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“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
(Romans
8:2)
Saint
Matthew – Britannica
The following is the Article “Saint Matthew” from
Encyclopedia Britannica:
St. Matthew
Also called: St. Matthew the Evangelist, St. Matthew the
Apostle, or Levi
Flourished: 1st century CE, Palestine
In scripture: One of the 12 Apostles of Jesus
Works: The Gospel According to Matthew (traditionally)
Feast day: Western feast day September 21, Eastern feast
day November 16
Patron saint of: Tax collectors and accountants
Symbol: Angel
St. Matthew (flourished 1st century CE, Palestine; Western
feast day September 21, Eastern feast day November 16) was one of the Twelve
Apostles of Jesus Christ and the traditional author of the first Synoptic
Gospel (the Gospel According to Matthew). His symbol is an angel, and he is a
patron saint of tax collectors and accountants.
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. Assuming that the
identification of Matthew with Levi is correct, Matthew (probably meaning
“Yahweh’s Gift”) would appear to be the Christian name of Levi (called by Mark
“Levi the son of Alphaeus”), who had been employed as a tax collector in the
service of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee. Because Levi’s occupation was
one that earned distrust and contempt everywhere, the scribes of the Pharisees
criticized Jesus on seeing him eat with tax collectors and sinners, whereupon
Jesus answered, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:15–17).
According to Luke 5:29, the aforementioned dinner was given by Levi in his
house after his call.
Quick Facts
Also called: St. Matthew the Evangelist, St. Matthew the
Apostle, or Levi
Flourished: 1st century CE, Palestine
Other than naming Matthew in the list of Apostles, usually
pairing him with St. Thomas, the New Testament offers scant and uncertain
information about him. Outside the New Testament, a statement of importance
about him is the passage from the Apostolic Father Papias of Hierapolis
preserved by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea: “So then Matthew composed the Oracles
in the Hebrew language, and each one interpreted them as he could.” The Gospel
According to Matthew was certainly written for a Jewish-Christian church in a
strongly Jewish environment, but that this Matthew is definitely the Synoptic
author is seriously doubted. Tradition notes his ministry in Judaea, after
which he supposedly missioned to the East, suggesting Ethiopia and Persia.
Legend differs as to the scene of his missions and as to whether he died a
natural death or a martyr’s. Matthew’s relics were reputedly discovered in
Salerno (Italy) in 1080.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
This article was most recently revised and updated by
Melissa Petruzzello.