Matthew

Background and Family

Matthew was the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14) and resided in Capernaum, a bustling commercial hub on the Sea of Galilee. Unlike many of the other apostles who were fishermen, Matthew was a man of letters and finances. He served as a telōnēs (tax collector), specifically stationed at a "customs office." This suggests he was likely responsible for collecting tolls on goods transported along the Via Maris, a major trade route passing through Galilee.

In the Synoptic Gospels, he is referred to both as Matthew and Levi. It was common in the first century AD for Jewish men to have two names—one Hebrew (Levi) and one Greek or a distinct religious name (Matthew, meaning "Gift of Yahweh"). His profession required him to be literate in Aramaic and Greek and proficient in record-keeping, skills that would later serve the early Church in the preservation of the teachings of Jesus. Despite his likely wealth, his profession made him a social pariah; tax collectors were frequently grouped with "sinners" and "prostitutes" because they collaborated with the Roman occupiers and often engaged in extortion.

Major Life Events

The Call of Matthew

The most pivotal moment in Matthew's life occurred while he was sitting at his tax booth. As recorded in Matthew 9:9, Jesus walked by and said simply, "Follow me." In a radical departure from his lucrative career, Matthew rose, left everything behind, and followed Him. To celebrate this transition, Matthew hosted a "great banquet" at his house, inviting a large crowd of his fellow tax collectors and other social outcasts to meet Jesus. This event sparked a significant confrontation with the Pharisees, who questioned why Jesus ate with such people. Jesus responded with the famous dictum: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick... I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Apostleship and Ministry

Matthew was formally appointed as one of the Twelve (Matthew 10:3, Luke 6:15), granting him the authority to preach the Kingdom of God and perform healings. He was present during the Sermon on the Mount, the feeding of the five thousand, and the Transfiguration. Following the resurrection of Jesus, Matthew was among those in the Upper Room in Jerusalem awaiting the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:13). While the biblical record focus shifts to Peter and Paul in the book of Acts, church tradition, including the writings of Eusebius and Papias, suggests that Matthew preached among the Hebrews for several years before traveling to other nations, such as Ethiopia, Persia, or Parthia, though the specific details of his later travels are not confirmed by Scripture.

Relationship to Other Biblical Figures

Matthew’s primary relationship was his submission to Jesus Christ as Lord and Master. Within the apostolic circle, Matthew is often paired with Thomas in the lists of the Twelve. As the son of Alphaeus, some scholars have wondered if he was related to James the Less (also the son of Alphaeus), though the Bible never explicitly calls them brothers. His background as a tax collector would have put him in natural tension with Simon the Zealot, another apostle whose political ideology was centered on the violent overthrow of the Roman system that Matthew once served. The unity of these two men under Christ serves as a testament to the reconciling power of the Gospel.