Matthew/Levi

Who Was Matthew?

Matthew was one of the twelve apostles, the author of the gospel of Matthew. Before he met Jesus he was a tax collector(Matthew 9:9) and was hated among his people. He was very intelligent and gained a decent sum of money. Matthew is also honored as a martyr(a person who obtains death as the punishment for witnessing and refusing to renounce a religion). 

Matthew was also known as Levi. Let us read two passages, keep one question in mind, are they the same person or a different person? "And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.'” (Mark 2:14-15). "As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him" (Mathew 9:9).

Very clearly these two passages show they are the same person, but let's go over another passage just in case you aren't convinced. In the book of Mark, it reads off all of the apostles' names. As we know, there are 12 apostles. "And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him" (Mark 3:14-19). All twelve apostles are mentioned, we see the name Matthew, but Levi isn't mentioned. Perhaps this is because it wasn't necessary to write the name twice.

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