Matthew the Apostle, also known as Saint Matthew and possibly as Levi, was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. According to Christian traditions, he was also one of the four Evangelists as author of the Gospel of Matthew, and thus is also known as Matthew the Evangelist, a claim rejected by most biblical scholars, though the "traditional authorship still has its defenders." The New Testament records that as a disciple, he followed Jesus, and was one of the witne
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Who was Matthew in the Bible and what did he do?
Matthew authored the first Gospel of the Bible's New Testament, now known as the Gospel of Matthew. Prior to preaching the word of God, he worked as a tax collector in Capernaum. Matthew is the patron saint of tax collectors and accountants.
Who is Matthew in the Bible New Testament?
Matthew the Evangelist, one of the 12 Apostles, described in the text as a tax collector (10:3). The Gospel According to Matthew was composed in Greek, probably sometime after 70 ce, with evident dependence on the earlier Gospel According to Mark.
Why is Matthew important in the Bible?
Matthew became the most important of all Gospel texts for first- and second-century Christians because it contains all the elements important to the early church: the story about Jesus's miraculous conception; an explanation of the importance of liturgy, law, discipleship, and teaching; and an account of Jesus's life ...
Is Matthew disciple of Jesus?
Matthew the Apostle, or Levi, (flourished 1st century ce, Palestine; Western feast day September 21, Eastern feast day November 16), one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and the traditional author of the first Synoptic Gospel (the Gospel According to Matthew).
What was Matthew's relationship with Jesus?
Matthew served as one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ. As an eyewitness to the Savior, Matthew recorded a detailed account of Jesus' life, the story of his birth, his message, and his many deeds in the Gospel of Matthew. He also served as a missionary, spreading the good news to other countries.
What is known about Matthew in the Bible?
According to the Gospels, Matthew was a 1st-century Galilean (presumably born in Galilee, which was not part of Judea or the Roman Judaea province), the son of Alphaeus. As a tax collector, he would probably have been literate and could write highly educated Greek.
What is the main point of Matthew?
It tells how Israel's Messiah, Jesus, comes to his people and forms a community of disciples, of how he taught the people through such events as the Sermon on the Mount and its Beatitudes, and how Israel becomes divided and how Jesus condemns this hostile Israel.
What are Matthew's 3 key themes?
What are Matthew's 3 key themes? The three key themes of Matthew is that Jesus is the Messiah from the line of David, Jesus is the new Moses, and that God is always with us. Matthew introduces Jesus by connecting him to David and Abraham, explaining that he will bring God's blessing.
What is the main focus of Matthew's Gospel?
The Gospel of Matthew is concerned with the position of these early Christian churches within Israel, or in its relationship to what we call Judaism. And these are concerns that belong to the time after the fall of Jerusalem.
How was Jesus called Matthew?
Biblical narratives According to the Gospel of Matthew: "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."
What happened to Matthew after Jesus died?
After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, Matthew was amongst those chosen to go out and spread the word of Christ (called apostles). He spent his time mostly in Palestine, where he helped plant new congregations and spread Christ's teachings.
Who was the closest apostle to Jesus?
Since the end of the first century, the Beloved Disciple has been commonly identified with John the Evangelist.
How was Jesus called Matthew?
Biblical narratives According to the Gospel of Matthew: "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."
What happened to Matthew in the Bible?
Matthew (Levi) : Martyred about 60 AD by being staked and speared to the ground. Preached the Gospel in Ethiopia (Africa) and was killed for questioning the morals of the king. Simon Peter (The Rock /Petra): Martyrdom by crucifixion at Rome by Nero.
Is Zacchaeus and Matthew the same person?
Clement of Alexandria refers once to Zacchaeus in a way which could be read as suggesting that some identified him with apostle Matthew or Matthias. However, Luke indicates that Matthias was with Jesus in the beginning since the baptism of John (Acts 1:21–22).
How did Matthew became a disciple?
In the story in the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew was working as a tax collector at a tax booth when he met Jesus. The gospel explains that Jesus simply said, ''Follow me,'' and Matthew immediately decided to follow him and be a disciple.
Who is the Messiah in Matthew?
Many of Matthew’s original readers may have wondered if Jesus is truly the long-awaited King of the Jews. In this gospel, Matthew frequently refers back to the Old Testament writings to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One.
Why did Matthew write the New Testament?
Matthew helps write the New Testament so that generations, including ours, could know and believe the Good News as well. Claims to fame: Matthew works as a tax collector before meeting Jesus. He becomes an active follower/disciple of Jesus. Matthew invites over his “sinner” friends to meet Jesus.
What does Matthew do after overcoming his shock?
