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Lesson #10 - The Apostle Levi Matthew
Series: The Fourteen Apostles
LESSON #10 – THE APOSTLE LEVI MATTHEW
The two names Levi and Matthew refer to the same apostle!
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¡ In the four separate listings of The Twelve - - Matthew (Mt.10:3), Mark (Mk.3:18), Luke (Lk.6:15) and Acts (Acts 1:13),
Matthew is named/recognized as one of the apostles. John's gospel does not mention either Levi or Matthew.
¡ In Mk.2:14f and Lk.5:27f this same apostle is called Levi.
The similar “calling, occupation & reception” found in Mt.9:9f speaks of Matthew. They are one and the same.
In Matthew’s gospel he never refers to himself as Levi, which was likely his Hebrew name.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT LEVI MATTHEW?
~ His was a son of Alphaeus (Mk.2:14). We're not told in Scripture if he's a brother of James, the son of Alphaeus (Mk.3:18).
~ Levi Matthew was a tax-collector (Mt.10:3 with Mk.2:14 & Lk.5:27).
~ Matthew was a resident of Capernaum (Mk.2:1 & 14), a town located on NW tip of the Sea of Galilee
on a heavily-traveled trade route, which made it a prime location for the collection of taxes.
~ Jesus invited Matthew, “Follow Me!” (Mt.9:9), and was subsequently chosen to be one of the twelve apostles (Mt.10:3).
~ Matthew is the author of the first book in the New Testament, The Gospel According To Matthew,.
In all likelihood Matthew was fluent in Aramaic, Greek and Latin and arithmetic.
Matthew's gospel focuses on “that it might be fulfilled” - - it is a gospel written by a Jew for Jews.
Three-fifths of Matthew's gospel contains the very words of Jews.
MATTHEW'S “CALL” AND THE FEAST THAT FOLLOWED
~ Matthew 9:9 records that, As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man, called Matthew
sitting in the tax office; and said, to him, 'Follow Me!' And he rose and followed Him.
Mk.2:14f documents this same incident, but refers to Matthew as Levi, as does Lk.5:28, which adds:
He left everything behind, and rose and began to follow Him.
~ Luke's gospel (Lk.5:29f) tells that after his “calling”, Levi gave a big reception for (Jesus) at his house...
Among those invited were a great crowd of tax-gathers and other people (sinners). cf. Mt.9:10f and Mk.2:15f
AS TO TAX-COLLECTORS
Tax-collectors were categorized as sinners (Mt.9:10-11 & 11:19; Mk.2:15-16 and Lk.5:29-30; 7:34 & 15:1).
While the Roman officials appointed their own people to collect land and personal taxes, they farmed out the collection of indirect taxes to “the natives”. This often included things like taxes on imports & exports, roadways, bridges and harbors.
They required their subordinates to collect a certain fee, but they looked the other way if they charged more.
This opened the door for them to become extortionists, engaging in fraudulent behavior (Lk.19:1-8).
Matthew was a publican (a tax-collector). Publicans were considered the worst kind of scoundrels.
Being Jews who worked on behalf of Rome, publicans were viewed as turncoats and traitors by their Jewish brethren.
Many Jews thought it bad enough to have pay taxes and even worse yet that fellow Jews were the collectors.
Tax-collectors were considered hirelings and put in a class with thieves, murderers, adulterers, swindlers and harlots.
Jewish tax-collectors were held at arms length and treated as Gentiles (Mt.18:17).
They were deemed to be dishonest (their testimony in a court of law was unacceptable), as well as
disloyal and disqualified (they were denied entrance into the synagogue and treated as social lepers / Lk.18:13).
Jesus did not oppose rendering taxes to Caesar (Mt.17:24-27 & 22:15-22; Mk.12:13-17 and Lk.20:19-26).
And while Jesus did not endorse dishonest tax-collector practices, He did see some good in them.
At least publicans were not hypocrites like the chief priests and Jewish elders (Mt.21:23 & 31-32 and Lk.18:14 & 19:9-10).
Did Matthew deserve to be an apostle? Did any of the apostles earn their status in advance?
