Epiphanius added to the confusion when he imagined that the Gospel that he managed to get a hold of, which skips over the virgin birth and commences at Jesuss baptism (Pan. T/F. Soon, Jesus and His disciples are having dinner in . Lettie Moses Carr saw Jesus depicted as Black, she was in her 20s. St. Matthew the Apostle He Left His Post to Follow Jesus - NCR Verse 15. Matthew, of course. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matthew 9:9-13, Matthew is the ONLY one of the Gospel writers who uses his changed name from Levi to Matthew. Who translated it after that in Greek is not sufficiently ascertained. Saint Matthew made a very small decision at the time that ended up not only affecting his life, and the people of his time, but he made a choice that affected all of mankind in the future as well. h.e. ill. Levi: Luke 5:27, "And after that He went out, and noticed a tax-gatherer named Levi, sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, 'Follow Me.' ". [48] Frey, Die Fragmente des Nazorerevangeliums, 626; Gregory, Gospel according to the Hebrews, 50, 50n.35. Jesus ate a meal at Levi's house and . People had to pay taxes to the *Romans. Matthew, or Levi, son of Alpheus, was one of the seven who received a call to follow Christ before the ordination of the Twelve. It would be psychologically impossible that such a man as Matthew, trained and experienced in writing records and reports he was a Roman official and such work was requisite for him since it went with the job would not have recorded things Jesus said. Ward Powers enthusiastically endorses this line of reasoning in the following bold claim: "To have this evidence about the apostle Matthew his background, training, and employment in the Roman administration; his response to the call to follow Jesus; his appointment to the role and responsibility of apostle and to believe that he would. [33] For lexical discussion and debate about the term logion in Papiass vocabulary (cf. This is not a solitary occurrence within Matthews Gospel: the evangelist inserted the mother of the sons of Zebedee into one pericope (Matt 20:20; cf. Jerome may have anticipated that he would track down the Gospel according to the Hebrews in Pamphilus library in Caesarea (cf. What Language Did Jesus Speak? - Gateway Center for Israel F. C. Burkitt, Levi Son of Alphaeus JTS 28 (1927): 27374; Metzger, Textual Commentary, 78; Brent Nongbri, Matthew and Levi. Benjamin Bacon (Studies in Matthew [New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1930], 3940) conjectures that the textual variant in Mark 2:14 predated the composition of Matthews Gospel, leading a pre-Matthean scribe who was transmitting a list of the Twelve that was originally independent of Mark 3:1619 to preface the name James the son of Alphaeus with the title the toll collector. The author of Matthews Gospel, however, copied this list in Matthew 10:24 and wrongly took this scribal insertion in reference to Matthew since James was immediately preceded by Matthew in the list of names. I also was allowed by the Nazarenes who use this volume in the Syrian city of Beroea to copy it. Jerome: De viris inlustribus (On Illustrious Men), chapter III. For the debate over whether Mark 2:14 and 3:18 refer to the same individual or to two different individuals named Alphaeus, see Bauckham. Say, Jesus saw Levi and knew that Levi and the other tax collectors needed to know the good news. There are sayings (Matt 13:3643) and stories (e.g., Matt 12) in Matthews special material, too. [43] Further, the Gospel according to the Ebionites features a pun that only works in Greek (cf. The Pharisees asked them, Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? On hearing this, Jesus said to them, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Jesus Said, "Follow Me" - FaithGateway Store Ultimately, the identification of Matthews oracles. (vv. [45] Luomanen, Jewish-Christian Sects, 100101; Kok, Gospel according to the Hebrews, 41; Gregory, Gospel according to the Hebrews, 47, 47n.28. [41], Papiass notice that Matthew addressed a Palestinian Jewish audience in their own vernacular language (i.e., Aramaic) was repeated in subsequent Patristic literature (e.g., Irenaeus, haer. Even Jesus acknowledges the hatred people had for tax collectors: " If they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector" (Matthew 18:17). Consequently, the evangelist wrote Matthew into the Markan story of the toll collector in Matthew 9:9. The Calling of St Matthew - Wikipedia This is a quite different case from that of an individual having both a Semitic and a Greek or Latin name, as well as from that of an individual having a Semitic name and also a nickname or family name."