Who Was Matthew The Apostle - The Beginner's Guide - OverviewBible

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Who Was Matthew the

Apostle? The Beginner’s
Guide
by Ryan Nelson | Apr 1, 2019 | Bible characters
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5/10/24, 12:41 PM Who Was Matthew the Apostle? The Beginner's Guide - OverviewBible
The Apostle Matthew, also known as Saint Matthew and Levi, was one of
the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. He is traditionally regarded as the
author of the Gospel of Matthew. When Jesus called Matthew to follow him,
he was a tax collector (or “publican”)—one of the most reviled professions in
ancient Judaism.
Little is known about this apostle. Aside from a handful of mentions in the
gospels, he’s a surprisingly obscure New Testament figure. And despite the
fact that the church has long considered him the author of the Gospel of
Matthew, little else was ever recorded about him.
While Matthew is honored as a martyr, no one knows for sure where or how
he died. Various accounts say he was beheaded, stoned, burned, or stabbed
—one even suggests he died of natural causes like John.
There are legends about his ministry, but no substantial records of his role in
the early church. Later apocryphal texts emerged claiming to be written by
him, and some early church fathers supported these texts, but the works
only survive in fragments and quotations, and modern scholarship is divided
on their authorship.
So what do we really know about him? We’re going to look at what the Bible
says about Matthew, what we know about the gospel that bears his name,
and some other tidbits about this enigmatic apostle.
First, here are the quick facts.
Who was Matthew in the Bible?
Virtually everything we really know about Matthew comes directly from the
gospels. He’s mentioned in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and
Luke), and listed among the disciples in Acts. But that’s it. Including parallel
passages, there are just seven mentions of him in the entire Bible. Only one
(and its parallels) gives us any substantial details about him.
Also known as Levi
Matthew, Mark, and Luke have parallel accounts of Jesus calling a tax
collector to become a disciple. Interestingly, Matthew calls this person
Matthew, and Mark and Luke call him Levi:
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew

sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him,
and Matthew got up and followed him.” —Matthew 9:9
“As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at

the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus told him, and Levi
got up and followed him.” —Mark 2:14
“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the
name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said
to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.” —
Luke 5:27–28
These accounts so closely parallel each other that it’s hard to imagine they
aren’t speaking of the same person.
There are several possible explanations for this difference. Some argue that
Levi was this person’s tribal name—meaning he belonged to the tribe of Levi
—and that Matthew was a more personal name. Others suggest this person
was originally named Levi, but that Jesus called him Matthew (similar to
Simon, who Jesus named Peter). And it’s also possible that it’s simply a
matter of him having a Greek name (Matthew) and a Hebrew name (Levi),
like how the Apostle Paul was also known by Saul.
Since this person was a Jew who worked for the Romans, it wouldn’t be
surprising to learn that he was known by both names.
A tax collector (or publican)
As we just learned in the passages above (Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke
5:27–28), Matthew was a tax collector, or a publican—someone who was
contracted by the Roman government to collect taxes. As a Jew, stepping
into this profession was essentially an act of betrayal to his people.
Tax collectors had very little accountability. They’d be told to collect a

specified amount of money, but they could tell people they owed a different
amount, and they had no power to dispute it. Tax collectors earned a
reputation for telling people they owed more than they did and pocketing
the difference. To the Jews, tax collectors were the embodiment of sin.
When tax collectors came to be baptized by John the Baptist, they said,
“Teacher, what shall we do?” and he told them: “Collect no more than you
are authorized to do” (Luke 3:12–13).
Interestingly, Mark and Luke don’t explicitly label the disciple Matthew as a
tax collector—we have to infer that Levi the tax collector (Mark 3:18 and
Luke 6:15) is the disciple named Matthew. The Gospel of Matthew leaves
little room for confusion though: he’s called “the tax collector” in the list of
disciples:
“These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who
is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of
Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew;
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of
Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas
Iscariot, who betrayed him.” —Matthew 10:2–4
Fun fact: As a tax collector, Matthew would’ve presumably been great

with money, and modern readers would think he’d be an ideal
candidate for the group’s “official treasurer.” But given the reputation
of tax collectors in first-century Judaism, that would’ve been a bad
move politically—which might be why the disciples gave the job to a
guy named Judas Iscariot. Think about that: they were worried about
putting a tax collector in charge of their money, but Judas not only
stole from the money bag (John 12:6), but ultimately betrayed Jesus.
A “sinner”
The Bible says we’re all sinners (Romans 3:23), but in ancient Judaism, the
label was reserved for the worst of the worst—like tax collectors.
Tax collectors were sinners by trade, lying and cheating their way into riches
and robbing from even the poorest among their people. They were religious
outsiders, because the way they practiced their profession openly defied
the Law of Moses. The richer they were, the worse they were assumed to be.
After Jesus calls him, Matthew hosts a gathering at his house, and as he and
his unsavory companions dine with Jesus, the Pharisees ask why Jesus eats
with tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:11).
Then Jesus lumps Matthew in with “the sinners”:
“On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: “I
desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the
righteous, but sinners.’” —Matthew 9:12
By calling Matthew, Jesus was proclaiming that no one would be excluded

