Doesn't this contradict what God said in the OT? Jesus and Matthew first met at a tax booth at Capernaum, a city on the edge of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus was preaching. Most scholars believe Jesus lived from sometime around 4 BC to around 30 or 33 AD. St. Matthew, also known as St. Matthew the Evangelist, St. Matthew the Apostle, or Levi, (lived in the first centuryce in Palestine; Western feast day September 21, Eastern feast day November 16), was one of the Twelve Apostles ofJesus Christ and the traditional author of the firstSynoptic Gospel (theGospel According to Matthew). Peter was the only one who had been married that was known to have existed. In John 1:40-42, Andrew goes and gets Simon Peter and they follow Jesus. He was tireless, steadfast, unwavering, dedicated, firm and determined. Despite the fact that there are compelling reasons against his authorship, no alternate author has been identified. "The Central Synagogue of Nazareth Illit and its Architectural Dialogue with Nazareths Basilica of the Annunciation." It derives from the Greek word evangelion, which literally means good news. With their writings, these four authors spread the good news of Jesus Christ across the world. John watches as a New Heaven and a New Earth appear in a vision. How Old Was Jesus When He Began His Ministry? While there are credible arguments against his authorship, no alternative writer has been named. Lessons in Ghana, Liberia, Cote dIvoire and Senegal by John Oakes Lessons in English and French. This isnt simply some haphazard attempt by a lone individual to document the events of his life. On the other hand, before he met Jesus, Matthew was greedy. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 64 views, 2 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 3 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Mt. Neophilologus 87 (1) (01): 137-151. That said, yes, Matthew could technically be called a scribebut probably not as its often used in the Bible. But think of other indicators of the youthfulness of the disciples: In Matthew 11:25, Mark 10:24, Luke 10:21, and John 13:33, Jesus calls his trainees little children or little ones. As with most of the apostles, its hard to say exactly how Matthew died. If I had to guess, I believe that most or all of the apostles were less than 25 years or so at the time they began to follow Jesus, but I cannot prove this, nor can anyone else as far as I know. There are a number of contradicting tales of how he passed away. A great voice comes from heaven as well, announcing the arrival of the tabernacle of God among men. during the Roman-Judean War that one of the revolutionary factions came to identify itself formally as the Zealots. *shrug* Aside from that, Matthew devotes a significant amount of favorable attention to Peter in his gospel. I cant help but think of the scene from The Chronicles of Narnia: When it comes to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, In the middle of the night, Susan and Lucy are strolling with Aslan through the woods, gripping his mane and falling in love with him, only to realize that they are actually travelling with him to the Stone Table. We only have speculation to go on. But that in no way makes him not unintelligent. Last modified on Wed 20 Sep 2017 12.17 EDT. How educated he was is really unknown. Are you already a member? "As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. Christopher Muscato is the instructor. Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism: Which is the true religion and why? Of fact, this group of young Jewish men were not recognized as Christians when they arrived. Do you wish you had a greater understanding of the Bible? He had just delivered what would become the most famous sermon in history. Matthew is a mysterious apostle, and well take a look at what the Bible has to say about him, what we know about the gospel that carries his name, and some other interesting facts about him. May we purposefully prepare ourselves to answer the call for His glory and our delight, as we discover that there is abundant grace and restoration for all of us as we lean into the brokenness and muck that lies before us. February 27, 2023. degree in Hebrew and Old Testament at Capital Bible Seminary (1975, summa cum laude). Matthew travels extensively with Jesus and the apostles. Some argue that Levi was this persons tribal namemeaning he belonged to the tribe of Leviand that Matthew was a more personal name. They were all alone there. The meaning of Matthew . Others have speculated that Matthew was a bit older than the others because he had a fairly important position as a tax collector. No children are mentioned. In the time of Jesus, a Jewish male could only marry after reaching the age of eighteen. As he walks on, he sees Matthew, who is also . Our website has teaching material for children of all aged - starting with the church nursery (age 0-1 years old), toddlers (age 2-3 years old), preschool (age 4-5 years old), young elementary (age 6-8 years old), older elementary (age 9-10 years old), and preteen youth ministry groups (age 11-12 years old). We see in Scripture, how majestically he spoke out to the crowd on the day of Pentecost. 