[7]. Jesus calls his disciples (Matthew 4: 18-22, 9: 9-13) Sextus Julius AfricanusWhy Did The Magi Come ? [34] The double tradition is mostly comprised of sayings, but there are a couple of narratives (e.g., Matt 4:111/Luke 4:113; Matt 8:513/Luke 7:110). How Did Jesus Spend the Last Week of His Life? A minority view during the Patristic period was that Levi and Matthew were separate individuals. This is a quite different case from that of an individual having both a Semitic and a Greek or Latin name, as well as from that of an individual having a Semitic name and also a nickname or family name.". James son of Alphaeus is traditionally identified as James the Less and James the brother of Jesus. Moreover, the Hebrew itself is preserved to this day in the library at Caesarea, which the martyr Pamphilus so diligently collected. Who Was James Son of Alphaeus? The Beginner's Guide Assuming that the identification of Matthew with Levi is correct, Matthew (probably meaning Yahwehs Gift) would appear to be the Christian name of Levi (called by Mark Levi the son of Alphaeus), who had been employed as a tax collector in the service of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee. 3.27.4; 3.39.17; 4.22.8). For a recent effort to argue that plural Aramaic and Greek sources underlie the double tradition, see Maurice Casey, An Aramaic Approach to Q: Sources for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002). The best way to think about the Greek language during the time of Jesus is to think about modern-day English. This quote from Powerss monograph on the Synoptic Problem may presume too much about the literary skills, and psychological motivations, of a relatively low-level functionary operating a toll booth on the outskirts of the Galilean village of Capernaum (Matt 9:1, 9; cf. It is not surprising he watched Jesus carefully and wrote down the first of the four Gospels, the biographies of Jesus of Nazareth. [42] Luomanen, Jewish-Christian Sects, 21, 123; Frey, Die Fragmente des Ebionerevangeliums in Antike christliche Apokryphen in deutscher bersetzung. Saint Matthew | History, Facts, Feast Day, & Death | Britannica Hence, Eusebius corrected Irenaeus by substituting the Gospel according to the Hebrews as the Ebionitess preferred Gospel (h.e. [26], Krzingers and Gundrys proposals have varying degrees of persuasiveness, but most scholars have not been swayed by their contention that Papiass words on Matthew have been misread through the centuries. Francis Watson, Gospel Writing: A Canonical Perspective (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2013), 126. The answer is very simple. There were only 8 people in Noahs Ark. Who Was Matthias in the Bible and Why Did He Replace Judas? I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners., CLICK HERE for Jesus and the Pharisees article. "Follow me," he said to him. [2] B. High priest Aaron and his sons were descendants of Levi (Exodus 4:14), Levi being a son of Jacob (Genesis 29:34). For the theory that Matthew was either the founder of a putative Matthean community or the source of their traditions, see Pesch, Levi-Matthus, 56; Gundry. Tax collectors at that time were known as dishonest and corrupt people. [30] For instance, see France, Evangelist and Teacher, 6466; Morris, Matthew, 14; Carson, Matthew, 13 Osborne, Matthew, 34; Brown and Roberts, Matthew, 16. Follow me, Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 12.13; Is. The Gospel of Mark at the beginning of this article is not the only Gospel which gives an account of the calling of the tax collector Levi aka Matthew. Teilband 1, ed. The Gracious Calling of Matthew by Richard Phillips - Ligonier Ministries 6:25 (300s AD). The debate over the authorship of Matthews Gospel usually focuses on the replacement of Levi, the son of Alphaeus, with Matthew (Matt 9:9; contra Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27) and the addition of the descriptor the toll collector after Matthews name (Matt 10:3; contra Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). Matthew 9:9-13 begins with Jesus calling Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him as His disciple. Even so, most readers of the New Testament throughout history have taken the identification of Levi with Matthew for granted. The