After overcoming his initial shock, Matthew immediately gives up his lucrative tax-collecting business and hosts a huge banquet that evening. The banquet isn’t in Matthew’s honor — a retirement party of sorts. Instead, Matthew somehow knows Jesus wants to meet his friends. So, he invites them all over to his house.
What did Matthew say to Jesus?
In this book, Matthew speaks about his calling and first evangelistic dinner party: 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. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him ...
What is the book of Matthew?
As an apostle, Matthew writes as an eyewitness of Jesus’ itinerant ministry, resurrection, and ascension. Tradition says Matthew travels far and wide proclaiming the Good News of Jesus for more than 30 years — until he is martyred for his faith.
How many Bible passages are there about Matthew?
If you’re going to read only three Bible passages about Matthew (also known as Levi), take a few minutes and read Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:14-17, and Luke 5:27-32. Matthew is listed with the other 12 apostles in Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, and Luke 6:14-16, and once more in Acts 1:13 (minus Judas Iscariot, of course).
What is Matthew's role in the apostles?
He becomes an active follower/disciple of Jesus. Matthew invites over his “sinner” friends to meet Jesus. He agrees to serve as one of the 12 apostles. Matthew travels extensively with Jesus and the apostles. He is an eyewitness of Jesus Christ’s ascension. He becomes a bold evangelist during Pentecost. Matthew goes to jail with the other 12 ...
Who is Matthew in the Bible?
Answer. Matthew in the Bible was one of Jesus’ disciples. Matthew’s Gospel, along with the Gospels of Luke, John, and Mark, is an inspired—and thus accurate and true—history of the life of Christ. His Gospel is the longest of the four, and some scholars believe it was the first to be written.
What did Matthew do when he was called by Jesus?
When called by Jesus, Matthew immediately left his tax collection booth and followed the Lord ( Matthew 9:9 ). He left behind the source of his riches; he left his position of security and comfort for traveling, hardship, and eventual martyrdom; he left his old life for a new life with Jesus. Return to: Questions about People in the Bible.
What is Matthew's account of his call?
Matthew’s account of his call matches exactly the accounts of Levi’s call in Luke and Mark, both in terms of language and chronological placement. Also, it is not uncommon for a person to be given a different name after an encounter with God.
Who was Jesus' harshest condemnation?
Jesus’ harshest condemnations were to the Pharisees, the teachers of the Law, and the scribes who thought themselves good, worthy, and better than the “tax collectors and sinners” around them ( Matthew 9:10; 23:13–15 ). Matthew was one of the tax collectors whom Jesus saved.
Is Matthew the same as Levi?
Matthew is also called Levi, the son of Alphaeus, by Luke and Mark ( Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27 ). Although Luke and Mark do not come out and say, “Levi and Matthew are the same person,” we can deduce the names refer to the same individual because of context.
Where does Matthew come from?
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.
What was Matthew's profession?
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 ...
How many times is gold mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew?
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.
How did Matthew die?
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.
Why did Matthew use Peter's account in the Gospel?
It’s possible that out of respect, friendship, or deference, Matthew used Peter’s account for consistency’s sake.
What does the Bible say about tax collectors?
Tax collectors were sinners by trade, lying and cheating their way into riches and robbing from even the poorest among their people.
Where did Jesus meet Matthew?
Jesus encountered Matthew at a tax booth in Capernaum— a city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Who was Matthew in the New Testament?
In the New Testament. Among the early followers and apostles of Jesus, Matthew is mentioned in Matthew 9:9 and Matthew 10:3 as a publican ( KJV) or tax collector ( NIV) who, while sitting at the "receipt of custom" in Capernaum, was called to follow Jesus.
Who is Matthew in the Gospel?
Gospel of Matthew. Matthew the Apostle , also known as Saint Matthew and as Levi, was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.
What is the name of the creature that accompanies Matthew?
The one that accompanies him is in the form of a winged man.
What is Matthew's Gospel called?
Matthew's Gospel was called the Gospel according to the Hebrews or sometimes the Gospel of the Apostles and it was once believed that it was the original to the Greek Matthew found in the Bible. However, this has been challenged by modern biblical scholars such as Bart D. Ehrman and James R. Edwards.
Who were Jesus' disciples?
Muslim exegesis preserves the tradition that Matthew and Andrew were the two disciples who went to Ethiopia to preach the message of God .
Who wrote the first Gospel?
Origen said the first Gospel was written by Matthew. This Gospel was composed in Hebrew near Jerusalem for Hebrew Christians and translated into Greek, but the Greek copy was lost. The Hebrew original was kept at the Library of Caesarea. The Nazarene Community transcribed a copy for Jerome which he used in his work.
Who wrote the Gospel of Matthew?
Saint Matthew and the Angel (1661) by Rembrandt. The Gospel of Matthew is anonymous: the author is not named within the text, and the superscription "according to Matthew" was added some time in the second century.
