One day Jesus was walking and saw a tax collector named Matthew sittingat a tax collection post, and said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew stoodup and followed Him, and became one of His twelve apostles. (See M9:9-13 = P 2:13-17 = L 5:27-32) Tax collectors in those days weresocial outcasts. Devout Jews avoided them because they were usuallydishonest (the job carried no salary, and they were expected to maketheir profits by cheating the people from whom they collected taxes).Patriotic and nationalistic Jews hated them because they were agents ofthe Roman government, the conquerors, and hated them with a double hatredif (like Matthew) they were Jews, because they had gone over to theenemy, had betrayed their own people for money. Thus, throughout theGospels, we find tax collectors (publicans) mentioned as a stadard typeof sinful and despised outcast. Matthew brought many of his formerassociates to meet Jesus, and social outcasts in general were shown thatthe love of Jesus extended even to them.
(Jesus numbered among his disciples persons of widely differentbackgrounds. They included not only Matthew, a former agent of the Romangovernment, but Simon the Zealot (not to be confused with Simon Peter).Josephus tells us that the Zealots were fanatical nationalists,determined to drive out the Romans by guerrilla tactics, ambushes,assassinations, terrorist methods, or whatever worked. Their motto was,"No king but Messiah, no tax but the Temple, no friend but the Zealot."It is not clear that Simon was, or had been, a member of the group thatJosephus describes, but it seems clear that he would have regardedhimself as at the opposite end of the political spectrum from Matthew.)
The name "Matthew" means "gift of the Lord." Mark and Luke, in the storyof his calling, name him "Levi." Perhaps this was his original name, andhe received a new name from Jesus when he became a disciple. (It has alsobeen suggested that he was simply a member of the tribe of Levi.)
Of Matthew's life after Pentecost the Scriptures tell us nothing. Lateraccounts of his life vary, some reporting that he was martyred, othersthat he died a natural death. The Christian community since early timeshas commemorated him as a martyr.
Whether the Apostle Matthew is also the Evangelist Matthew -- that is,whether the Apostle Matthew wrote the Gospel that bears his name -- isdisputed. The Gospel itself does not say who wrote it, but thedesignation "according to Matthew" is very old.
In favor of his authorship it may be noted that (1) while Mark and Lukegive the fourth pair of Apostles as "Matthew and Thomas," the Gospel ofMatthew gives them as "Thomas and Matthew"; and (2) while Luke 5:29explicitly states, and Mark 2:15 suggests, that Matthew gave a banquetfor Jesus, Matthew 9:10 in describing the same banquet does not indicatewho the host was. Both of these variations would be routine touches ofmodesty if Matthew was the author.
On the other hand, the gospel (1) does not have the manner of aneyewitness (see my Library Essay John Part1), and (2) is thoughtby many scholars to contain material borrowed from Mark, whereas onewould not expect someone who had been an eyewitness to borrow fromsomeone who had not. (Note: The view that Mark is an older Gospel thanMatthew is widespread and not long ago many scholars regarded the matteras settled. However, there is respectable opinion holding that Matthew isthe earliest Gospel after all. See, for example, the comments in theMatthew volume of The Anchor Bible.)
Perhaps the Gospel was written by some early Christian, not an apostle,whose name was Matthew, and about whom nothing else is known. EarlyChristian readers, hearing the Gospel ascribed to "Matthew," wouldnaturally associate it with the Apostle of that name, and so theascribing of the work to the Apostle Matthew becomes common at an earlydate, by a perfectly natural misunderstanding.
Papias of Hierapolis, writing in the late first or early second century,says that Matthew compiled the sayings (Logia) of Jesus in Hebrew. Nowthe material common to Matthew and Luke, but not to Mark, includessayings of Jesus but almost no narrative. It has therefore beenconjectured that there was once a document (usually called Q), now lost,that is basically a collection of speeches by Jesus, and that Matthew(the evangelist) and Luke had access to it while Mark did not. It hasbeen suggested that Matthew (the apostle) is the author of this documentQ, which may well have been first written in Hebrew (or Aramaic).
The Scripture readings associated with the day bear the themes of Matthewas a Gospel-writer (hence readings that speak of the Scriptures), Matthewas an Apostle, and Matthew as a sinner called by God's grace.
PRAYER (traditional language)
We thank thee, heavenly Father, for the witness of thineApostle and evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of thy Son ourSavior; and we pray that, after his example, we may with readywills and hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him;through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth withthee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
PRAYER (contemporary language)
We thank thee, heavenly Father, for the witness of your apostleAnd evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of your Son our Savior;and we pray that, after his example, we may with ready willsand hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; throughJesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and theHoly Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6 (An admonition to youth to cherish the divineprecepts)
Alternate Reading: Ezekiel 2:8--3:11 (God gives the prophet ascroll, a message for the people of Israel)
Psalm 119:33-40 or Psalm 19:2-5 (A stanza in praise of theScriptures)
Epistle: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (Paul commendsthe study of the Scriptures to Timothy)
Alternate Epistle: Ephesians 2:4-10 (Christ takes sinners andincorporates them into the company of the saints.)
Alternate Epistle: Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13 (United in the one Bodyof Christ, some Christians are called to be apostles, some prophets....)
The Holy Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13 (Jesus sees the tax-collectorMatthew at his desk, and says, "Follow me.")
Unless otherwise indicated, this biographical sketch was written by James E.Kiefer and any comments about its content should be directed to him.The Biographical Sketches home pagehas more information.As an expert on biblical studies and religious history, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the discussion of the passage about the calling of the tax collector Matthew by Jesus. My expertise extends to the historical context, cultural nuances, and textual analysis of biblical narratives.
The passage narrates a significant event in the life of Jesus, specifically the calling of Matthew, a tax collector, to become one of His twelve apostles. Tax collectors in that era were social outcasts, despised by both devout Jews and patriotic nationalists. The narrative sheds light on the societal dynamics of the time, emphasizing Jesus' inclusive message that extended even to social outcasts.
The mention of Simon the Zealot adds another layer of complexity to the discipleship group. The Zealots were fervent nationalists aiming to resist Roman rule through guerrilla tactics. The juxtaposition of Matthew, a former Roman collaborator, and Simon, a Zealot, highlights the diversity among Jesus' disciples and the universality of His message.
The passage also discusses the ambiguity surrounding Matthew's name, suggesting that he may have been originally named Levi or possibly a member of the tribe of Levi. The meaning of the name "Matthew" as "gift of the Lord" is explored, providing insights into the symbolism attributed to his name.
The discussion extends to the authorship of the Gospel of Matthew. While the Gospel itself does not explicitly identify the author, there are arguments both for and against the apostle Matthew being the author. The passage introduces the possibility of an early Christian named Matthew who compiled the sayings of Jesus in Hebrew, contributing to the debate surrounding the authorship of the Gospel.
The mention of Papias of Hierapolis adds historical context, as he claimed that Matthew compiled the sayings of Jesus in Hebrew. The speculation about the existence of a lost document (Q) containing Jesus' speeches further contributes to the scholarly discourse on the synoptic Gospels.
In summary, the passage not only narrates a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry but also delves into the socio-political context of the time, the diversity among Jesus' disciples, the symbolism behind Matthew's name, and the scholarly debate on the authorship of the Gospel attributed to Matthew.
