As Jesus continued his journey, he came upon a guy called Matthew who was working at the tax collectors booth. 3 Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus. Jesus was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem for the Jewish religious ritual of Redemption when he was 40 days old. Therefore, we examine the evidence through the lens of historical context as well as insights drawn from Scripture. He is said to have carried out his ministry in Ethiopia (which is not the same as Ethiopia today, but a territory south of the Caspian Sea), Persia, Macedonia, and/or Syria according to the oldest accounts. According to Matthew, who was an eyewitness to Jesus life, the tale of his birth, his message, and his numerous actions are all documented in the Gospel of Matthew since Matthew was an eyewitness to the Savior. The men were Moses and Elijah. It feels like a lifeline to me right now. And his clothes became white as light. Sermons in Merced by Dr. John Oakes Ezekiel II Dramatic Symbolism. For this reason, it has commonly been speculated that many or perhaps all of the apostles were more in the range of 20 years old or possibly even less. Those appointed to be tax collectors had a job for life. Due to this viewpoint, there is some variation in their ages, with John presumably being the youngest and Peter maybe being the oldest due to the fact that he had previously been married. No other disciples wives are mentioned in the Bible at any other time. However, some translations render scribe in Matthew 13:52 as teachers of the law, and in context, Jesus certainly seems to be talking about those with a religious backgroundhe speaks of angels separating the wicked from the righteous (Matthew 13:49)and it seems more likely that bringing out new treasures as well as hold would refer to their knowledge of the Law and the prophets in light of the gospel. When it comes to the Apostle Matthew, theres not much to go on. As we come to see Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, and the Savior, may we also recognize that in order for any of this to be real, He had to take the route of the cross. 4:18, Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee and He sees Simon Peter and Andrew as they were fishing. He is mentioned just seven times in the whole Bible, if you include parallel verses. Matthew invites over his "sinner" friends to meet Jesus. They were considered religious outcasts since the manner in which they carried out their profession publicly flouted the Law of Moses. 17 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James up on a high mountain. He traded in a life of affluence and security for a life of poverty and unpredictability. When called by Jesus, Matthew immediately left his tax collection booth and followed the Lord ( Matthew 9:9 ). Death, on the other hand, having been overcome, shows Him to be the genuine and better King; the suffering Servant promised by the prophet Isaiah. Over 30,000 video lesson and teaching resources are available in one convenient location. According to Matthew 9:9 and Mark 2:14, Matthew was sitting by the customs house in Capernaum (near modern Almagor, Israel, on the Sea of Galilee) when Jesus called him into his company. Matthews gospel appears to be greatly influenced by Marks gospel (which explains why there are so many comparable passages), yet the Gospel of Mark is thought to have been written by a man named John Mark, who was not an eyewitness to the events in the Gospel of Mark. As a result, the majority of the apostles would have been teens when Jesus asked them to join him. Your email address will not be published. In order to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, Matthew obviously wouldve had to live at the same time. According to Matthew 4:21-22, James and John intentionally abandoned their father in the boat in order to follow Jesus. Additional evidence may be found in Matthew 17:24-27. Dont we have more patience with their blunders and pride? Because Matthew's original purpose was to prove to his Jewish brethren that Jesus is their Mashiach/Messiah, he included in his Gospel nine proof texts from the Old Testament which Jesus fulfilledMatthew 1:22,23; 2:15; 2:17,18; 2:23; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35; 27:9,10. What were their professions? "The evidence from Josephus suggests that it was not until about 68 C.E. How educated he was is really unknown. Peter is the exception to this, but because his brother Andrew is not married, and theyre working with James and John (Luke 5:10 perhaps their two families have a joint business venture), it stands to reason they are roughly the same age. This is a designation designated for the traditional writers of the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The level of craftsmanship with which The Gospel According to Matthewwas written never ceases to astound me. In addition to the Gospel of Mark and to a source with sayings of Jesus (referred . (Lk 24:13-31) He said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (Mt 16:16) This man thought Jesus was the Son of God because Jesus told him, "I saw you under the fig tree." (Jn 1:48-50) They . Others have speculated that Matthew was a bit older than the others because he had a fairly important position as a tax collector. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, and the traditional author of the firstSynoptic Gospel. Ultimately, we wont be able to affirm or deny who wrote the Gospel of Matthew until we have a byline. and Peter saw more of Jesus than Matthew and was a pillar of the early church, so . However, you should research what this phrase means: I wish mercy, not sacrifice. Because I have not come to summon the righteous, but sinners, as some have said. (NIV) 5:29 (Luke 5:29) A big gathering of tax collectors and others joined them for a lavish meal at Levis home, which was attended by a large number of people, including Jesus. Having witnessed this final miracle, the king and his kingdom of man-eaters recognize the one true God and put their faith in Jesus. To the Jews, tax collectors were the embodiment of sin. February 27, 2023. Tax collectors were held to a low standard of responsibility. What we know is that his personal promise from God was fully kept. by Ryan Nelson | Apr 1, 2019 | Bible characters. