THE CITY ON A HILL EPISODE 1 - MATTHEW'S WOES

CHAPTER ONE

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten shekels. He opens the receipt and pen down her name on. A token was torn out and given to the market woman waiting for th material proof to prevent the Roman soldiers from harassing her sales under the scorching Monday sun. Next!!! The words of the collector when it was Martha’s turn for her ticket just at the gate entrance. Quickly, she plants the coins on the old wooden booth of Levi the tax collector and he grabs them for checking. Five shekel, six shekels, eight shekels. He pauses after finishing the count and looks strangely at Martha monitoring soldiers ensued happily in a conversation from a distance. “Your money is not up to the required amount woman”, informed Levi. “But how much do you charge for a days’ market activities sir?” replied nervous Martha. “I’ve been paying hundred Shekel always for taxes levied at marketing activities”, she added.

“There has been ten percent increment by the Roman authorities for national development so please, adjust to the rhythm and stop wasting my time”, Levi furiously corrected. Poor Martha worriedly look into the eye of Matthew and after remaining silent for a while, she meekly speaks. “The Law of Moses demands righteousness from us all day in order to be master over sin, yet you keep imposing us with tax levies that are too difficult to pay. Don’t you know that this attitude of yours and the so called Roman authorities will bring about cheating and finding odd ways to make ends meet which in other words increases works of the flesh for sin?” Martha humbly and passionately express. The poor tax collector was touched by the woman’s words but had to justify wrongly to make it look like he is okay with the new set of rules presented by Caesar, the ruler of the land.

“Tell that to Caesar when you are arrested for cheating and dishonesty. Please pay my money before the soldiers come for you”! he furiously shouts at her. Without wasting much time and seeing the soldiers attracted by Mathew’s shout, Martha dip hand in her pocket and pays the remainder. She irately grabs her ticket; “the scriptures of law talks about God’s hatred for stealing and coveting. Aren’t you the same people who cheat on us and later assemble for sermons in the synagogue?” Mtchew… she hissed angrily and walk away from the table soliloquizing about the disturbing attitude of this roman authorities of late.

Mathew is very worried and frustrated at Martha’s words. He sits silently for a while deeply troubled when he felts a hand press him firmly. “Can you help me please?”  The plea of a poor woman’s voice is heard begging. The exasperated tax collector quickly resumes consciousness and attends to the woman in all black attire weeping and sorrowing. “I lost my husband a year ago and have nothing to take care of my four children. I’ve managed to gather few firewood from my farm for sale and I don’t have hundred shekels for tax levies to enable me cross the gate for selling. Please help me to make a little money out of what I have gathered son”. She plead with tears. As she was crying, two soldiers were distracted and walked into scene very alarm on why the old woman is weeping. Levi after enlightening them on the widow’s plea was asked to solve the case amicably to avert any vista from generating at the market gate. They left the table and went back to their posts. “I can help you on one condition”; Mathew kindly voice it to the woman. With her hopes gone and her tears increasing in wet, she rise and begin to wipe them after the tax collectors’ speech. “How much can you make for your firewood”; he asked. “Five hundred shekel is the least price my son”; she replied pleadingly. “Well, whatever trade that goes on at this gate is for the interest of Caesar and the roman government. He pays us and decorate this town with the taxes to attract strangers and tourist”; Matthew speak as the poor widow listen gracefully. “How about me buying your firewood for three-fifty shekel, deducting your ten percent tax and benefitting fifty shekels for the help offered. At the end, its Caesar’s win”; he smiled at the widow but she worriedly sighs for a moment and speaks charitably to him.