Matthew the Apostle Essay

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Before Matthew was called by Christ Matthew would have had two names in Hebrew, one of his Hebrew names was thought to be Levi. The name Matthew was taken as a Christian name after he was called by Jesus. Matthew in Hebrew is Mattija, which can translate to “gift of Iaveh” or “gift of Yahweh” which equates to Theodore. Post-Biblical name was shortened to Mattia which is also a Hebrew translation. It was later translated into Greek, Mathaios then understood to be Matthew. He was mostly Aramaic and spoke in Hebrew tongue, “the son of Alphens.” (Mark 2:14) Church scholars do not believe that Matthew was brother to James the Lesser, whose father was also named Alphens. Matthew was mostly likely lived in Capharhaum, and thus collected taxes for Herod Antipas. Because of his education and birth he is thought not to have been a Roman official but a subordinate officer; because, the Roman occupation in B.C. 63 precautionary measures were being taken thus the content raise of taxes. He probably collected a Portitores, a branch of the regular revenues of Roman state who must collect import and export goods., serving under the Publicani, superior officials who collected the tax and sent it to the state. Thus he was hated by the Pharisees even after he had been called and converted. Matthew was called from in a crowd of sinners and politicians mentions in Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:34, 15:1. Scholars believe him to be the sixth Apostle called, it is known that he was called by Jesus after James, Peter and John were faithful apostles, also said that he was the first apostle to be called that was not one of John the Baptists pupils (studylight.com). Matthew’s ministry played a huge role in spreading the word of God even through it is unclear where he went and most churches cannot agree upon many details. Yet it is known that he was to have been a witness to the Resurrection and the Ascension. After the apostles dispersed it was unclear exactly where his travels took him and with whom he traveled. In Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13 it states he preached in seven to eight different places with Thomas. The tradition that was passed on by word of mouth said that he preached for fifteen years in one place before he continued his travels. Finally early church fathers, Iregeaus and Clement of Alexandria, proclaimed Mathew spoke his Gospel in Judea in his native tongue of Hebrew to the Jewish community. (catholic.org) Eusebius, another church father, said that Matthew’s Gospel was first passed on by word of mouth, in Hebrew, before he left Judea. (newadvent.org) After Matthew left Judea he was thought to have gone to Palestine, Ethiopia, Macedonian, Syrian, Persia, Dahlia and Medea. In the Quran it mentions “helpers of God”, thought to be Matthew and Andrew, who went to preach the word of the Lord in Ethiopia. (catholic.org) Even through it is unclear where he preached and died after he left Judea many Churches including: the Roman Catholic, Latin, Greek, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox claim him to be a saint. Churches, mostly, agree that he died in or around Hierapolis or Ethiopia. The Latin, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Matthew’s feast day on September 21 while the Greek Church celebrates his feast on November 16. The schools of thought as to why they are different are because of the use of two different calendars, The Julian calendar verses The Gregorian calendar. The Julian calendar is what we use today which was formatted back in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar while The Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII by decree in 1582 then later adjusted and reaccepted. Matthew however is recognized as the patron saint of: accountancies, bankers, tax collectors and finical offices.

"St. Matthew." CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA:. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2012.
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