni uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ekuqaleni, ngesikhathi uJesu ebiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi uYise, amaJuda afuna ukumbulala ngoba ayethi ‘uzenza olingana noNkulunkulu.’ (Johane 5:17, 18; 10:31-39) Eyazi indlela azizwa ngayo, ngobuhlakani uKayafase uphoqa uJesu, athi: “Ngikufungisa uNkulunkulu ophilayo ukuba usitshele ukuthi unguye yini uKristu iNdodana kaNkulunkulu!” (Mathewu 26:63) Kuyiqiniso, uJesu uvumile ukuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. (Johane 3:18; 5:25; 11:4) Uma engavumi manje, uyobe uyaphika ukuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu nokuthi unguKristu. Ngakho uJesu uthi: “Nginguye; futhi nizobona iNdodana yomuntu ihlezi ngakwesokudla sikaNkulunkulu Onamandla iza namafu ezulu.”—Marku 14:62.

Lapho uKayafase ezwa lokhu, uklebhula izingubo zakhe bese eyamemeza kakhulu ethi: “Uhlambalazile! Sisabadingelani ofakazi? Senikuzwile ukuhlambalaza. Manje nina nibona kanjani?” ISanhedrini ikhipha isinqumo esingenabulungisa, ithi: “Ufanelwe ukufa.”—Mathewu 26:65, 66.

Baqala ukuhlekisa ngoJesu nokumshaya ngamaqupha. Abanye bamshaya ngempama bamthimisele ngamathe ebusweni. Ngemva kokumboza ubuso, bayambhuqa bathi: “Profetha! Ubani okushayile?” (Luka 22:64) Baze bayihlukumeza iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ecaleni elingekho ngisho nasemthethweni eliqulwa ebusuku!