tax collector had already counted the cost.Sandra Sweeny Silver, Slaves Were Lifeless Tools in Ancient Rome, The Exotic Animal Business in Ancient Rome. R. McL. CHICAGO (RNS) The first time the Rev. [Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 5:27-32] 13 Jesus went to the seashore again where large crowds came to him, . Mark 2:15 While Jesus was dining at Levi's house, many tax collectors The important take-away from this detour through the Patristic testimonies was that the oldest tradition was that the evangelist Matthew published a text in Aramaic and left it to more qualified translators to translate it into the form that we have today as the Greek. Here's What History Can Tell Us About the Magi | Time For example, the Valentinian theologian Heracleon differentiated Levi from Matthew (cf. Why is Matthew called Levi? The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them. Another option is that Papias was referring to a lost source. Luz, Matthew 17, 80. Warren Carter underscores how Papiass erroneous supposition served to underline the antiquity of this gospel and link it to the apostles.. This could be a good possibility for the changing of the names. For the range of theories accounting for the redactional changes in Matthew 9:9 and 10:3, see the helpful summaries compiled by Joachim Gnilka, Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity: Part I: Palestine 330 BCE 200 CE. 1. [46] Vielhauer and Strecker, Jewish Christian Gospels, 15465; Klijn, Jewish Christian Gospel Tradition, 29-30, 3132; Klauck, Apocryphal Gospels, 4351; Frey, Die Fragmente des Nazorerevangeliums, in Antike christliche Apokryphen in deutscher bersetzung. T/F, 2. [3] Powers, Progressive Publication, 29 (emphasis original). Jesus did not call us because of our righteousness or gifting. The Calling of St. Matthew by Caravaggio | Caravaggio Paintings Baum, Ein aramischer Urmatthus, 26364. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles (Lk 6:12-26) - UBF Both are true because Matthew and Levi are two names for the same person. They were dishonest and were also seen as. From the place where he collected taxes near the Sea of Galilee (probably on the outskirts of Capernaum), Matthew may often have heard Jesus speak and must have known about his many miracles. Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew). Th. Follow me, he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Why Did Jesus Say, "On This Rock I Will Build My Church"? (Matthew 16) Biblical literature - The Gospel According to Matthew As Jesus was having a meal in Levi's home, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples . Tax collectors were not very respected people in Jesus' time because many of them stole from the people. It felt "weird," Carr said. The Apostles: Impetuous Peter overcame mistakes to become leader Omissions? Levi - who the Bible tells us was also named Matthew - was a Jew and a tax collector. Following Jesus Meant Matthew Lost His Lucrative Tax Collector Career. Hence, Mark listened to Peters chreiai or anecdotes about the Lords sayings and deeds (cf. Matthews Gospel has more quotations from and allusions to the Old Testament than any other New Testament author. There were what the Jews called publicans aka tax collectors like Matthew who collected taxes for customs or tolls on imports, exports, and merchants who came to buy or sell in Israel. Additionally, specialists on the Synoptic Problem generally hold that Matthews Gospel reproduced over 90 percent of Marks content, improved Marks grammar and style, and edited out Marks transliterated Aramaic terms. Christoph Markschies und Jens Schrter (Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck 2012), 62354. Both Eusebius and Epiphanius missed Irenaeuss point that schismatics rejected the fourfold Gospel canon and selected one of the four Gospels, but their doctrines were refuted by the very Gospels that they privileged. All the names for our week days come from Roman and Norse/Anglo-Saxon gods. Why Did Jesus Go To Jerusalem? A Holy Week Reflection There are many examples of irresistible grace in God's Word. [20], Krzinger and Gundry re-read the Papian fragment through the lens of rhetorical categories. Mark 10:35) and swapped Salome for her in another (Matt 27:56; cf. Marys Perpetual Virginity & Jesus Brothers, Why Pollen on the Shroud of Turin Proves it is Real, Christian Inscriptions in Roman Catacombs, Eruption Of Mt. As Brent Cunningham expressed it the changing of the names