Matthew
"The tax collector who became an apostle and Gospel writer."
Biblical Profile
Matthew answered Jesus' call from behind a tax collector's booth in Capernaum—one of the most despised positions in Jewish society. Tax collectors collaborated with Rome, enriching themselves by extracting excess from fellow Jews. They were banned from synagogues, their testimony inadmissible in court. Yet Jesus looked at this hated figure and said simply, "Follow me."
He was also called Levi, son of Alphaeus—his Hebrew name before Jesus perhaps renamed him Matthew, meaning "gift of God." The dual naming pattern appears in other disciples (Simon/Peter, Saul/Paul), suggesting transformation that merits new identity.
Matthew's response was immediate: he left the tax booth and followed. But his past provided unique opportunity. He threw a great banquet at his house, inviting many tax collectors and sinners to meet Jesus. The religious elite were scandalized: "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus' response became programmatic: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Matthew's professional skills served his new calling. Tax collectors needed literacy and record-keeping ability—exactly what Gospel writing required. His Gospel, the longest of the four, systematically presents Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. More than any other Gospel, Matthew quotes the Hebrew Scriptures to demonstrate Jesus' identity.
His Gospel emphasizes Jesus' teachings, organizing them into five major discourse blocks—perhaps deliberately echoing the five books of Moses. The Sermon on the Mount, missionary instructions, parables of the kingdom, community guidelines, and end-times teaching provide comprehensive record of Jesus' words.
Tradition holds that Matthew ministered to Jewish communities before eventually traveling to other nations. Various traditions place his later ministry in Persia, Ethiopia, or Parthia. His death as a martyr is widely attested, though details vary.
Theological Significance
Matthew's call demonstrates that no social stigma disqualifies someone from Jesus' invitation. The profession that made him untouchable in Jewish society didn't prevent Jesus from reaching out. Christ came precisely for those society rejected—a theme Matthew's Gospel repeatedly emphasizes.
His Gospel's emphasis on fulfilled prophecy serves apologetic and theological purposes. Each "This was to fulfill what was spoken" reference connects Jesus' life to Israel's scriptural expectations. Matthew writes primarily for Jewish readers, demonstrating that following Jesus means following Israel's Messiah, not abandoning Jewish heritage.
The banquet Matthew hosted after his conversion models appropriate response to grace. Having received freely, he created opportunity for others to encounter Jesus. His disreputable friends became Jesus' audience. Those most aware of their sinfulness often prove most receptive to the Physician who heals.
Jesus' defense of eating with sinners establishes principles governing the church's stance toward outsiders. The healthy don't need doctors; the sick do. Those who acknowledge their condition can receive treatment. The Pharisees' self-righteousness disqualified them from the healing they didn't think they needed. Matthew knew his need—and found his Savior.
Scripture References
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