Matthew

Matthew’s other name was Levi. Alphaeus was a godly man, but though Matthew was given the priestly name of Levi, he was probably for from godly in his early life. Bearing the name Levi more probably indicates that Matthew was of the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe. The tribe of Levi, unlike the tribe of Gad, had fled from northern Israel before the Assyrian invasion and had joined with Judah. That a child not of a priestly tribe of Levi should have been named Levi would be most unlikely in those days.
He was a customs officer (Matt. 10:3) in Capernaum, in the territory ruled by Herod Antipas. He belonged to the class of bureaucrats called portitores serving under the publican, the officers who were concessionaires for taxes according to the Roman custom of that day. As such he would have had some education and have been acquainted with the Aramaic, Greek and Latin languages. The tax collectors, of whom he was one, although scorned by the Jews, seemed as a group to hear the message of Y’Shua gladly. (Matt. 11:19; Luke 17:34; 15:1). It required a great deal of ambition of the House of Herod Antipas and a servant of the hated Romans by becoming a tax gatherer for them. The way this term publican is used in the Bible indicates that to be a tax gatherer was to obtain a position in which graft and corruption were into only possible, but likely. Also there was the embarrassment of being known as a collaborator with Rome. The Roman occupation troops were hated with the same kind of scorn that the Jews in the 20th century felt toward the Nazis.
By the time Matthew was called, Peter, James and John, who also came from Capernaum, were already disciples. (Matt. 9:11; 14:18; Mark 5:37). The first thing Matthew did after his call was to invite Y’Shua to his home for a feast. Matthew filled the place with the only people who would set foot in his house, his fellow tax gatherers and sinners. When Y’Shua was criticized for keeping company with them He responded, “those who are well need no physician, but those who are sick.” And in a paraphrase of the words of Micah 6:6-8 He added, “go and learn what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice for I come not to call the righteous but sinners.” (Matt. 9:11-12).
Matthew composed a gospel of Y’Shua at first published in Judea in Hebrew for the sake of those of the circumcision who believed, but this was afterwards translated into Greek though by what author is uncertain. The Hebrew itself has been preserved until the present day in the library at Caesarea which Pamphilus so diligently gathered. In this it is to be noted that wherever the Evangelist, whether on his own account or on the person of our L-rd the Saviour, quotes the testimony of the O.T., he does not follow the authority of the translators of the Septuagint, but the Hebrew. Matthew understood the way in which Y’Shua fulfilled the prophecies of the O.T. More references appear in his gospel to this fact than in any of the other three gospels. His quotations would have been of only passing interest to Gentiles. He remained in the Holy Land, for 15 years, ministering to the Jews. But like other Apostles, Matthew eventually incurred the wrath of the Jewish establishment and was forced to turn to the Gentiles who gave him a more ready hearing.
There are so many traditions on Matthew stating he ministered in Ethiopia, Persia, Paulinus of Nola with Parthia, Isidore with Macedonia, India, and Egypt. After the dispersion of the Apostles, he travelled into Egypt and Ethiopia, preaching the Gospel; and having arrived in the capital of Ethiopia, he lodged in the house of the eunuch who had been baptized by Philip, and who entertained him with the great honor. There were two terrible magicians at that time in Ethiopia, who by their diabolical spells and incantations kept all the people in subjection, afflicting them at the same time with strange and terrible diseases; but Matthew overcame them, and having baptized the people, they were delivered forever from the malignant influence of these enchanters. Matthew remained twenty-three years in Egypt and Ethiopia, and it is said that he perished in the ninetieth year of our era, under Domitian.
The apocryphal claims that “he was sent to the cannibalistic Anthrophophagi who attempted to put his eyes out and put him in prison for 30 days before eating him. On the 27th day he was rescued by Andrew who came by sea miraculously escaping a storm and thus rescued Matthew. Matthew returned to the Anthropophagi working miracles among them and the king became jealous of him. They bound Matthew, covered him with papyrus soaked in dolphin oil, poured brimstone, asphalt and pitch upon him, heaped up tow and wood and surrounded him with the golden images of the 12 idols of the people. But the fire turned to dew and the flames flew our and melted the metal of the images. Finally the fire took the form of a dragon, chased the king into his palace and curled around about him so that he could not move. Then Matthew rebuked the fire and prayed and gave up the ghost. The king was converted and became a priest and with two angles Matthew departed to heaven.”
The Talmud says that Matthew was condemned to death by the Jewish Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was a body of important Jews in Alexandria, Egypt. This would hint as to an historical relationship of Matthew to Egypt. It is perhaps possible that Matthew was martyred in Egypt upon his return from Ethiopia in Africa.
In Salerno, Italy in the cathedral lays the body of Matthew. Above the seats of the choir there is a reminder of the moving of the body of Matthew, it show a procession with the body of the Apostle being brought into the church. In the center of the crypt there is the tomb of Matthew located at about 2 meters of depth and surmounted by a two-fronted altar, rich of marble and dominated by an ample umbrella canopy, finely embroidered, which covers two bronze statues representing the Evangelist: one for each front of the altar. The sculptor knew how to give the bronze a great expression of power. The tomb and the altars are adorned in an elegant marble base which has enormous candelabras at each corner. They were a gift from the School of Medicine. It is enclosed in a magnificent crypt deserving of the veneration of the people of Salerno and deserving of Matthew.
What is certain is that Matthew was a gifted writer, an ardent disciple and had perhaps had the best education of any of the Twelve. Thus he was well equipped to witness to people in places of authority, and was a vessel well chosen to write the great gospel which bears his name.