represented Jesus' ownership of them. Sometimes the men took too much money. But Levis guests were of his social ilksinners and other tax collectors.The Pharisees (we get our word pharisaical meaning self-righteous; hypocritical from this sect in ancient Judaism) were always watching whatever Jesus did and said and they followed him to Levis house and were appalled to see Him eating and talking with tax collectors and sinners.Several of Jesus other disciples were near. 1.7; Irenaeus, haer. Contrary to Epiphaniuss assertions, he may have not had access to the Gospel according to the Hebrews at all, and scholars generally label his source, which frequently harmonizes passages in the Synoptic Gospels, as the Gospel according to the Ebionites to distinguish it from the former text. Jesus sent out 70 Disciples to preach His Good News. Other than naming Matthew in the list of Apostles, usually pairing him with St. Thomas, the New Testament offers scant and uncertain information about him. His presence is here, worship with us at Summer Ramp now - facebook.com [13] The thesis that the first canonical Gospel was published under the name of a pseudonym is defended by George D. Kilpatrick, The Origins of the Gospel according to St. Matthew (Oxford: Clarendon, 1946), 13839. March 2020. [15], The Original Language of Matthews Gospel, Unlike the modern deductions about Matthews level of literacy, Papias did not presuppose Matthews facility in Greek. Calling of St. Matthew by Alexandre Bida, 1875. 5. I.2.26; Eusebius, h.e. Pet. At the same time, opposition against Jesus was growing stronger, especially from the religious . Matthew, the Apostle of Yahshua (Popularly known as Jesus Christ) is best known as the publican or tax collector. Jesus And Levi (The Tax Collector) | Northstar Church Other scholars suspect that the Nazarenes only supplied Jerome with their own translations and commentary on Matthews Gospel. You're right Zahid, the author of Matthew was a tax collector. Band: Evangelien und Verwandtes. 3.39.16). So it is more than probable that Matthew or someone else translated Matthews biography of Christ into Greek in order to spread the Good News beyond the Jews. Supported by: T/F, 4. 1) The name of the collector whom Jesus summons is not "Levi, son of Alphaeus", but "Matthew" (9,9). 3.39.17). Acts 1:1-2 appears to tie the two books to the same author. He was honored that His Lord considered him such a gift, But as Levi he had immediately joined his life to Jesus and His Mission. Jesus' interaction with Matthew, Zacchaeus and other tax collectors Maybe Jesus had seen Levi often as he sat in his chair with his table, papyrus, quill and ink made from carbon (soot or lampblack), water and gum arabic, a natural gum from the acacia tree used to control the inks viscosity when applied to the papyrus. T/F, 5. Therefore, commentators often appeal to Matthew 9:9 and 10:3 as evidence that the Apostle Matthew was capable of composing either the Greek text of the first canonical Gospel or one of the literary sources incorporated into it. A beam of light illuminates the faces of the men at the table who are looking at Jesus Christ. [36] Dennis MacDonald, Two Shipwrecked Gospels: The Logoi of Jesus and Papiasss Exposition of Logia about the Lord (Atlanta: SBL, 2012), 15. Why Do Jesus' Middle Eastern Apostles Have Common English Names? 2:1-10; Acts 8:9-24). In both instances, certain copyists of Marks Gospel were unaware of the conflation of Levi with Matthew in Matthew 9:9 and 10:3, yet still turned the character in Mark 2:14 into an apostle. Of course, their hippy-dippy ways are . At best, they were learned and prudent. See John P. Meier, The Vision of Matthew: Christ, Church, and Morality in the First Gospel(New York: Paulist, 1978), 2425. The other Eleven were ordinary men. Mark 16:1),[11] though this example differs slightly from Matthew 9:9 inasmuch as the woman is left unnamed. We first meet Levi (aka Matthew) in Capernaum beside the Sea of Galilee: Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. Brian McNeil (London: T&T Clark, 2003), 40; Jennifer Wright Knust, Early Christian Re-writing and the History of the Pericope Adulterae, JECS 14 (2006): 495n34; Norelli, Papia, 33132, 335; MacDonald, Two Shipwrecked Gospels, 14, 1922, 24653; Jrg Frey, Die Fragmente des Hebrerevangeliums, in Antike christliche Apokryphen in deutscher bersetzung. But let's hear Matthew's own account of his calling: Per tradition, Matthew was killed by by a soldier on the order of the king of Ethiopia. Third, Matthew Wanted to Tell Others about Christ. Christ's Call To Matthew - Follow Me - Discover the Book Ministries 29.9.4; 30.3.7; 30.13.2; 30.14.3) and Jerome (Epist. