UMariya Magdalena wabheka phezulu ezulwini esula izinyembezi emehlweni akhe. INkosi yakhe ayeyithanda yayilenga esigxotsheni. Kwakusemini bebade entwasahlobo, “kodwa kwaba mnyama ezweni lonke”! (Luka 23:44, 45) Wazisonga ngendwangu esasikhafu emahlombe wasondela kwabesifazane ababeseduze kwakhe. Ukufiphala kwelanga lisithwa yinyanga, okuthatha imizuzu nje, kwakungeke kubangele lobu bumnyama bamahora amathathu. Kungenzeka ukuthi uMariya nabanye ababemi eduze kukaJesu baqala ukuzwa imisindo yezilwane zasebusuku engavamile ukuzwakala emini. Abanye ababebukele “besaba kakhulu bathi: ‘Ngokuqinisekile lo ubeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.’” (Mathewu 27:54) Kungenzeka ukuthi abalandeli bakaJesu nabanye babecabanga ukuthi uJehova wayebonakalisa ukudabuka nokungajabuli ngenxa yokuphathwa ngesihluku kweNdodana yakhe.

 Kwakunzima ukuba uMariya Magdalena abukele lokhu okwakwenzeka, kodwa kwakungavumi nokuba ahambe. (Johane 19:25, 26) Kungenzeka ukuthi uJesu wayesezinhlungwini ezingachazeki. Unina kaJesu naye wayedinga induduzo nokusekelwa.

 Ngemva kwakho konke uJesu ayekwenzele uMariya, wayenomuzwa wokuthi kufanele amenzele noma yini. Wayeke waba owesifazane ophukile enhliziyweni nodelelekile, kodwa uJesu wayekushintshe konke lokho. Wayemenze wazizwa ehloniphekile nokuphila kwakhe kunenjongo. Waba owesifazane onokholo olukhulu. Kanjani? Ukholo lwakhe lungasifundisani thina namhlanje?

 EBhayibhelini indaba kaMariya Magdalena iqala ngesipho. UJesu wamnikeza inkululeko, wamkhulula esimweni esicindezelayo. Ngalezo zinsuku, ithonya lamademoni lalandile, futhi leyo mimoya emibi yayihlasela abantu abaningi, ize ingene nakwabanye ibalawule. Asazi ukuthi ukungenwa amademoni kwaba namuphi umphumela kuMariya Magdalena; esikwaziyo nje ukuthi wayengenwe amademoni ayisikhombisa anesihluku naxhaphaza abantu. UJesu Kristu wawakhipha wonke!—Luka 8:2.

 Ekugcineni uMariya wayesekhululekile, esebheke phambili ekuphileni okusha. Wayengabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabonga? Waba umlandeli kaJesu oqotho. Wabona isidingo esithile, wayesethatha isinyathelo. UJesu nabaphostoli bakhe babedinga ukudla, okokwembatha nendawo yokulala ebusuku. Babengezona izigwili futhi babengasebenzi ngaleso sikhathi. Ukuze bagxile emsebenzini wokushumayela nokufundisa babedinga izinto ababezophila ngazo.

 UMariya nabesifazane abaningana babasiza kulokho. Laba besifazane “babekhonza uJesu nabaphostoli ngezinto zabo.” (Luka 8:1, 3) Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye babephila kahle. IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi babelungiselela ukudla yini, bewasha izingubo, noma behlela indawo yokulala kuzo zonke izindawo ababehamba kuzo. Ngokuzithandela benza umsebenzi wokusiza leli qembu ababehamba nalo, okungenzeka lalinabantu abangu-20. Imisebenzi eyayenziwa yilaba besifazane yamsiza ngempela uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe ukuba bagxile ngokuphelele emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngokuqinisekile, uMariya wayazi ukuthi wayengeke akwazi ukubuyisela uJesu ngalokho ayemenzele kona—kodwa kwamjabulisa ukwenza lokho ayenamandla okukwenza!

