Wadde ng’abatume ba Yesu bali mu Ggaliraaya nga babuulira, oyo eyateekerateekera Yesu ekkubo ye talina ddembe ng’eryo. Yokaana Omubatiza amaze emyaka ng’ebiri ng’asibiddwa mu kkomera.

Yokaana yali yakiraga kaati nti tekyali kituufu Kabaka Kerode Antipa okuddira Kerodiya, muka muganda we Firipo, n’amufuula mukyala we. Kerode yali yagoba mukyala we eyasooka asobole okuwasa Kerodiya. Okusinziira ku Mateeka ga Musa, Kerode ge yali agamba nti agoberera, ekyo Kerode kye yali akoze kyali kikyamu. Olw’okuba Yokaana yamunenya olw’ekyo kye yakola, Kerode yasalawo okumusiba mu kkomera, oboolyawo nga Kerodiya y’amuwadde amagezi ago.

Kerode tamanyi kya kukola Yokaana kubanga Yokaana abantu ‘bamutwala okuba nnabbi.’ (Matayo 14:5) Kyokka ye Kerodiya awulira nti amanyi eky’okukolera Yokaana. Kerodiya ‘alina empalana’ ku Yokaana, era anoonya engeri yonna okulaba nti attibwa. (Makko 6:19) Kya ddaaki, akakisa kajja.

Embaga ey’Okuyitako ey’omwaka gwa 32 E.E. bw’eba eneetera okutuuka, Kerode ategeka omukolo gw’amazaalibwa ge. Abakungu be, abaduumizi b’amagye, n’abantu abatutumufu ab’omu Ggaliraaya, bajja ku mukolo ogwo. Omukolo ogwo bwe guba gugenda mu maaso, Saalome, omuwala Kerodiya gwe yazaala mu mwami we Firipo, ajja n’azinira abagenyi. Omuwala oyo asanyusa nnyo bonna abaliwo.

Olw’okuba omuwala oyo asanyusa nnyo Kerode, Kerode amugamba nti: “Nsaba kyonna ky’oyagala nja kukikuwa.” Era amulayirira ng’amugamba nti: “Kyonna kyonna ky’ononsaba nja kukikuwa, ne bwe kinaaba kitundu kimu kya kubiri eky’obwakabaka bwange.” Nga tannamuddamu, Saalome agenda ewa nnyina n’amubuuza nti: “Nsabe ki?”​—Makko 6:22-24.

Kano ke kakisa Kerodiya k’aludde ng’anoonya! Amangu ddala agamba muwala we okusaba “omutwe gwa Yokaana Omubatiza.” Saalome addayo eri Kerode n’amugamba nti: “Njagala ompe kati omutwe gwa Yokaana Omubatiza ku lusaniya.”​—Makko 6:24, 25.

Ekyo kinakuwaza nnyo Kerode, naye abagenyi be bonna bawulidde ng’alayirira Saalome. Awulira nti kijja kumuswaza nnyo singa takola ekyo kye bamusabye, ne bwe kiba nga kigenda kuviirako omusajja atalina musango okuttibwa. Bwe kityo, Kerode atuma omusirikale mu kkomera okutemako Yokaana omutwe aguleete. Wayita akaseera katono omusirikale n’akomawo n’omutwe gwa Yokaana ku lusaniya. Agukwasa Saalome, era Saalome n’agutwalira nnyina.

Abayigirizwa ba Yokaana bwe bategeera ebibaddewo, bajja ne batwala omulambo gwe ne baguziika. Oluvannyuma bategeeza Yesu ebyo ebibaddewo.

Nga wayise ekiseera, Kerode awulira nti Yesu awonya abalwadde era nti agoba dayimooni. Ekyo kimweraliikiriza nnyo. Yeebuuza obanga omusajja akola ebintu ebyo byonna, Yesu, ye Yokaana Omubatiza nga kati “azuukiziddwa mu bafu.” (Lukka 9:7) Bwe kityo, Kerode Antipa ayagala nnyo okulaba Yesu. Kya lwatu nti Kerode tayagala kuwulira ebyo Yesu by’ayigiriza. Mu kifo ky’ekyo, ayagala kulaba Yesu akakase obanga ebyo by’alowooza bituufu oba nedda.