00:00 36:02. . Again crowds come to him, and he begins teaching them. 66 He wore clothing made of camel's hair and ate locusts and wild honey ( Matthew 3:4 ). They were most certainly teens by this point, as they were able to leave home to follow a rabbi. Why? But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matthew 9:12. Evangelion is derived from the Greek word for good news, which is evangel. Mattew put together a masterpiece that, like any genuinely great narrative, instills perspective and inspires understanding while constantly directing us to the true Christ. God has the ability to utilize anybody to assist him in his job. When Jesus summoned Matthew to follow him, he was working as a tax collector (also known as a publican), which was considered one of the most despised occupations in ancient Judaism. The wealthier they were, the worse it was considered that they were. Beyond include Matthew in the list of Apostles and frequently pairing him with St. Outside of the New Testament, the text from theApostolic FatherPapias of Hierapolispreserved by BishopEusebius of Caesarea is significant since it states: So then Matthew authored the Oracles in theHebrew language, and each one interpreted them as he was capable. The Gospel is a collection of stories about Jesus Christ. In Matthew 17:24, he tells us the precise amount of the temple tax: After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, Doesnt your teacher pay the temple tax?. Some argue that the Gospel of Matthew includes internal evidence linking it to Matthews profession, which could indicate he was the biblical author. They traveled with Jesus for seven miles without knowing who he was, but came to realize who he was when they had dinner with him. Jesus would have entered into ministry when he reached the age of thirty. But the simplicity of this passage speaks volumes. There are legends about his ministry, but no substantial records of his role in the early church. Because Matthew's original purpose was to prove to his Jewish brethren that Jesus is their Mashiach/Messiah, he included in his Gospel nine proof texts from the Old Testament which Jesus fulfilledMatthew 1:22,23; 2:15; 2:17,18; 2:23; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35; 27:9,10. Jesus also referred to them as small children, which might have been a reference to the fact that they were several years younger than He. No one dared to disagree with them since their judgments were enforced by Roman soldiers. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Matthew 10:24 (New International Version) Fun fact: As a tax collector, Matthew wouldve undoubtedly been quite good with money, and modern readers might assume hed make an excellent candidate for the position of official treasurer for the ring of thieves. Various accounts say he was beheaded, stoned, burned, or stabbedone even suggests he died of natural causes like John. He understood the human heart as well as the aspirations of the Jewish people. One may assume that since he was running a fishing business when he met Jesus that he was "in his early thirties, born, like Jesus, some time before the turn of the century," (Thiede). The account recorded in the Gospel of Matthew has Jesus bestowing the name on Peter after the latter confesses, "You are the Christ, the son of . Higher education consisted of studying under the supervision of a local rabbi for individuals who were intelligent (or affluent). But just as every parent today would be proud to have a son or daughter do much more education to become a high-status medical doctor or professor, Jewish parents would desire their boys to be selected for Rabbinic training. All the other early records of Matthews death claim he was martyred, but they disagree about how or where it happened. Dislikes the New Guy: Initially does not get along with Matthew, who he remembers from the latter's previous line of work. Matthew 14:14. For example, consider this passage from the prayer as reported by Matthew and Luke: Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. Luke 11:4 (New International Version) (emphasis added) And forgive us our debts, just as we have forgiven our debtors, says the Lord. It seems in the Luke passage that Jesus was entering the home of someone he know. Females are seen by Jesus as genuine persons, not simply as the objects of male desire. His message was not polished, but blunt and to the point. 