Search the Site

Donate

Matthew


Math´yoo

One of the original twelve disciples called by Jesus. Matthew appears in all four of the apostolic lists (Matt 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13). The tradition of the “call” of Matthew is found in (Matt 9:9), where his occupation at the time of the call is identified as that of tax collector (Matt 10:3). In the parallel accounts (Mark 2:13-14; Luke 5:27-28), however, the name of the tax collector is Levi (the son or brother of Alphaeus according to Mark). If Matthew and Levi are the same person, then Matthew is the “son (or brother) of Alphaeus” (Mark 2:14) and thus perhaps the brother of James (not James the brother of John and son of Zebedee), also one of the Twelve (Matt 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). Tradition credits Matthew with having composed the Gospel bearing that name, but this view is no longer held by modern scholars.

  • Powell, Mark Allan, ed. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary. Abridged Edition. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009.