from his movement—not even those society considered irredeemable.
An eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry
As one of the twelve apostles, Matthew was there throughout almost all of
Jesus’ ministry. The only people who saw more of who Jesus was and what
he was capable of were Peter, James, and John.
Some argue that Matthew’s role as an eyewitness is evidence that he didn’t

write the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew’s gospel appears to rely heavily on
Mark’s (which is why there are so many parallel passages), but the Gospel of
Mark is believed to have been written by a man named John Mark, who was
not an eyewitness. So why would an eyewitness use an account written by
someone who wasn’t there? There are a few counter arguments, but the
main one is that the early church claimed John Mark wrote down Peter’s
account of Jesus’ ministry . . . and Peter saw more of Jesus than Matthew
and was a pillar of the early church, so . . . *shrug*.
Besides this, Matthew gives Peter a good deal of positive attention in his
gospel. It’s possible that out of respect, friendship, or deference, Matthew
used Peter’s account for consistency’s sake.
An evangelist
Matthew is considered one of the “Four Evangelists.” This is a title reserved

for Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—the traditional authors of the four
gospels. It comes from the Greek word evangelion, meaning “good news.”
These four writers proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ with their
writings.
A scribe?
As a tax collector, Matthew’s job would’ve involved meticulously recording

and documenting tax information. Some argue that Jesus referred to him in
Matthew 13:52, because his job would’ve technically made him fit the
description of “scribe.”
“The ‘scribe’ of Matthew 13:52 is, no doubt, Matthew

himself, who as a tax collector had been a secular scribe.
Jesus likens him to a person ‘bringing forth treasures new and
old’—the old being those acquired as a tax collector (such as
gifts for accuracy and organization), the new being Jesus’
teachings; about the kingdom of heaven.’ As a man doubly
equipped, Matthew is now ready for further scribal activity—
the writing of the book that bears his name.” —Walter A.
Elwell and B.J. Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
However, some translations render “scribe” in Matthew 13:52 as “teachers

of the law,” and in context, Jesus certainly seems to be talking about those
with a religious background—he speaks of angels separating the wicked
from the righteous (Matthew 13:49)—and it seems more likely that bringing
out “new treasures as well as hold” would refer to their knowledge of the
Law and the prophets in light of the gospel.
That said, yes, Matthew could technically be called a scribe—but probably

not as it’s often used in the Bible.
When and where did Matthew live?
In order to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, Matthew obviously would’ve had to

live at the same time. Most scholars believe Jesus lived from sometime
around 4 BC to around 30 or 33 AD. Since we don’t know how old he was at
the time he met Jesus, we can’t be certain he was born in the first century,
but he certainly lived then. The date of his death is unknown.
Jesus encountered Matthew at a tax booth in Capernaum—a city on the

shore of the Sea of Galilee.
How did Matthew die?
As with most of the apostles, it’s hard to say exactly how Matthew died.
There are several conflicting accounts about his death. The earliest records
say he carried out his ministry in “Ethiopia” (not what we consider Ethiopia,
but a region south of the Caspian Sea), Persia, Macedonia, and/or Syria.
Clement of Alexandria quotes Heracleon, one of the earliest commentators

on the New Testament, as saying that Matthew died naturally:
“But neither will this utterance be found to be spoken

universally; for all the saved have confessed with the
confession made by the voice, and departed. Of whom are

Matthew, Philip, Thomas, Levi, and many others.” —Stromata
Most scholars don’t accept this account today. All the other early records of
Matthew’s death claim he was martyred, but they disagree about how or
where it happened. The early church fathers claim he was burned, stoned,
stabbed, or beheaded for his faith. In John Foxe’s famous Book of Martyrs
(first published in 1563), the entry for Matthew states:
“The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which

latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a
halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60.”
Who wrote the Book of Matthew?
The Gospel of Matthew’s author is anonymous, but Matthew the Apostle is

traditionally considered the author. The early church claimed he wrote it,
and the attribution “according to Matthew” was added possibly as early as
the second century. While there are credible arguments against his
authorship, no alternative writer has been named.
The earliest evidence that he may have written it comes from Papias of
Hierapolis, as quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea in Church History:
“So then Matthew wrote the oracles in the Hebrew language,

and every one interpreted them as he was able.”
Irenaeus, who lived from about 130 AD to 202 AD, made a similar claim in
Against Heresies:
“Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews

in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at
Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church.”
However, Papias’ statement is actually pretty ambiguous. The word