2 There He was transfigured before them. Moses: The Old Testaments Greatest Prophet. Except for one, all of them were most likely bachelors. What will happen to Matthew for the rest of his life is undetermined. How the disciples could be living and writing about the events of Jesus life as late as 95-100 A.D. What bolsters this case is the educational pathway of that time. Of whom are Matthew, Philip, Thomas, Levi, and many others. Stromata. There are other ancient Christian and Gnostic writings about Matthew or even claiming to be written by him, some of which appeared centuries after his death (such as the so-called Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew.). Jesus, everyone agrees, was about 30 years old during his ministry, based on Luke's explicit aging in 3:23. But this really doesn't settle his age at all. Required fields are marked *. He is an eyewitness of Jesus Christ's ascension. Follow me, he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9, As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collectors booth. The Gospels are the four books that make up this collection. After that, if the youngster was clever and motivated in continuing his religious studies, he would seek out and follow a rabbi who would mentor him, and he would model his life after the rabbi until he was 30 years old. Teenagers have always played an important role in the moviegoing experience. Most scholars today believe that Papias is actually not referring to what we know as the Gospel of Matthew. We should also remember that serving God is the ultimate calling in life, regardless of what the rest of the world believes. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It seems that the author paid particular attention to Jesus statements about money, had a greater understanding of financial matters, and saw finance as a helpful lens to understand the gospel. He completed a Th.M. Matthew 8:14 mentions his infirm mother-in-law, who was a sick woman. In the words of Heracleon, the apostle died as a result of natural circumstances. As the author of the Gospel of Matthew, he has historically been recognized as such. Matthew invites over his "sinner" friends to meet Jesus. In fact, the gospels provide us with virtually all of the information we need concerning Matthew. Lets get ready. After that, the Son of Man will be handed up to the chief priests and scribes, who will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles to be ridiculed, flogged, and crucified, after which he will be resurrected on the third day. Jesus and His followers had embarked on a journey to the city of Jerusalem from Galilee. If they were unable to locate a rabbi who would accept them as a pupil (much like a college admission application), they entered the employment by their mid-teens. (Matthew 20:20-24; Mark 10:20-24). As a Jew, entering this profession amounted to a betrayal of his people, which was difficult to swallow. According to Matthews Gospel, which was written 3040 years after Jesus resurrection, he was in his 20s when he followed Jesus on earth, implying that Matthew was in his 20s when following Jesus on earth. In Exodus 30:14-15, we read that every male over the age of 20 was to pay a tax to maintain the Sanctuary or Temple. Matthew is regarded as one of the Four Evangelists of the New Testament. Every male above the age of 20 who visits the temple of God is required to give a half-shekel as a census offering, according to Jewish law, which is found in Exodus 30:14-15. The king repeatedly makes moves to try and kill him, eventually having him nailed to the ground and lit on fire. Youd have to show proficiency and its assumed many students had very large portions of the Law and Prophets committed to memory. Now, God, Himself, will dwell with the people . Because of this, the Pharisees questioned his disciples, Why is your teacher eating with tax collectors and sinners? They were perplexed. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. But I suspect you mean in the flesh, so Matthew and John, yes. I promise you that this will never happen to you (Matthew 16:22 ESV). and Peter saw more of Jesus than Matthew and was a pillar of the early church, so . Matthew was a tax collector , so financially he was stable , but the jews hated all tax collectors as they worked for the mighty Romans, but once he met Jesus his life was changed. Matthew was beaten by two . Become a member today. Having witnessed this final miracle, the king and his kingdom of man-eaters recognize the one true God and put their faith in Jesus. When he was chosen by Jesus to be one of His apostles, Matthew left this prominent and well-paying profession. Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. If your son didnt merit this honor, they would enter the workforce by their mid-teens, and in almost every case, apprentice under their fathers in the family trade. The Beginners Guide to the Bible gives you an overview of what the Bible is, what its for, and what its all about. Which is the true religion: Christianity, Islam or Zoroastrianism, and why? Each of these four writers used their writings to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them) By Bart D. Ehrman. Matthews gospel appears to rely heavily on Marks (which is why there are so many parallel passages), but the Gospel of Mark is believed to have been written by a man named John Mark, who was not an eyewitness. The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-20), which is well-known across the world, is found solely in the Gospel of Matthew. