The biography of the apostle matthew

Jews may have considered Matthew, one of the Twelve Disciples and possible author of the first gospel in the New Testament, a traitor. The setting, occupation, and verbiage are identical to that used during the calling of Matthew.

How old was matthew when he met jesus

The Mark account adds a unique detail. Matthew was the son of Alpheus. The name has no relevant connotation to us today but may have given context to who Matthew was via his Jewish lineage when the gospel was written. These names suggest that Matthew was embedded in Jewish culture, which would have made him an outcast to Jews who would consider his employment by the Roman state a treacherous act.

If Matthew was a Levite, it would make his association with the Romans and work as a tax collector even more egregious. Jews considered tax collectors as sinners by default. They often collected more than was required and kept the difference, thereby enriching themselves. Luke shows that this exploitation was well known to the general populace.

The comment by John the Baptist speaks for itself. It may also be why the disciples appointed Judas Iscariot as treasurer instead of Matthew, who was obviously well-versed in money matters.

St matthew patron saint of

The story of Matthew is one sinner-turned-saint. Matthew was a tax collector, also called a publican in the gospels, in the Capernaum region for the Roman state. Publicans were reviled by the Jewish people because taxation was a way of oppressing them. Part of the tasks of a tax collector was to keep meticulous records of the taxes received.