Matthew the Apostle

Matthew the Apostle
The Inspiration of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio
Personal details
Birth name	Levi[1]
Died	near Hierapolis or Ethiopia, relics in Salerno, Italy
Residence	Capernaum[1]
Parents	Alphaeus (father)[1]

Matthew the Apostle (Hebrew: מַתִּתְיָהוּ‎‎ Mattityahu or מתי‎ Mattay, "Gift of YHVH"; Greek: Ματθαῖος Matthaios; also known as Saint Matthew and as Levi) was, according to the Christian Bible, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to Christian tradition, one of the four Evangelists.

In the New Testament

Matthew in a painted miniature from a volume of Armenian Gospels dated 1609, held by the Bodleian Library

Among the early followers and apostles of Jesus, Matthew is mentioned in Matthew 9:9 and Matthew 10:3 as a publican who, while sitting at the "receipt of custom" in Capernaum, was called to follow Jesus.^[2] Matthew may have collected taxes from the Hebrew people for Herod Antipas.^[3][4][5] Matthew is also listed among the twelve, but without identification of his background, in Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13. In passages parallel to Matthew 9:9, both Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 describe Jesus' calling of the tax collector Levi, the son of Alphaeus, but Mark and Luke never explicitly equate this Levi with the Matthew named as one of the twelve apostles.

Early life

Matthew was a 1st-century Galilean (presumably born in Galilee, which was not part of Judea or the Roman Iudaea province), the son of Alpheus.^[6] As a tax collector he would have been literate in Aramaic and Greek.^[3][5][7][8] His fellow Jews would have despised him for what was seen as collaborating with the Roman occupation force.^[9]

After his call, Matthew invited Jesus home for a feast. On seeing this, the Scribes and the Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners. This prompted Jesus to answer, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32)

Ministry

The New Testament records that as a disciple, he followed Jesus, and was one of the witnesses of the Resurrection and the Ascension of Jesus. Afterwards, the disciples withdrew to an upper room (Acts 1:10–14)^[10] (traditionally the Cenacle) in Jerusalem.^[6] The disciples remained in and about Jerusalem and proclaimed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

In the Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a) "Mattai" is one of five disciples of "Jeshu".^[11]

Later Church fathers such as Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3.1.1) and Clement of Alexandria claim that Matthew preached the Gospel to the Jewish community in Judea, before going to other countries. Ancient writers are not agreed as to what these other countries are.^[6] The Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church each hold the tradition that Matthew died as a martyr,^[12][13] although this was rejected by the gnostic heretic Heracleon as early as the second century.^[5]

Matthew's Gospel

Saint Matthew and the Angel (1661) by Rembrandt.

The Gospel of Matthew is anonymous: the author is not named within the text, and the superscription "according to Matthew" was added some time in the second century.^[14][15] The tradition that the author was the disciple Matthew begins with the early Christian bishop Papias of Hierapolis (c. 100–140 CE), who is cited by the Church historian Eusebius (260–340 CE), as follows: "Matthew collected the oracles (logia: sayings of or about Jesus) in the Hebrew language ( Hebraïdi dialektōi), and each one interpreted (hērmēneusen – perhaps "translated") them as best he could."^{[16][Notes 1]}

On the surface, this has been taken to imply that Matthew's Gospel itself was written in Hebrew or Aramaic by the apostle Matthew and later translated into Greek, but nowhere does the author claim to have been an eyewitness to events, and Matthew's Greek "reveals none of the telltale marks of a translation".^[17][14] Scholars have put forward several theories to explain Papias: perhaps Matthew wrote two gospels, one, now lost, in Hebrew, the other our Greek version; or perhaps the logia was a collection of sayings rather than the gospel; or by dialektōi Papias may have meant that Matthew wrote in the Jewish style rather than in the Hebrew language.^[16] The consensus is that Papias does not describe the Gospel of Matthew as we know it, and it is generally accepted that Matthew was written in Greek, not in Aramaic or Hebrew.^[18]

Non-canonical or Apocryphal Gospels

Saint Matthew (1713–15) by Camillo Rusconi, Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome

In the 3rd-century Jewish–Christian gospels attributed to Matthew were used by Jewish–Christian groups such as the Nazarenes and Ebionites. Fragments of these gospels survive in quotations by Jerome, Epiphanius and others. Most academic study follows the distinction of Gospel of the Nazarenes (26 fragments), Gospel of the Ebionites (7 fragments), and Gospel of the Hebrews (7 fragments) found in Schneemelcher's New Testament Apocrypha. Critical commentators generally regard these texts as having been composed in Greek and related to Greek Matthew.^[19] A minority of commentators consider them to be fragments of a lost Aramaic or Hebrew language original.

The Infancy Gospel of Matthew is a 7th-century compilation of three other texts: the Protevangelium of James, the Flight into Egypt, and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas.

