OKWEMINYAKA eminengi ama-Israyeli ayekhipha imali ukuze asekele ukukhonza kweqiniso. Kodwa ngesikhathi sikaJesu kwasekulemithelo eminengi amaJuda okwakumele ayibhadale. Lokho kwakusenza impilo yawo ibenzima.

Wonke amadoda angamaJuda kwakumele akhiphe ingxenye yeshekeli (amadrakhima amabili) kanye ngomnyaka ukuze asekele lokho okwakusenziwa ethabanikeli lasethempelini. Ngesikhathi sikaJesu umthelo lo wawusetshenziswa ukusekela imisebenzi eyayisenziwa ethempelini elalakhiwe nguHerodi. Amanye amaJuda abuza uPhetro ukuthi uJesu uyawubhadala yini umthelo lo. UJesu wathi akukubi ukuwubhadala. Waze watshela uPhetro ukuthi ayithole ngaphi imali yokuwubhadala.—Mat. 17:24-27.

Kudala abantu bakaNkulunkulu kwakumele bakhiphe lokwetshumi okwakungumthelo ababewukhipha ezilimweni kumbe kulokho ababekutholile. (Lev. 27:30-32; Nan. 18:26-28) Abakhokheli benkolo babesithi abantu kumele babeleqiniso lokuthi bakhipha okwetshumi kuzo zonke izilimo zabo, ngitsho ‘lokweminti ledili lekhumini.’ UJesu kazange athi kubi ukulandela umthetho wokukhipha okwetshumi kodwa wathi ababhali labaFarisi babewusebenzisa kubi umthetho lo.—Mat. 23:23.

Ngalesosikhathi kwakulemithelo eminengi amaJuda okwakumele ayibhadale kumaRoma ayewabusa. Ngokwesibonelo, labo ababelomhlabathi kwakumele babhadale umthelo ngemali kumbe ngezilimo. Kucatshangelwa ukuthi nxa babengavuna amakhilogremu angu-100, babebhadala angu-20 kusiya kwangu-25 kumaRoma. Kwakuphinda kube lomthelo owawubhadalwa ngumJuda ngamunye. Yiwo abaFarisi ababuza uJesu ngawo. UJesu waveza indlela okumele sikubone ngayo ukubhadala imithelo lapho esithi: “Ngakho buyiselani okukaKhesari kuKhesari, kodwa okukaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.”—Mat. 22:15-22.

Kwakulomunye futhi umthelo owawubhadalwa empahleni ezazingena kumbe ziphuma esabelweni esithile. Umthelo lo wawubhadalwa emakhunjini, emabhrijini, lapho okuhlangana khona imigwaqo kumbe emasangweni edolobho loba awemakethe.

Isiyonke imithelo abantu okwakumele bayibhadale kumaRoma yayibasinda. Owezembali ongumRoma okwakuthiwa nguTacitus walandisa okwenzakala ngesikhathi kubusa uThiberiyu lapho uJesu esemhlabeni wathi: “Abantu beSiriya labeJudiya bacela ukuthi baphungulelwe imithelo ababeyibhadala ngoba yayisibathwalise nzima.”

Indlela imithelo eyayiqoqwa ngayo layo yayisenza impilo yabantu ibe nzima. Abantu babebhadala imali ukuze baphiwe umsebenzi lo njalo owayekhipha enengi kulabo bonke nguye owayewuthola. Umuntu lo wayethola inzuzo ngoba wayefakela eyakhe imali phezu komthelo owawufunakala. Wayesebenzisa enye yenzuzo leyo ukubhadala abantu ayebaqhatshile ukuthi bahambe beqoqa imithelo. Abantu laba labo babefakela eyabo imali phezu kwemithelo okwakumele ibhadalwe. Kukhanya angani uZakhewu wayelabantu ayebaqhatshile ukuthi bahambe beqoqa imithelo. (Luk. 19:1, 2) Abantu babekuzonda lokho futhi bebazonda labantu ababebhoda beqoqa imithelo.