Matthew the Apostle
1st century
Member of the original Twelve identified in Matthew as a tax collector. Christian tradition attributes the Gospel of Matthew to him, while the canonical work itself is anonymous and its authorship remains debated.
Matthew and the Tax Collector
All three Synoptic Gospels include Matthew among the Twelve. The Gospel of Matthew also names “Matthew” as the tax collector whom Jesus calls from a toll station. Mark and Luke tell a closely parallel call story but name the tax collector Levi; they list Matthew separately among the Twelve. Christian tradition has usually treated Matthew and Levi as two names for one person, while some scholars see the variation as evidence that the texts preserve or reshape distinct identifications. Tax collectors in Roman Palestine operated within systems of imperial and local revenue and could become symbols of exploitation. The Gospel scenes pair tax collectors with other socially disapproved groups, but they do not provide Matthew's rank, wealth, or exact duties. Popular claims that he was universally hated or personally corrupt go beyond what is stated about him.
A Meal and a Dispute
After the call, the Synoptic accounts describe Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners. Matthew says the meal takes place in “the house” without explicitly saying whose; Mark and Luke place it in Levi's house. Critics ask why Jesus shares a table with such people, and he answers with the image of a physician attending those who are sick. This scene made Matthew an enduring symbol of vocation and social reversal. Yet the narrative focuses more on Jesus' table fellowship than on Matthew's inner experience. The Gospels record no speech by Matthew and no individual activity after his call. Acts simply includes him among the apostles gathered in Jerusalem.
Did Matthew Write the Gospel?
The canonical Gospel of Matthew does not name its author. Early in the second century, Papias was remembered as saying that Matthew arranged sayings or “oracles” in a Hebrew dialect and that people interpreted them as they could. It is uncertain whether Papias meant the Greek Gospel now called Matthew, an earlier collection, or something else. Later church writers more confidently connected the apostle with the canonical book. Most contemporary scholars date the Greek Gospel after Mark and observe that it uses Mark extensively, making direct composition by an eyewitness apostle less likely in their view. Other scholars defend versions of traditional authorship. A neutral account distinguishes the ancient attribution from the anonymous text and avoids presenting either a traditional or critical conclusion as though no debate exists.
Later Mission and Cultural Legacy
Later sources send Matthew to a wide range of places, including Ethiopia, Persia, Parthia, and regions around the Black Sea. They also disagree over whether and how he died. The variation makes it impossible to reconstruct a secure itinerary or martyrdom from those traditions. The Gospel bearing Matthew's name nevertheless gave the apostle an enormous reception history. Its Sermon on the Mount, infancy narrative, parables, and commission to make disciples became central to Christian teaching and art. Matthew is often shown with a book, pen, or winged human figure. Those symbols express traditional authorship and the Gospel's canonical influence; they are not independent biographical evidence.
Known For
- One of the Twelve
- Tax Collector Tradition
- Traditional Gospel Attribution
Key Works
Influenced By
- Jesus of Nazareth
- Jewish Scripture
Influenced
- Christian Gospel Interpretation
- Christian Art and Liturgy
Conversations
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