 Abaningi namuhla bangase bababukele phansi labo abenza imisebenzi ephansi ukuze basize abanye. Kodwa uNkulunkulu akababukeli phansi yena. Cabanga ukuthi wayejabule kanjani lapho ebona uMariya ezinikela, enza konke ayengakwenza ukuze asekele uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe! Nanamuhla, amaKristu amaningi athembekile ayakuthokozela ukwenza imisebenzi ephansi ukuze asize abanye. Ngezinye izikhathi isenzo somusa noma amazwi anomusa kungaba usizo olukhulu. UJehova uyazijabulela izenzo ezinjalo.—IzAga 19:17; Hebheru 13:16.

 UMariya Magdalena wayengomunye wabesifazane abaningi ababehamba noJesu lapho eya eJerusalema ngePhasika lika-33 C.E. (Mathewu 27:55, 56) Lapho ezwa ukuthi uJesu wayebanjiwe, waquliswa icala ebusuku, kumele ukuba waphatheka kabi kakhulu. Waphinde wezwa izindaba ezimbi nakakhulu. Umbusi uPontiyu Pilatu wayevume ukucindezelwa abaholi benkolo yamaJuda nesixuku esasibasekela, wagweba uJesu ukuba abulawe ngesihluku esigxotsheni. Kungenzeka ukuthi uMariya wayeyibonile iNkosi yakhe, eyayopha futhi ikhathele, itibila ihudula isigxobo eside eyayizobethelwa kuso.—Johane 19:6, 12, 15-17.

 Endaweni uJesu ayezobulawelwa kuyo, ngemva kokuba kube mnyama emini, uMariya Magdalena nabanye besifazane babemi “ngasesigxotsheni sokuhlushwa sikaJesu.” (Johane 19:25) UMariya, owayelokhu elapho kwaze kwaba sekugcineni, wabona futhi wezwa uJesu ecela umphostoli ayemthanda uJohane ukuba anakekele unina. Wezwa ukukhala kalusizi kukaJesu ekhala kuYise. Wezwa amazwi akhe okugcina okunqoba, athi “Kufeziwe,” awasho esezokufa. Wayephuke inhliziyo. Noma kunjalo, ngemva kokufa kukaJesu, kubonakala sengathi wayeselapho. Kamuva wasala ethuneni elisha lapho indoda eyayicebile okuthiwa uJosefa wase-Arimatheya abeka khona isidumbu sikaJesu.—Johane 19:30; Mathewu 27:45, 46, 57-61.

 Isibonelo sikaMariya sisikhumbuza lokho esingakwenza lapho abantu esikholwa nabo bebhekene nezimo ezinzima. Singase singakwazi ukuvimbela izinhlekelele ukuba zibehlele noma ukuqeda ubuhlungu abubuzwayo. Kodwa singalubonisa uzwela nesibindi. Ukuba khona nje komngani ozokusekela kungenza umehluko omkhulu ezikhathini ezinzima. Ukusekela umngani ososizini kubonisa ukholo olujulile futhi kungaletha induduzo enkulu.—IzAga 17:17.

 Ngemva kokuba isidumbu sikaJesu sesingcwatshiwe, uMariya wayephakathi kwabesifazane ababelungiselele iziqholo ababezozigcoba kamuva esidunjini sikaJesu. (Marku 16:1, 2; Luka 23:54-56) Ngakho wavuka ekuseni ngovivi ngemva kweSabatha. Singase simcabange yena nabanye besifazane behamba kusemnyama entathakusa bebheke ethuneni likaJesu. Endleleni babelokhu bezibuza ukuthi babezoligingqa kanjani itshe elisindayo elalivale ithuna. (Mathewu 28:1; Marku 16:1-3) Noma kunjalo, abazange baphindele emuva. Ukholo lwabo lwabashukumisela ukuba benze lokho ababefuna ukukwenza, konke okunye bakushiyele uJehova.

