KUSUKELA kadzeni, ema-Israyeli bekakwetayele kukhipha imali kuze asekele kukhonta kweliciniso. Kodvwa ngemalanga aJesu, emaJuda besekufanele abhadale imitselo leminyenti, futsi loko bekwenta kuphila kwawo kube matima.

Kuze emaJuda asekele kukhonta Nkulunkulu lebekwentiwa endzaweni lengcwele, bonkhe labadzala bekufanele babhadale ihhafu yelishekeli (emadrakma lamabili). Ngemalanga aJesu, lomtselo bewusetjentiswa kuze kutfolakale umhlatjelo futsi kunakekelwe lithempeli lelakhiwa nguHerodi. Lamanye emaJuda abuta Phetro kutsi Jesu uyawukhipha yini umtselo, futsi Jesu watsi akusikubi kuwukhipha. Ecinisweni, watjela Phetro kutsi angayitfolaphi imali yekubhadala lomtselo.—Mat. 17:24-27.

Ngaleso sikhatsi, bantfu baNkulunkulu bekufanele bakhiphe kwelishumi kuloko bebakuvunile nobe emholweni wabo. (Lev. 27:30-32; Num. 18:26-28) Baholi benkholo bebatsi kufanele kukhishwe kwelishumi kuto tonkhe tibhidvo, lokufaka ekhatsi ‘iminti, lidile nekhumini.’ Jesu bekangakamelani nekukhipha kwelishumi, kodvwa watsi indlela lebeyisetjentiswa tati temtsetfo nebaFarisi beyikabi.—Mat. 23:23.

Ngaleso sikhatsi, emaJuda bekufanele abhadale naleminye imitselo kumaRoma lebekabusa. Bantfu lebebanemhlaba bekufanele bawutselele ngemali nobe ngetintfo tabo. Kulinganiselwa kutsi lomtselo bekufanele ube ngemaphesenti langu-20 kuya ku-25 kulokukhicitwa ngulomhlaba. Ngetulu kwaloko, umJuda ngamunye bekufanele akhiphe umtselo wenhloko. Ngulona lomtselo baFarisi labambuta ngawo Jesu. Wasikhombisa kutsi ngumuphi umbono lokufanele sibe nawo ngekubhadala umtselo ngesikhatsi atsi: “Ngako nikani Khesari lokukwakhe, kodvwa ninike Nkulunkulu lokukwakhe.”—Mat. 22:15-22.

Bekuphindze kube nemtselo wetimphahla letingenako nobe letiphumako esifundzeni lesitsite. Lemitselo beyikolekwa etikhumulweni temikhumbi, emabhulohweni, lakuhlangana khona tindlela, nawungena emadolobheni nobe etimakethe.

Bekumatima kubhadala lemitselo lebeyifunwa ngumbuso wemaRoma. Ngesikhatsi Jesu alapha emhlabeni nakubusa uMbusi Tiberius, sati semlandvo lesingumRoma, lokutsiwa nguTacitus satsi: “ISiriya neJudiya yatincengela kukhipha umtselo lomcane ngobe besekumatima kuwubhadala.”

Lokunye lobekwenta kube matima kubhadala lomtselo, yindlela lebeyisetjentiswa nawukolekwa. Kuze umuntfu atfole lomsebenti wekukoleka umtselo, bekufanele akhiphe imali lenyenti kunalabanye. Loyo lobekakhiphe imali lenyenti kunalabanye, bekabese ucasha labanye kuze bakoleke lomtselo, futsi bonkhe bebatfola inzuzo. Kubonakala shengatsi Zakewu bekacashe labanye kutsi bamkolekele umtselo. (Luk. 19:1, 2) Bantfu bebangakutsandzi loko, futsi bebabenyanya labo bebakoleka lomtselo.