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus answered them, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:27-32. This creates space between Peter and the church's rock. My theory is that for one thing John and Peter were closer to Jesus. 5.10.3; Clement, in h.e. VesuviusAugust 24, 79 AD. Jesus asked him to be a *disciple (Matthew 9:9). [34] Friedrich Schleiermacher, ber die Zeugnisse des Papias von unsern beiden ersten Evangelien, TSK 5 (1832): 73568; Manson, Gospels and Epistles, 7787; Hill, Matthew, 2427; Davies and Allison, Matthew IIV, 1.17; Black, Rhetorical Terminology, 3235; Hagner, Matthew 113; xlvxlvi; Nolland, Matthew, 3; Carter, Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist, 1617; Sim, R. They were considered traitors because they worked for the despised Roman rulers. Answer (1 of 3): In Mark, the first New Testament gospel written, Matthew and Levi are very definitely two different people. 8:2; 19:13; Isa. [7] Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, 2nd ed. ; ; ; ; () Brezhoneg; Catal; etina; Dansk; Deutsch; Eesti Dan. 3 Whatever their character, the line between astrology and astronomy was thin, if only because stargazing was respectable. Thus, some scholars who otherwise defend the traditional authorship of Matthews Gospel admit that Papias erred in his belief about the original language in which it was written. Despite the pain and agony of the cross, Jesus chose to die for the sins of the world because He loves us. The story of Matthew's calling shows us the amazing power of God's grace and how it transforms people and become extraordinary servants of our Creator. Ancient and modern scholars have been perplexed by the fact that the name of the toll collector in Matthew 9:9 differs from its synoptic counterparts. Jennie Ebeling --Department of Archaeology and Art History, University of Evansville, Copyright 2000-2023 The Bible and Interpretation| All Rights Reserved |The University of Arizona | Developed bySBS Tech Mark 16:1). Tax collectors were rich people. ill. 16; Is. The next disciple that Jesus called was Levi (Matthew). Volume I: Introduction and Commentary on Matthew IVII, ICC [Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1988], 1.12) acknowledge the difficulties in determining whether a text was a translation in the ancient world and the Patristic tradition about Matthew even persuaded an accomplished textual critic like Origen. Matthias was the only one who was not chosen by Jesus . Band: Evangelien und Verwandtes. Most general Bible readers have the mistaken impression that Matthew, the opening book of the New Testament, must be our first and earliest Gospel, with Mark, Luke and John following. [16] This English translation of the Greek text is taken from Michael W. Holmes, editor, The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations (rev. [37] See B. H. Streeter, The Four Gospels: A Study of Origins (London: MacMillan, 1924). Alternate titles: Levi, St. Matthew the Apostle, St. Matthew the Evangelist. However, Didymus the Blind spotted a similar story in certain Gospels in his Commentary on Ecclesiastes (223.613) and one of those Gospels could have been the Gospel according to the Hebrews that he cited elsewhere in his Commentary on the Psalms (184.910). There must have been at least 15-20 people eating in Levis spacious home. We soon discover the difference between the man and the rock. [9] In both instances, certain copyists of Marks Gospel were unaware of the conflation of Levi with Matthew in Matthew 9:9 and 10:3, yet still turned the character in Mark 2:14 into an apostle. One theory is that Matthew went by the name Levi, or was simply of the tribe of Levi, and was re-named by Jesus as Matthew upon his call. Hence Levi was the original name of the man who was subsequently called Matthew; the Maththaios legomenos of Matthew 9:9, would indicate this. Jesus Calls Levi | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org The other Eleven were ordinary men. [19] Yet our access to Papias is mediated through Eusebius, so it is uncertain whether Eusebius interrupted an interconnected statement about both evangelists or juxtaposed two separate excerpts from Papias together. [39] Edwards (Hebrew Gospel, 210) identifies Matthews oracles in h.e. prol.) 