What can we say about the book of Matthew?
Matthew 1: 17 “Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.”
Did it ever seem peculiar to you that the first book of the New Testament should be written by a thieving dishonest, tax collector? This guy might as well have been working for the modern day IRS and his reputation would have still been questionable. But the story doesn’t end there as we know this man brought Christ into his heart and his household. And he even made great restitution to those he cheated.
“Tax collectors in those days were social outcasts. Devout Jews avoided them because they were usually dishonest (the job carried no salary, and they were expected to make their profits by cheating the people from whom they collected taxes). Patriotic and nationalistic Jews hated them because they were agents of the Roman government, the conquerors, and hated them with a double hatred if (like Matthew) they were Jews, because they had gone over to the enemy, had betrayed their own people for money.” Click
Matthew 1: 20 “But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
But the book of Matthew remains our star performer if for no other reason that God’s will gave this humble tax collector first standing in the New Testament of Holy books. And what were the duties of a Roman tax collector in Judea?
“Matthew, the son of Alpheus (Mark 2:14) was a Galilean, although Eusebius informs us that he was a Syrian. As tax-gatherer at Capharnaum, he collected custom duties for Herod Antipas, and, although a Jew, was despised by the Pharisees, who hated all publicans. When summoned by Jesus, Matthew arose and followed Him and tendered Him a feast in his house, where tax-gatherers and sinners sat at table with Christ and His disciples. This drew forth a protest from the Pharisees whom Jesus rebuked in these consoling words: “I came not to call the just, but sinners”.” Click
So Jesus deliberately chose a despised social outcast to become one of His special 12 disciples.
“Thus, throughout the Gospels, we find tax collectors (publicans) mentioned as a standard type of sinful and despised outcast. Matthew brought many of his former associates to meet Jesus, and social outcasts in general were shown that the love of Jesus extended even to them.” Click
And what else can be said of Matthew?
“Matthew was a gifted writer, an ardent disciple, and was perhaps the best educated of any of the Twelve Apostles. He was the writer of The Gospel of Matthew.” Click
Jesus showed a great deal of diversity in choosing a tax collector to become one of His key officers.
“Jesus numbered among his disciples persons of widely different backgrounds. They included not only Matthew, a former agent of the Roman government, but Simon the Zealot (not to be confused with Simon Peter).” Click
How did Matthew meet his end?
“It is certain that he went to Persia and the mysterious area in Persia known as “Ethiopia.” It is also possible that he traveled to the Ethiopia in Africa as the Roman Catholic tradition indicates and there is also a belief that Matthew was martyred in Egypt upon his return from Ethiopia in Africa but this is not certain. There is a tradition which says that Matthew was martyred in Parthia.” Click
Matthew 1: 22 “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23″The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[d]—which means, “God with us.”
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Gold Letter, Inc.
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