The Apostle Matthew

The Apostle Matthew

Reading a gospel with understanding is helped when we have a better understanding of the author and his intended audience.

We have spoken of Mark whose writings were directed to the Romans, of Luke, a Gentile himself, who wrote in an inclusionary way to the Gentiles; and of John , the disciple whom Jesus loved, who wrote to the Jews.

The content of Matthew‘s Gospel message is not the life and personality of Jesus but the doctrine and the preaching of Jesus, by which he gave a new and final interpretation to the Law of Moses.

Matthew's Gospel is also the one which makes abundant use of Old Testament texts and a rabbinic focus in order to establish the authenticity of Jesus as the expected Messiah of Israel

Matthew was born in First Century Judea. He was a Galilean and the son of Alpheus During the Roman occupation, Matthew collected taxes from the Hebrew people for Herod Antipas. His Tax Office was located in Capharnaum.
Jews who became rich in such a fashion, were despised and considered outcasts.

It was in this setting, near what is today Almagor, that Jesus called Matthew to be one of the Twelve Disciples.

The first recorded information of Matthew tells of a meeting between him and Jesus. At that time Matthew's name was Levi; he was the son of Alphaeus. He was sitting at his tax collector's desk near the Sea of Galilee when Jesus told him to follow him (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14).

Levi did this promptly.

After his call, Matthew invited the Lord home for a feast.(Luke 5:9). On seeing this, the Scribes and the Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners. This prompted Jesus to answer, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners…”


It is supposed that Jesus, as he did in other cases, gave Levi another name, Matthew, meaning "gift of Yahweh".

Apart from some other passing references to him, there are no further precise details concerning Matthew's life, except that he seems to have been associated closely with the Apostle Thomas in the ministry of preaching the Gospel (Matthew 9:3; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:13-16).

The Apostles of Jesus generally worked in pairs, and the above texts seem to associate Thomas and Matthew. It is not known how or where Matthew ended his life. Traditions and legends differ as to whether he died a martyr's death or of natural causes.

It is exciting to read the gospels. It is even more exciting when we look at our God’s life from all these different perspectives. Even before we begin to look at the early days of our faith through research developed over the years, we can begin to develop a better understanding by a prayerful merger of the perspective of the gospel writers themselves. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Matthew; www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Papias.html;


Enjoy The Word, enjoy your study.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!