1.31.124), see Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Essays on the Work Entitled Supernatural Religion: Reprinted from the Contemporary Review (London: Macmillan, 1893), 17077; Bacon, Studies in Matthew, 443-51; T. W. Manson, Studies in the Gospels and Epistles (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1962), 6975; Krzinger, Papias, 5051; France, Evangelist and Teacher, 58-60; Krtner, Papias, 15167; Gundry, Matthew, 617; Norelli, Papia, 5980; Gundry, Pre-Papian Tradition, 6467; Sim, R. Why Kelsey Grammer's Jesus Freak Movie Made Film History [45] The majority position among the experts is that the fragments Jerome inherited from the Nazarenes do not derive from the Gospel according to the Hebrews but from a distinct work that scholars have designated as the Gospel according to the Nazarenes. Epiphanius and Jerome later confused the traditional account of the authorship of Matthews Gospel with the origins of the Gospel according to the Hebrews. Vose Seminary The task of the present article is to explain these two variations in . 11.1-3; Pelag. Mark Book of Week - Part 1 | PDF | John The Baptist | Jesus A survey of the ancient traditions about how the evangelist Matthew wrote his Gospel in Aramaic for a Jewish audience before it was translated into Greek suggests that the modern assumptions about the Apostles fluency in Greek or education in rhetorical composition may not have necessarily been shared by the Patristic intelligentsia. There were, however, at the time of Christ and the Apostles two languages spoken by JewsAramaic and Greek. And many followed him ( Mark 2:15 ). Meier, The Vision of Matthew, 24; Luz, Matthew 820, 32, 32n.14. While He was on the cross, He cried out, "Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani," which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?". "And Peter was the chief . He offered something infinitely better. Logion could be translated as an oracle or divine utterance. 3.1.1; Pantaenus, in Eusebius, h.e. though this example differs slightly from Matthew 9:9 inasmuch as the woman is left unnamed. He was one of the earlier followers of Jesus Christ. Matthew was obviously a small mokhes because he himself was sitting in the tax office as Jesus passed through the outskirts of Capernaum. He is mentioned in Matthew 9:9. UBF Resources : Jesus Calls Levi [36] Ultimately, the identification of Matthews oracles with Q or M may depend on a given scholars acceptance or not of the Four Source theory as classically formulated. What Did Jesus Mean When He Said 'Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani'? nor any utilization of the first-person voice to present Matthews perspective on the unfolding events (contra Acts 16:1017; 20:515; 21:118; 27:137; 28:116; Gos. 2. These Jewish tax collectors were disdained by the Jews. Pelag. It is beyond the scope of this paper to determine why Matthew was substituted for Levi. After all, a toll collector may have at least needed functional literacy to perform certain tasks. Many commentators compare Matthews two names with other first-century Jews who had a Greek or Latin cognomen. ill. 3; Tract. B. He was a man of moderate wealth, the only one of any means belonging to the apostolic corps. [8] Alternatively, the textual variant that has James instead of Levi as the son of Alphaeus in Mark 2:14 in a handful of manuscripts was plausibly motivated by a desire for uniformity by having a single son of Alphaeus (cf. 30.13.45), indicating that it was published in Greek at the outset. How can Jesus Christ be a priest if He is of the non-priestly tribe of Matthew belonged to a family of tax gatherers, or publicans, but was himself a customs collector in Capernaum, where he lived. The Patristic Traditions about the Evangelist Matthew. 6.25.4; Epiphanius, Pan. There are a number of Patristic and Medieval quotations that purportedly derive from a text that was commonly dubbed as the, James R. Edwards has revived the older position that Matthew was the author of the, Conversely, Papias may not have known the. He was a tax collector who was sitting at his booth. 29.7.4). [38] For the latter view, see France, Evangelist and Teacher, 64-66; Bauckham, Eyewitnesses, 224. CLICK HERE for Jesus and the Constant Crowds article. Matthew had a lucrative, though dishonest, tax collecting business for the occupying Roman government. Jesus Calls Matthew to Follow Him (Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5 Mark 10:35) and swapped Salome for her in another (Matt 27:56; cf.