Matthew the Apostle

Matthew the Apostle
Peter Paul Rubens · Public domain · source
Name	Matthew the Apostle
Caption	Traditional depiction of Matthew as an evangelist
Birth date	1st century
Death date	1st century
Occupation	Tax collector, apostle, evangelist
Notable works	Gospel of Matthew (traditionally attributed)
Honorific prefix	Saint

Matthew the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles associated with the foundation of the early Christian movement and traditionally named as the author of the Gospel of Matthew. He is portrayed in New Testament lists of apostles and in later Patristic writings as a former tax collector turned disciple of Jesus. Veneration of Matthew developed in Antiquity across Roman Empire communities, and his legacy influenced Latin Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Oriental Orthodox liturgical calendars.

Identity and Names

Scholarly and traditional sources identify Matthew by several designations in Biblical canon texts and early Patristics: the name appears as "Matthew" in the lists of apostles in the canonical Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark, while a parallel tradition refers to "Levi son of Alphaeus" in the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke. Church fathers such as Papias of Hierapolis, Irenaeus, Eusebius of Caesarea, Origen, and Jerome discuss the identification and nomenclature of Matthew within apostolic lists. Medieval scholars engaged with Augustine of Hippo and Bede on harmonizing gospel traditions. Jewish contemporaries represented by figures like Pharisees and Roman administrators such as Pontius Pilate appear in Matthew’s Gospel narrative, shaping how later communities named and remembered the apostle.

Life and Ministry

Canonical narratives place Matthew as a Galilean tax collector operating in the jurisdiction of Capernaum under Roman taxation systems linked to Herod Antipas and Tiberius. He is listed among the Twelve in synoptic passages alongside peers such as Peter, James the Greater, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, James the Less, Jude, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. Acts of the Apostles and later apostolic traditions describe missionary activity associated with figures like Paul the Apostle and Barnabas but give limited direct biographical detail for Matthew. Traditions preserved in Syriac Christianity, Coptic Christianity, Byzantine sources, and Latin itineraries attribute preaching missions to regions such as Judea, Ethiopia, Parthia, Media, and Persia, often alongside stories involving conversions, martyrdom, and the foundation of local communities. Hagiographies incorporate motifs familiar from narratives about Peter and Thomas concerning miracles, exorcisms, and disputations with local religious authorities.

Authorship of the Gospel of Matthew

Early testimony in Antiquity—notably by Papias as reported by Eusebius—attributes the Gospel in Hebrew or Aramaic to Matthew, while Irenaeus and Origen assert apostolic authorship. The gospel’s Greek composition and literary dependence on the Gospel of Mark and a hypothetical sayings source commonly labeled Q source have led modern scholars such as F. C. Burkitt, B. H. Streeter, J. A. T. Robinson, E. P. Sanders, and John Dominic Crossan to debate traditional claims. Textual criticism by editors associated with the United Bible Societies and translators working within contexts such as the Vatican Library, Oxbridge scholarship, and the Tischendorf tradition analyze manuscript families including Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, and Codex Bezae. Patristic acceptance in Latin Church liturgy and citations by Athanasius of Alexandria contrast with modern historical-critical methods employed by institutions like German historical Jesus research and scholars at Cambridge University, Harvard Divinity School, and Princeton Theological Seminary.

Role in Early Christian Tradition and Apostolic Succession

Apostolic succession narratives link Matthew to episcopal lineages in communities claiming foundation by an apostle, comparable to traditions surrounding bishops such as James the Just of Jerusalem, Mark the Evangelist of Alexandria, and Peter of Rome. Medieval chronologies and canonical lists in councils like the Council of Nicaea and synods preserved by Eusebius and later compilers helped institutionalize the memory of apostolic founders. Ecclesiastical writers from Apostolic Fathers to Gregory the Great and Photius cited Matthew’s teachings in homiletic and doctrinal contexts, influencing canon law development, Christology formulations at councils like Chalcedon, and liturgical practice in Ambrosian rite and Byzantine rite churches.

Veneration and Feast Days

Veneration of Matthew as a saint appears in liturgical calendars across rites. The Roman Martyrology and medieval sacramentaries commemorate a feast associated with Matthew, paralleled by observances in Byzantine and Coptic calendars. Relic traditions locate remains and relics in sites such as Salerno and St. Matthew's Cathedral sites claimed in diverse locales, while pilgrimage narratives intersect with routes to shrines and cathedrals built in his honor. Artistic and liturgical dedications in Santiago de Compostela-era contexts and medieval monasticism reflect his cult’s integration into Western Christendom and Eastern Christianity devotional life.

Depictions in Art and Culture

Artistic representations depict Matthew as an evangelist often accompanied by the symbol of the winged man or angel derived from Ezekiel and Revelation, featured in cycles alongside the symbols of the other evangelists such as Luke’s ox, Mark’s lion, and John’s eagle. Renaissance masters including Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Giorgio Vasari portrayed scenes like the calling of Matthew and evangelist portraits in churches such as San Luigi dei Francesi and collections in institutions like the Uffizi Gallery, Louvre, and Vatican Museums. In literature and modern media, Matthew appears in hagiographies, medieval Mystery plays, contemporary novels, film adaptations of Gospels narratives, and academic studies produced by presses including Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press.

Category:1st-century Christians Category:New Testament people