 Kungezeka ukuthi uMariya wayephambili kunabanye njengoba efika ethuneni. Wethuka woma! Itshe laligingqiwe—ithuna lingenalutho! Njengoba ayengowesifazane ongapholisi maseko, wagijima wayotshela uPetru noJohane lokho ayekubonile. Mbone ngeso lengqondo nje esephefumulela phezulu ebabaza: “Bayisusile iNkosi ethuneni, asazi ukuthi bayibekephi”! UPetru noJohane baphuthuma ethuneni, babona ukuthi lalingenalutho ngempela, base bephindela emakhaya. a—Johane 20:1-10.

 Lapho uMariya ephindela ethuneni, wafike walinda. Ekuseni kakhulu, isimo esasilapho ethuneni elingenalutho samenza waba lusizi kakhulu wayeseyakhala. Wathi ukulunguza ethuneni ngoba engakakholwa ukuthi iNkosi ayisekho, wethuka woma. Ethuneni kwakukhona izingelosi ezimbili ezazigqoke okumhlophe zihleli phansi! Zambuza: “Ukhalelani?” Edidekile waphinda lokho ayekusho kubaphostoli: “Bayithathile iNkosi yami, angazi ukuthi bayibekephi.”—Johane 20:11-13.

 Wajika wabuka emuva, kwakunendoda emi emva kwakhe. Akabonanga ukuthi kwakungubani, ngakho wazitshela ukuthi umuntu osebenza engadini. Ngomusa le ndoda yambuza: “Sifazane, ukhalelani? Ufuna bani?” UMariya waphendula: “Mnumzane, uma umthathile, ngitshele ukuthi umbekephi, ngizomthatha.” (Johane 20:14, 15) Cabanga ngalokho akusho. Kwakungenzeka yini lona wesifazane akwazi ukusiqukula yedwa isidumbu sikaJesu Kristu ahambe naso, kanti uJesu wayeyindoda enamandla eyingqabavu? UMariya akazange alokhu ecabangana nalezo zinto. Ayekwazi nje yena ukuthi kumele enze konke angakwenza.

 Lapho sibhekene nosizi nobunzima okubonakala kungaphezu kwamandla ethu, singamlingisa yini uMariya Magdalena? Uma sigxila kuphela ebuthakathakeni bethu nakulokho esingeke sikwazi ukukwenza, singase sikhungathwe ukwesaba nokungaqiniseki. Kodwa uma sizimisela ukwenza konke esingakwenza, konke okunye sikushiyele kuNkulunkulu, singafeza okukhulu kakhulu kunalokho esingakucabanga. (2 Korinte 12:10; Filipi 4:13) Okubaluleke nakakhulu, sizojabulisa uJehova. Ngokuqinisekile uMariya wakwenza lokho, futhi wamvuza ngendlela engavamile neze.

 Indoda eyayimi phambi kukaMariya yayingesona isisebenzi sasengadini. Yayike yaba umbazi, yaba umfundisi, yayisiba iNkosi ethandekayo kaMariya. Kodwa wayengasayiboni, wavele wabheka le wayifulathela. UMariya wayengeke alicabange leli qiniso: UJesu wayesevusiwe eseyisidalwa somoya esinamandla. Wabonakala kuMariya enomzimba wenyama, kodwa kwakungasewona umzimba ayenawo ekuqaleni. Kulezo zinsuku ezazijabulisa ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, abantu ayebonakala kubo babevame ukungaboni ukuthi uJesu, ngisho nalabo ababemazi kahle.—Luka 24:13-16; Johane 21:4.

 UJesu waziveza kanjani kuMariya ukuthi ungubani? Waziveza ngendlela ambiza ngayo lapho ethi: “Mariya!” Waphenduka wayesememeza washo igama lesiHebheru cishe ayejwayele ukumbiza ngalo—elithi “Raboni!” KwakunguMfundisi wakhe amthandayo! Wachichima injabulo. Wambamba wangamdedela.—Johane 20:16.

 UJesu wayekwazi lokho ayekucabanga. Wathi: “Yeka ukunamathela kimi.” Singambona ngeso lengqondo ewasho ngomusa la mazwi, mhlawumbe emomotheka, emqhelisa kancane kancane kuye, ethi: “Angikanyukeli kuBaba.” Kwakungakabi isikhathi sokuba anyukele ezulwini. Wayesenomsebenzi ayesazowenza emhlabeni futhi wayefuna uMariya asize kuwo. UMariya wayecijise izindlebe ngendlela eyisimanga. UJesu wathi kuye: “Hamba uye kubafowethu uthi kubo, ‘Nginyukela kuBaba noYihlo, kuNkulunkulu wami noNkulunkulu wenu.’”—Johane 20:17.

