Who Was Matthew? A Beginner’s Explainer to the Evangelist
The Gospel of Matthew is the first book in the New Testament, prominently featuring the Sermon on the Mount and tracing Jesus’s lineage from Abraham. Its author, Matthew, also known as Levi, is one of the most intriguing figures among Jesus’s disciples. His backstory as a tax collector highlights Jesus’s radical inclusivity and forms the foundation for understanding the distinctive emphasis of his Gospel. For those embarking on their journey through the New Testament, understanding Matthew is essential to appreciating the Jewish context of Jesus’s ministry and the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew: From Tax Booth to Disciple
Before his call by Jesus, Matthew occupied a socially despised profession: a tax collector. In first-century Judea, tax collectors were Jewish individuals who worked for the Roman occupation. They were notorious for corruption, often extorting more than was due and keeping the surplus for themselves. Consequently, they were ostracized by their own people, considered traitors and sinners, and grouped with prostitutes and gentiles.
It is against this backdrop that Jesus’s call to Matthew becomes profoundly significant. As Jesus was passing by, he saw Matthew “sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9). This simple, direct invitation, and Matthew’s immediate response, speaks volumes about Jesus’s mission to seek and save the lost, regardless of social standing or past sins. This act demonstrated Jesus’s authority and His challenge to the prevailing social and religious norms. Matthew’s subsequent feast at his house, attended by many tax collectors and “sinners,” further emphasized Jesus’s radical approach to ministry, prompting criticism from the Pharisees (Matthew 9:10-13).
The Gospel of Matthew: A Jewish Perspective
As an apostle, Matthew would have been an eyewitness to many of Jesus’s teachings, miracles, and His death and resurrection. His unique background as a literate individual, accustomed to record-keeping (a necessity for a tax collector), would have made him well-suited to compile an orderly account of Jesus’s life.
The Gospel of Matthew stands out for its strong emphasis on Jesus as the promised Messiah, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. It frequently quotes from Hebrew scriptures, often using phrases like “this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet.” This approach was clearly intended to persuade a Jewish audience that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited King of Israel. Key themes include the Kingdom of Heaven (a phrase used almost exclusively in Matthew), the Mosaic Law and its reinterpretation by Jesus, and the church as the new community of God’s people. His Gospel presents Jesus not only as the Son of David but as the new Moses, delivering a new law from a new mountain (the Sermon on the Mount).
The Enduring Legacy of Matthew’s Testimony
The Gospel of Matthew has profoundly shaped Christian thought and theology. It offers a structured and comprehensive account of Jesus’s ministry, emphasizing His teachings, particularly in five major discourses, including the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25). His inclusion of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) at the end of his Gospel provides a lasting mandate for the global mission of the church.
Matthew’s journey from a reviled tax collector to an apostle and evangelist serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of Jesus Christ. His Gospel continues to be a primary source for understanding Jesus’s identity, His teachings, and the inauguration of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Read more about the Gospels or explore the Sermon on the Mount. Discover other New Testament figures.