Who is Saint Matthew?
Born in Palestine sometime in the 1st century, Saint Matthew was one of Jesus's 12 apostles and also one of the four Evangelists, according to the Bible. Matthew authored the first Gospel of the Bible's New Testament, now known as the Gospel of Matthew. Prior to preaching the word of God, he worked as a tax collector in Capernaum.
Who was the first author of the New Testament?
According to the Bible, Saint Matthew was one of Jesus's 12 apostles and the first author of the New Testament. According to the Bible, Saint Matthew was one of Jesus's 12 apostles and the first author of the New Testament.
What is the Gospel of Matthew?
The Gospel of Matthew: Summary and Outline. The book of Matthew is the first Gospel (an account of Jesus’ life and ministry) in the New Testament. In Matthew, Jesus teaches people what it means to be part of his kingdom, the “kingdom of heaven.”. He is betrayed and crucified.
What does Matthew say about the Old Testament?
Matthew emphasizes the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfills, from His birth ( Mt 1:22–23; 2:5–6, 17–18) through His ministry and right up to His death and resurrection. He lives a righteous life, teaches us what it means to be righteous, and dies on a cross so that we can be right with God. Matthew opens with a simple statement ...
What does Matthew say about Jesus?
Matthew tells us the story of Jesus with an emphasis on His role as Messiah, or Christ: Jesus is the son of God. He is conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb ( Mt 1:18–20 ), ...
What book is Jesus revealed in?
Jesus is revealed as the son of God ( Mt 13:53–17:27) How “greatness” works in the Kingdom (Mt 18) Book 5 (Mt 19–25) People struggle with Jesus’ kingship (Mt 19–23) Teachings of judgment in the kingdom to come (Mt 24–25) Climax: Jesus’ sacrifice, victory, and commission to his disciples (Mt 26–27)
What is the purpose of Matthew's Gospel?
However, his opening verse makes it very clear what this book is about: Jesus, the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. The rest of this Gospel presents evidence of who Jesus is.
How many sections are there in Matthew?
The bulk of Matthew is arranged into five main sections (which may have been in reference to the five-fold Law of Moses ). Each section opens with stories of Jesus’ life and ministry, and closes with a long set of teachings from Jesus, called “discourses.”. Prologue: Jesus’ birth and significance (Mt 1–2)
Who is the ultimate Jewish hero?
Outline of Matthew. Matthew is a phenomenal work of literature, arranged in a way that presents Jesus as the ultimate Jewish hero: the Messianic son of David, the prophet who surpasses Moses, and the seed of Abraham that blesses all the nations.
What is the Gospel according to Matthew?
The Gospel according to Matthew ( Greek: Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ματθαῖον, romanized : Euangélion katà Matthaîon ), also called the Gospel of Matthew, or simply Matthew, is the first book of the New Testament and one of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells how Israel's Messiah, Jesus, comes ...
What was Matthew's vision of the church?
Writing from within a Jewish-Christian community growing increasingly distant from other Jews and becoming increasingly gentile in its membership and outlook, Matthew put down in his gospel his vision "of an assembly or church in which both Jew and Gentile would flourish together".
What is the opposition to Jesus?
Opposition to Jesus comes to a head with accusations that his deeds are done through the power of Satan. Jesus in turn accuses his opponents of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. The discourse is a set of parables emphasizing the sovereignty of God, and concluding with a challenge to the disciples to understand the teachings as scribes of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew avoids using the holy word God in the expression "Kingdom of God"; instead he prefers the term "Kingdom of Heaven", reflecting the Jewish tradition of not speaking the name of God).
What is the prologue of Matthew?
Prologue: genealogy, Nativity and infancy (Mat. 1–2) The Gospel of Matthew begins with the words "The Book of Genealogy [in Greek, "Genesis"] of Jesus Christ", deliberately echoing the words of Genesis 2:4 in the Old Testament in Greek.
What was the root of the conflict between Matthew and the Jewish people?
Certainly there was conflict between Matthew's group and other Jewish groups, and it is generally agreed that the root of the conflict was the Matthew community's belief in Jesus as the Messiah and authoritative interpreter of the law, as one risen from the dead and uniquely endowed with divine authority.
What is the gospel of the scribes?
The gospel reflects the struggles and conflicts between the evangelist's community and the other Jews, particularly with its sharp criticism of the scribes and Pharisees with the position that through their rejection of Christ, the Kingdom of God has been taken away from them and given instead to the church.
How many discourses are there in Matthew?