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" (verses 4-5). Dont we have more patience with their blunders and pride? The richer they were, the worse they were assumed to be. Were going to look at what the Bible says about Matthew, what we know about the gospel that bears his name, and some other tidbits about this enigmatic apostle. As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. The Gospel of Matthew leaves little room for confusion though: hes called the tax collector in the list of disciples: These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Matthew 10:24. Who Was Herod? Again, this in itself does not clinch the matter. Theyd be told to collect a specified amount of money, but they could tell people they owed a different amount, and they had no power to dispute it. Ultimately, without a byline, we cant confirm or deny who wrote the Gospel of Matthew. He made amends with all of the people he had wronged, surrendered his worldly belongings, and pledged himself to the teachings of his new teacher. The exact date of his passing is unclear. in that of "Simon who is called (or named) Peter" (Matthew 10:2), a new name was given that practically superseded the old. At that time Matthew's name was Levi; he was the son of Alphaeus. Matthew is considered one of the Four Evangelists. This is a title reserved for Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Johnthe traditional authors of the four gospels. Those in charge of editing the Encyclopaedia Britannica Melissa Petruzzello was the author of the most recent revision and update to this article. , . He invited his friends as well so that they may all meet Jesus. Hardcover, 304 pages. 60, brought him to martyrdom in the latter nation. We do have something we dont have, which is the gospels, which demonstrate that Matthew was one of Jesus most compelling instances of the forgiveness God extends to everyone who ask. Youll walk away from it with enough knowledge to have a thoughtful conversation about the Bible with a pastor, an atheist, or anyone else. He didnt dither, and he didnt even bother to glance back. Others have speculated that Matthew was a bit older than the others because he had a fairly important position as a tax collector. The education of a Jewish youngster came to an end at the age of fifteen. No one has ever heard of Jesus concept of loving everyone. Over 30 million students around the world benefit from this resource. A young man could just as truly pray that his life is fulfilled in seeing Messiah, that he can now die happy. Andrew, Peter, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, worked as fishermen. He exalts the humble and lays low those who are proud. Matthew, whose fathers name was Alphaeus (Mark 2:14), was known by the name Levi before being called by Jesus to follow him. Answer Neither the Bible nor any other source specifies the ages of any of Jesus initial twelve apostles. Matthew 9:9-13 is a Bible verse that describes the life of Jesus. In the texts above (Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:2728), we discovered that Matt was a tax collector, also known as a publicansomeone who was employed by the Roman government to collect taxes on their behalf. And to discover a four-drachma coin in the mouth of the fish he has caught; enough to pay the tax for two men, himself and Jesus, when he opens the fishs mouth. In 2013, a group portrait of American male teenagers was taken. According to Matthew 9:9 and Mark 2:14, Matthew was sitting by the customs house in Capernaum (near modern Almagor, Israel, on the Sea of Galilee) when Jesus called him into his company. John's mother's name was Salome and some say that Salome was . The Bible tells us that Peter had a wife when Jesus cured his mother-in-law, according to Matthew 8:14-15. Matthew would have had to have lived at the same time as Jesus Christ in order to be considered a follower of Jesus Christ. All three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) make mention of him, as does the book of Acts, which lists him among the disciples. Your response? In his commentary on the New Testament, Clement of Alexandria quotes Heracleon, one of the earliest commentators, as saying that Matthew died naturally: But neither will this utterance be found to have been spoken universally; for all the saved have confessed in accordance with the confession made by the voice, and have departed. Among them are Matthew, Philip, Thomas, Levi, and a host of other individuals. Stromata is a slang term for a woman who is pregnant. 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