 Waze wamangalisa umsebenzi awunikwa iNkosi yakhe! UMariya wayephakathi kwabafundi bokuqala ababa nelungelo lokumbona ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, manje wayesenikwe ilungelo lokutshela abanye lezi zindaba ezimnandi. Cabanga ngenjabulo nokuzimisela ayenakho njengoba nje eshabasheka eyofuna abafundi ngalapho bengakhona. Mbone ngeso lengqondo esehefuzela esho amazwi okumele ukuba ayelokhu enkeneneza kuye nakulabo bafundi kamuva: “Ngiyibonile iNkosi!” Wabatshela yonke into uJesu ayeyishilo, amazwi ayeziphumela nje ngenxa yenjabulo. (Johane 20:18) Lokho ayekusho kwanezela kulokho abafundi ababekuzwe ngabanye besifazane ababeye ethuneni likaJesu elingenalutho.—Luka 24:1-3, 10.

 Asabela kanjani la madoda? Awasabelanga kahle ekuqaleni. Siyafunda: “La mazwi ezwakala njengembudane kubo, ababakholwanga abesifazane.” (Luka 24:11) Lawo madoda ayehlose okuhle ayekhulele emphakathini owawungabethembi kahle abesifazane; ngokwesiko lorabi, owesifazane wayengabethuli ubufakazi enkantolo. Kungenzeka abaphostoli babethonywe amasiko abo, kodwa bona bengaqaphele. Kodwa uJesu noYise abababandlululi abantu besifazane. Yeka ilungelo abalinika lowo wesifazane othembekile!

 UMariya akavumelanga lokho okwakushiwo yilawo madoda ukuba kumphathe kabi. Wayazi ukuthi iNkosi yakhe yayimethemba futhi lokho kwakumenelisa. Bonke abalandela uJesu nabo baphathiswe umyalezo okufanele bawudlulisele kwabanye. IBhayibheli libiza lowo myalezo ngokuthi “izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Luka 8:1) UJesu akazange athembise abalandeli bakhe ukuthi wonke umuntu wayezobakholwa noma wayezowazisa umsebenzi wabo. Kwakuzokwenzeka okuhlukile. (Johane 15:20, 21) Ngakho amaKristu enza kahle ngokukhumbula uMariya Magdalena. Ngisho noma abanye babafundi bengamkholwanga ngaso leso sikhathi, kodwa lokho akuzange kuqede injabulo yakhe yokuxoxela abanye izindaba ezimnandi zokuvuswa kukaJesu!

 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJesu wabonakala kubaphostoli bakhe wayesebonwa abalandeli bakhe abaningi kakhulu. Ngesinye isikhathi wake wobonwa abangaphezu kuka-500 ngasikhathi sinye! (1 Korinte 15:3-8) Ukholo lukaMariya lwaluya luqina isikhathi ngasinye lapho ebona uJesu noma ezwa imibiko yokuthi ubonakele. Mhlawumbe uMariya Magdalena wayengomunye wabesifazane ababekhona emhlanganweni owawuseJerusalema ngePhentekoste lapho kuthululwa umoya ongcwele kubalandeli bakaJesu.—IzEnzo 1:14, 15; 2:1-4.

 Kunoma ikuphi, sinezizathu ezizwakalayo zokuqiniseka ngalokhu: UMariya Magdalena waba nokholo kwaze kwaba sekugcineni. Kwangathi nathi singazimisela ukwenza okufanayo! Siyobe silingisa ukholo lukaMariya Magdalena uma sibonisa ukuthi siyabonga ngakho konke uJesu asenzele kona futhi sikhonza abanye ngokuthobeka sibe sithembela ekutheni uNkulunkulu uzosisiza.