Matthew, alone among the gospels, alternates five blocks of narrative with five of discourse, marking each off with the phrase "When Jesus had finished..." (see Five Discourses of Matthew ). Some scholars see in this a deliberate plan to create a parallel to the first five books of the Old Testament; others see a three-part structure based around the idea of Jesus as Messiah; or a set of weekly readings spread out over the year; or no plan at all. Davies and Allison, in their widely used commentary, draw attention to the use of "triads" (the gospel groups things in threes), and R. T. France, in another influential commentary, notes the geographic movement from Galilee to Jerusalem and back, with the post-resurrection appearances in Galilee as the culmination of the whole story.
Where is Peter in the Gospel of Matthew?
Jesus visits Peter’s home and heals his mother-in-law in Matthew 8:14-15. Peter officially becomes one of the 12 apostles in Matthew 10:1-2.
What does Peter say in Matthew 14:28-30?
A chapter later, Peter makes his confession, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” ( Matthew 16:16 ).
What does Luke say about Peter and John?
Luke notes that Jesus asks Peter and John to make preparations for the Last Supper ( Luke 22:8 ). Near the end of that supper, Luke adds Jesus’ words to Peter about returning to Him ( Luke 22:31-32 ).
What does Peter mean by "personally carried our sins in his body on the cross"?
Later in life, Peter looks back on this experience and reminds his fellow Christians that Jesus “personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you have been hea led. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls” ( 1 Peter 2:24-25, NLT).
How many times did Peter deny Jesus?
In the course of a single evening, Peter denies Jesus Christ three times: First to a maid, then to her and a couple of her coworkers, and then to an entire group of bystanders.
What are the names of Peter in 2021?
2021 12 Feb. Claims to fame: Peter goes by three names: Simon, Cephas, Peter. He walks on water briefly before starting to go under — and talks as much as all the other apostles put together. Serves as the primary source for Mark’s gospel. Writes two remarkable epistles: 1 and 2 Peter.
How long to read Acts 1-12?
The first half of Peter’s story is told in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. If you want to see Peter in action afterward, take half an hour to read Acts 1-12. Or take three minutes to read one of those exciting chapters.
Overview
In the New Testament
Among the early followers and apostles of Jesus, Matthew is mentioned in Matthew 9:9 and Matthew 10:3 as a publican (KJV) or tax collector (NIV) who, while sitting at the "receipt of custom" in Capernaum, was called to follow Jesus. He is also listed among the twelve, but without identification of his background, in Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13. In passages parallel to Matthew 9:9, both Mark …
Early life
According to the Gospels, Matthew was a 1st-century Galilean (presumably born in Galilee, which was not part of Judea or the Roman Judaea province), the son of Alphaeus. As a tax collector, he would probably have been literate and could write highly educated Greek. His fellow Jews would have despised him for what was seen as collaborating with the Roman occupation force.
After his call, Matthew invited Jesus for a feast. On seeing this, the Scribes and the Pharisees criti…
Ministry
The New Testament records that as a disciple, he followed Jesus, and was one of the witnesses of the Ascension of Jesus. Afterwards, the disciples withdrew to an upper room (Acts 1:10–14) (traditionally the Cenacle) in Jerusalem. The disciples remained in and about Jerusalem and proclaimed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
In the Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a), "Mattai" is one of five disciples of "Jeshu".
Matthew's Gospel
The Gospel of Matthew is anonymous: the author is not named within the text, and the superscription "according to Matthew" was added some time in the second century. The tradition that the author was the disciple Matthew begins with the early Christian bishop Papias of Hierapolis (c. AD 60–163), who is cited by the Church historian Eusebius (AD 260–340), as follows: "Matthew collected …
Non-canonical or apocryphal gospels
In the 3rd century, Jewish–Christian gospels attributed to Matthew were used by Jewish–Christian groups such as the Nazarenes and Ebionites. Fragments of these gospels survive in quotations by Jerome, Epiphanius and others. Most academic study follows the distinction of Gospel of the Nazarenes (36 fragments), Gospel of the Ebionites (7 fragments), and Gospel of the Hebrews (7 fragments) found in Schneemelcher's New Testament Apocrypha. Critical commentators generall…
Veneration
Matthew is recognized as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican churches (see St. Matthew's Church). His feast day is celebrated on 21 September in the West and 16 November in the East. (Those churches which follow the traditional Julian calendar would keep the day on 29 November of the modern Gregorian calendar, being 16 November in the Julian calendar.) He is also commemorated by the Orthodox, together with the other Apostles, on 30 J…
In Islam
The Quran speaks of Jesus' disciples but does not mention their names, instead referring to them as "helpers to the work of Allah". Muslim exegesis and Quran commentary, however, name them and include Matthew amongst the disciples. Muslim exegesis preserves the tradition that Matthew and Andrew were the two disciples who went to Ethiopia to preach the message of God.