rendered as “wrote” could also mean “compiled,” “arranged,” or “composed.”
The word for “oracles” could mean “sayings” or “gospel.” And the word for
“interpreted” here could mean “translated.”
So it’s more than a little unclear what exactly Papias is referring to. Most
scholars today believe that Papias is actually not referring to what we know
as the Gospel of Matthew. Especially since he’s talking about a text that was
originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic, and the Gospel of Matthew
appears to have been originally written in Greek, not translated into it.
Still, that doesn’t mean Matthew didn’t write this gospel as well.
Internal evidence for Matthew’s authorship
Some argue that the Gospel of Matthew includes internal evidence linking it
to Matthew’s profession, which could indicate he was the biblical author.
The Gospel of Matthew talks about money in more detail and greater
frequency than the other gospels—similar to how the Gospel of Luke,
written by Luke the physician, includes greater detail about ailments and
uses precise medical terminology.
Gold and silver are only mentioned once in Mark, and four times in Luke. But
Matthew mentions them 28 times. The famous parable of the talents
(Matthew 25:14-20) only appears in the Gospel of Matthew. And in the Lord’s
Prayer, Matthew makes a curious substitution. Compare this line in the
prayer as recorded by Matthew and Luke:
“Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” —Luke
11:4 (emphasis added)
“And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.” —Matthew 6:12
(emphasis added)
Matthew also uses money-related words the other gospels don’t. In

Matthew 17:24, he tells us the precise amount of the temple tax:
“After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the

collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and
asked, ‘Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?’”
It seems that the author paid particular attention to Jesus’ statements

about money, had a greater understanding of financial matters, and saw
finance as a helpful lens to understand the gospel.
Ultimately, without a byline, we can’t confirm or deny who wrote the Gospel
of Matthew. But for centuries, the church has claimed it was the Apostle
Matthew.
Acts and Martyrdom of St. Matthew
In the first few centuries of the church, countless legends sprouted about
the apostles—so many that it essentially became its own genre. Many of
these legendary accounts were pseudepigrapha—meaning they falsely
claimed to be written by a well-known Christian—and included miraculous
events and Gnostic teachings.
Some of these accounts appeared to be at least loosely based on reality,

supporting details about how people died and where they traveled to.
But that’s not the case for the Acts and Martyrdom of St. Matthew. In it, Jesus
appears to Matthew as a boy and tells him to go to the city of Myrna (an
unknown location), which is inhabited by “man eaters.” Upon arriving there,
Matthew performs miracles and casts out demons. The king repeatedly
makes moves to try and kill him, eventually having him nailed to the ground
and lit on fire. Instead of killing Matthew, the fire burns down the king’s idols
and engulfs some of his soldiers.
Having witnessed this final miracle, the king and his kingdom of man-eaters
recognize the one true God and put their faith in Jesus. The end.
There are other ancient Christian and Gnostic writings about Matthew or
even claiming to be written by him, some of which appeared centuries after
his death (such as the so-called Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew.)
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The sinner turned saint
When it comes to the Apostle Matthew, there’s not much to go on. But what
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powerful examples of the forgiveness God offers everyone. This tax

collector was reviled for who he was, but Jesus loved him for who he was.
And despite his position as a religious outsider, Jesus gave him a prominent
position within what would eventually become the largest religion in the
world.
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5/10/24, 12:41 PM Who Was Matthew the Apostle?

The Beginner's Guide - OverviewBible

Who Was Matthew the

First, here are the quick facts.

Who was Matthew in the Bible?

Also known as Levi

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew

“As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at

A tax collector (or publican)

Tax collectors had very little accountability. They’d be told to collect a

Fun fact: As a tax collector, Matthew would’ve presumably been great

Then Jesus lumps Matthew in with “the sinners”:

By calling Matthew, Jesus was proclaiming that no one would be excluded

An eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry

Some argue that Matthew’s role as an eyewitness is evidence that he didn’t

Matthew is considered one of the “Four Evangelists.” This is a title reserved

As a tax collector, Matthew’s job would’ve involved meticulously recording

“The ‘scribe’ of Matthew 13:52 is, no doubt, Matthew

However, some translations render “scribe” in Matthew 13:52 as “teachers

That said, yes, Matthew could technically be called a scribe—but probably

When and where did Matthew live?

In order to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, Matthew obviously would’ve had to

Jesus encountered Matthew at a tax booth in Capernaum—a city on the

How did Matthew die?

Clement of Alexandria quotes Heracleon, one of the earliest commentators

“But neither will this utterance be found to be spoken

confession made by the voice, and departed. Of whom are

“The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which

Who wrote the Book of Matthew?

The Gospel of Matthew’s author is anonymous, but Matthew the Apostle is

“So then Matthew wrote the oracles in the Hebrew language,

“Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews

However, Papias’ statement is actually pretty ambiguous. The word

Internal evidence for Matthew’s authorship

“Forgive us our sins,

“And forgive us our debts,

Matthew also uses money-related words the other gospels don’t. In

Matthew 17:24, he tells us the precise amount of the temple tax:

“After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the

It seems that the author paid particular attention to Jesus’ statements

Acts and Martyrdom of St. Matthew

Some of these accounts appeared to be at least loosely based on reality,

Do you wish you knew the Bible better?

The Beginner’s Guide to the Bible gives you an overview of

The sinner turned saint

powerful examples of the forgiveness God offers everyone. This tax

Explore the Bible with us!

Your email address Get the good stuff!

Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it?

Who Was Herod? Wait… There Were How Many Herods?!

16 Facts About King David

Moses: The Old Testament’s Greatest Prophet

© 2020 OverviewBible Terms and privacy Contact

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