Ukwenezela kulokho okushiwo yiBhayibheli encwadini yezEnzo 2:5-11, uPhilo, umbhali ongumJuda wangaleso sikhathi, walandisa ngesixuku sabantu esaya eJerusalema ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E.

Mayelana nalabo abaya eJerusalema, uPhilo wabhala: “Kweza izixuku zabantu zivela emadolobheni angenakubalwa, abanye beza ngezinqola, abanye ngemikhumbi, bevela empumalanga nasentshonalanga, enyakatho naseningizimu, bezohlanganyela kuyo yonke imikhosi.” Wacaphuna nencwadi u-Agripha I, umzukulu kaHerode Omkhulu, ayithumela kuMbusi waseRoma uCaligula. Kuleyo ncwadi, u-Agripha washo lokhu ngokuphathelene neJerusalema: “Umuzi Ongcwele. . . awuyona nje inhloko-dolobha yezwe elilodwa laseJudiya kodwa uyinhloko-dolobha yamazwe amaningi, ngenxa yamakoloni eyawathola emazweni angomakhelwane.”

U-Agripha wabhala uhlu lwezindawo ezazingamakoloni amaJuda kuhlanganise nezindawo ezikude eMesophothamiya, eNyakatho Afrika, e-Asia Minor, eGrisi naseziqhingini zaseMedithera. Isazi uJoachim Jeremias sithi: “Nakuba lolu hlu lungasho lutho ngohambo lokuya eJerusalema, kuyacaca ukuthi kwayiwa eJerusalema ngoba kwakuyimpoqo ukuba wonke amaJuda asekhulile aye khona.”—Duteronomi 16:16.

EJerusalema kwakuba nemikhosi emithathu njalo ngonyaka—iPhasika, iPhentekoste noMkhosi Wamadokodo. Ngekhulu lokuqala, izinkulungwane zabantu zaziya kule mikhosi eJerusalema, zivela kulo lonke elakwa-Israyeli nakuzo zonke ezinye izindawo okwakuhlala kuzo amaJuda. (Luka 2:41, 42; IzEnzo 2:1, 5-11) Bonke labo bantu kwakumelwe bathole indawo abazohlala kuyo.

Abanye babehlala kubangane babo, abanye behlala ezindaweni zezihambi ezikhokhelwayo. Abaningi babegxumeka amatende eduze nezindonga zedolobha. Ngesikhathi egcina ukuba seJerusalema, uJesu wahlala endlini ekhokhelwayo eBhethaniya.—Mathewu 21:17.

Kuye kwatholakala izakhiwo ezinamabhavu okugeza amaningi eduze nethempeli. Kucatshangwa ukuthi lezi zakhiwo zazingamahostela okwakufikela kuwo izihambi futhi zigezele kuwo ngaphambi kokungena ethempelini. Umbhalo oqoshiwe owatholwa kulezo zakhiwo ubonisa ukuthi uTheodotus, umpristi nomholi wesinagoge kuleyo ndawo, “wakha isinagoge ukuze kufundelwe kuyo iTorah, futhi . . . wakha ihostela, amagumbi kanye namapayipi amanzi ukuze kusetshenziswe yizihambi ezazidinga indawo yokuhlala.”