Origen said the first Gospel was written by Matthew.^[20] This Gospel was composed in Hebrew near Jerusalem for Hebrew Christians and translated into Greek, but the Greek copy was lost. The Hebrew original was kept at the Library of Caesarea. The Nazarene Community transcribed a copy for Jerome^[21] which he used in his work.^[22] Matthew's Gospel was called the Gospel according to the Hebrews^[23] or sometimes the Gospel of the Apostles^[24] and it was once believed that it was the original to the Greek Matthew found in the Bible.^[25] However, this has been challenged by modern biblical scholars such as Bart Ehrman and James R. Edwards.^[26][27][28]

Jerome relates that Matthew was supposed by the Nazarenes to have composed their Gospel of the Hebrews^[29] though Irenaeus and Epiphanius of Salamis consider this simply a revised version canonical Gospel. This Gospel has been partially preserved in the writings of the Church Fathers, said to have been written by Matthew.^[27] Epiphanius does not make his own the claim about a Gospel of the Hebrews written by Matthew, a claim that he merely attributes to the heretical Ebionites.^[28]

Veneration

Matthew is recognized as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran^[31] and Anglican churches. (See St. Matthew's Church.) His feast day is celebrated on 21 September in the West and 16 November in the East. (For those churches which follow the traditional Julian Calendar, 16 November currently falls on 29 November of the modern Gregorian Calendar). He is also commemorated by the Orthodox, together with the other Apostles, on 30 June (13 July), the Synaxis of the Holy Apostles. His tomb is located in the crypt of Salerno Cathedral in southern Italy.

Like the other evangelists, Matthew is often depicted in Christian art with one of the four living creatures of Revelation 4:7. The one that accompanies him is in the form of a winged man. The three paintings of Matthew by Caravaggio in the church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome, where he is depicted as called by Christ from his profession as gatherer, are among the landmarks of Western art.

In Islam

The Quran speaks of Jesus' disciples but does not mention their names, instead referring to them as "helpers to the work of God".^[32] Muslim exegesis and Qur'an commentary, however, name them and include Matthew amongst the disciples.^[33] Muslim exegesis preserves the tradition that Matthew, with Andrew, were the two disciples who went to Ethiopia (not the African country, but a region called 'Ethiopia' south of the Caspian Sea) to preach the message of God.

Gallery

• 
  Base of a pillar at Sacred Heart Church, Puducherry, India
• 
  Stained glass depiction of Saint Matthew at St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina
• 
  A terracotta sculptural model, Giuseppe Bernardi
• 
  The Crypt at Salerno Cathedral

See also

• Mark the Evangelist
• Luke the Evangelist
• John the Apostle

Notes

References

Bibliography

Commentaries

• Allison, D. C. (2004). Matthew: A Shorter Commentary. T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-08249-7. 
• Davies, W. D.; Allison, D. C. (2004). Matthew 1–7. T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-08355-5. 
• Davies, W. D.; Allison, D. C. (1991). Matthew 8–18. T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-08365-4. 
• Davies, W. D.; Allison, D. C. (1997). Matthew 19–28. T&T Clark. ISBN 978-0-567-08375-3. 
• Duling, Dennis C. (2010). "The Gospel of Matthew". In Aune, David E. The Blackwell Companion to the New Testament. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-0825-6. 
• France, R. T. (2007). The Gospel of Matthew. Eerdmans. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-8028-2501-8. 
• Harrington, Daniel J. (1991). The Gospel of Matthew. Liturgical Press. ISBN 9780814658031 
• Keener, Craig S. (1999). A commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-3821-6. 
• Luz, Ulrich (1992). Matthew 1–7: a commentary. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-8006-9600-9. 
• Luz, Ulrich (2001). Matthew 8–20: a commentary. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-8006-6034-5. 
• Luz, Ulrich (2005). Matthew 21–28: a commentary. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-8006-3770-5. 
• Morris, Leon (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-85111-338-8. 
• Nolland, John (2005). The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Eerdmans. ISBN 0802823890. 
• Turner, David L. (2008). Matthew. Baker. ISBN 978-0-8010-2684-3. 

