IVANGELI lakaMatewu lithi, “UJesu wangena ngethempelini, waqotjha boke ebebathenga bathengisa lapho. Waphekghula iintafula zabatjintji bemali neenhlalo zabathengisa amazuba, athi kibo: “Kutloliwe kwathiwa, ‘Ikumbami izakubizwa bona yikumba yokuthandaza” kodwana nina niyenze irharha [labadlelezeli].’”—Mat. 21:12, 13.

Imitlolo yomlando wamaJuda itjengisa ukuthi abarhwebi bethempelini bebadlelezela abathengi ngokubathengisela izinto ngemali ephezulu. Ngokwesibonelo, iMishnah (Keritot 1:7) inemitlolo yalokho ebekwenzeka hlangana neminyaka yangekhulu lokuthoma, lokha intengo yamazuba amabili womhlatjelo ikhuphuka iba yidenariyu wegolide. Okuyimali elingana nomrholo wamalanga ama-25 womuntu onganakghono lomsebenzi. Abantu abanganalitho bebavunyelwe ukwenza umhlatjelo ngamazuba; nanyana kunjalo, besele kubudisi khulu ukuwathenga. (Lev. 1:14; 5:7; 12:6-8) Umfundisi uSimeon ben Gamaliel, akhange simphathe kuhle isenzwesi, wehlisa izinga lomhlatjelo osibopho, intengo yamazuba amabili yaba ngaphasi khulu kunentengo yangaphambilini.

Ngokwalokho okutjhiwo ngehla, uJesu bekanesizathu esizwakalako sokubiza abarhwebi bethempelini ngokuthi ‘[badlelezeli],’ ngebanga lokudlelezela kwabo nokuba marhamaru.