General works

• Aune, David E. (ed.) (2001). The Gospel of Matthew in current study. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-4673-0. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
• Aune, David E. (1987). The New Testament in its literary environment. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-25018-8. 
• Beaton, Richard C. (2005). "How Matthew Writes". In Bockmuehl, Markus; Hagner, Donald A. The Written Gospel. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-83285-4. 
• Browning, W. R. F. (2004). Oxford Dictionary of the Bible. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-860890-5. 
• Burkett, Delbert (2002). An introduction to the New Testament and the origins of Christianity. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-00720-7. 
• Casey, Maurice (2010). Jesus of Nazareth: An Independent Historian's Account of His Life and Teaching. Continuum. ISBN 978-0-567-64517-3. 
• Clarke, Howard W. (2003). The Gospel of Matthew and Its Readers. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34235-5. 
• Cross, Frank L.; Livingstone, Elizabeth A., eds. (2005) [1997]. "Matthew, Gospel acc. to St.". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3 ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 1064. ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3. 
• Dunn, James D. G. (2003). Jesus Remembered. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-3931-2. 
• Ehrman, Bart D. (1999). Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-512474-3. 
• Ehrman, Bart D. (2012). Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-220460-8. 
• Fuller, Reginald H. (2001). "Biblical Theology". In Metzger, Bruce M.; Coogan, Michael D. The Oxford Guide to Ideas & Issues of the Bible. Oxford University Press. 
• Hagner, D. A. (1986). "Matthew, Gospel According to". In Bromiley, Geoffrey W. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 3: K-P. Wm. B. Eerdmans. pp. 280–8. ISBN 978-0-8028-8163-2. 
• Harris, Stephen L. (1985). Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 
• Kowalczyk, A. (2008). The influence of typology and texts of the Old Testament on the redaction of Matthew’s Gospel. Bernardinum. ISBN 978-83-7380-625-2. 
• Kupp, David D. (1996). Matthew's Emmanuel: Divine Presence and God's People in the First Gospel. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-57007-7. 
• Levine, Amy-Jill (2001). "Visions of kingdoms: From Pompey to the first Jewish revolt". In Coogan, Michael D. The Oxford History of the Biblical World. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-513937-2. 
• Levison, J.; Pope-Levison, P. (2009). "Christology". In Dyrness, William A.; Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. Global Dictionary of Theology. InterVarsity Press. 
• Luz, Ulrich (2005). Studies in Matthew. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-3964-0. 
• Luz, Ulrich (1995). The Theology of the Gospel of Matthew. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-43576-5. 
• McMahon, Christopher (2008). "Introduction to the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles". In Ruff, Jerry. Understanding the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Scriptures. Cambridge University Press. 
• Morris, Leon (1986). New Testament Theology. Zondervan. ISBN 978-0-310-45571-4. 
• Peppard, Michael (2011). The Son of God in the Roman World: Divine Sonship in Its Social and Political Context. Oxford University Press. 
• Perkins, Pheme (1998-07-28). "The Synoptic Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles: Telling the Christian Story". The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation. ISBN 0521485932. , in Kee, Howard Clark, ed. (1997). The Cambridge companion to the bible: part 3. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-48593-7. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
• Saldarini, Anthony (2003). "Matthew". Eerdmans commentary on the Bible. ISBN 0802837115. , in Dunn, James D. G.; Rogerson, John William (2003). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-3711-0. 
• Saldarini, Anthony (1994). Matthew's Christian-Jewish Community. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-73421-7. 
• Sanford, Christopher B. (2005). Matthew: Christian Rabbi. Author House. 
• Scholtz, Donald (2009). Jesus in the Gospels and Acts: Introducing the New Testament. Saint Mary's Press. 
• Senior, Donald (2001). "Directions in Matthean Studies". The Gospel of Matthew in Current Study: Studies in Memory of William G. Thompson, S.J. ISBN 0802846734. , in Aune, David E. (ed.) (2001). The Gospel of Matthew in current study. Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-4673-0. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
• Senior, Donald (1996). What are they saying about Matthew?. PaulistPress. ISBN 978-0-8091-3624-7. 
• Stanton, Graham (1993). A gospel for a new people: studies in Matthew. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-25499-5. 
• Strecker, Georg (2000) [1996]. Theology of the New Testament. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-0-664-22336-6. 
• Tuckett, Christopher Mark (2001). Christology and the New Testament: Jesus and His Earliest Followers. Westminster John Knox Press. 
• Van de Sandt, H. W. M. (2005). "Introduction". Matthew and the Didache: Two Documents from the Same Jewish–Christian Milieu?. ISBN 9023240774. , in Van de Sandt, H. W. M., ed. (2005). Matthew and the Didache. Royal Van Gorcum&Fortress Press. ISBN 978-90-232-4077-8. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
• Weren, Wim (2005). "The History and Social Setting of the Matthean Community". Matthew and the Didache: Two Documents from the Same Jewish–Christian Milieu?. ISBN 9023240774. , in Van de Sandt, H. W. M., ed. (2005). Matthew and the Didache. Royal Van Gorcum&Fortress Press. ISBN 978-90-232-4077-8. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Matthew.

• St Matthew the Apostle from The Golden Legend
• Apostle and Evangelist Matthew Orthodox icon and synaxarion
• Benedict XVI, "Matthew", General audience, 30 August 2006