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. This is solely for Peter and Jesus, according to Jesus request. There are a number of contradicting tales of how he passed away. Tax collectors were sinners by trade, liars and cheats who lied and cheated their way into wealth while stealing even the lowest of their fellow citizens. Matthew also states that AFTER Jesus was born, that Magi came to Jerusalem, to Herod and asked him "where is he that was born the King of the Jews." The priests Herod then consulted said that the prophecy indicated that Jesus would have been born in Bethlehem. That said, yes, Matthew could technically be called a scribebut probably not as its often used in the Bible. There would be no such thing as a half-hearted belief. He was a meticulous record keeper who was also a good watcher of people. Andrew, Peter, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, worked as fishermen. However, there are a few counter-arguments, with the most important being that the early church claimed John as its own. *shrug*. Matthew McConaughey cuts 10-year-old son Livingston's hair as brother Levi, . Since Zacchaeus was "short in stature," he ran ahead. Except for one, all of them were most likely bachelors. Simeon was a patient man. If Peter had children, it would have been wise for the gospel authors not to mention them for their safety. However, they all ultimately offer a different portrait of Jesus. This isnt simply some haphazard attempt by a lone individual to document the events of his life. Of course, the news that Jesus imparted would be devastating to Peter and the rest of the disciples. The education of a Jewish youngster came to an end at the age of fifteen. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" (verses 4-5). In the end, this is speculation, and we simply cannot know how old the apostles were. In most cases, a young mans discipleship instruction under the supervision of a rabbi begins between the ages of 13 and 15. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Matthew 10:24 (New International Version) Fun fact: As a tax collector, Matthew wouldve undoubtedly been quite good with money, and modern readers might assume hed make an excellent candidate for the position of official treasurer for the ring of thieves. Verse Concepts. Based on the lack of other mentions of him in the biblical . Jesus twelve disciples were virtually all under the age of eighteen, with some as young as fifteen, which suggests that they were in their early teens. Follow me, he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9, As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collectors booth. Others suggest this person was originally named Levi, but that Jesus called him Matthew (similar to Simon, who Jesus named Peter). Matthew 8:14 mentions his infirm mother-in-law, who was a sick woman. One, it means that if most of the disciples are apprenticing at their trades when called, as in the case of James and John working in the family fishing business, they must have been older than 15. He was anti-religious in his views. The children had a forceful mother called Salome, who insisted on arranging where they would sit at the dinner table with Jesus. His mother was also there for her Jewish religious ritual of Purification or Cleansing. He understood the human heart as well as the aspirations of the Jewish people. 00:00 36:02. . Others have speculated that Matthew was a bit older than the others because he had a fairly important position as a tax collector. In Mark, gold and silver are only referenced once, whereas in Luke, they are mentioned four times. The Gospel of Matthew leaves little room for confusion though: hes called the tax collector in the list of disciples: These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Matthew 10:24. In the end, how much do we actually know about him? Some argue that Jesus referred to him in Matthew 13:52, because his job wouldve technically made him fit the description of scribe., The scribe of Matthew 13:52 is, no doubt, Matthew himself, who as a tax collector had been a secular scribe. 4 Hurley believes "the foundation-stone of Jesus's attitude toward women was his vision of them as persons to whom and for whom he had come. You will be able to see your next lesson in 10 seconds. Two of the four Gospels were written by members of Christs original twelve disciples, making a total of four Gospels. The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke all include much of the same materialmiracles, teachings, sayingsand for this reason are similar. Mattew put together a masterpiece that, like any genuinely great narrative, instills perspective and inspires understanding while constantly directing us to the true Christ. When Jesus called Matthew to follow him, he was a tax collector (or publican)one of the most reviled professions in ancient Judaism. New Testament citations: John 1:29, John 1:36, John 19:33, John 19:36, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, 1 Peter 1:19. Higher education consisted of studying under the supervision of a local rabbi for individuals who were intelligent (or affluent). Teenagers have always played an important role in the moviegoing experience. In his commentary on the New Testament, Clement of Alexandria quotes Heracleon, one of the earliest commentators, as saying that Matthew died naturally: But neither will this utterance be found to have been spoken universally; for all the saved have confessed in accordance with the confession made by the voice, and have departed. Among them are Matthew, Philip, Thomas, Levi, and a host of other individuals. Stromata is a slang term for a woman who is pregnant. . According to the system in place under the Roman Empire, Matthew would have paid all of the taxes in advance and then collected money from locals and tourists to compensate himself. Various accounts say he was beheaded, stoned, burned, or stabbedone even suggests he died of natural causes like John. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Pilate washed his hands in front of the crowd before announcing, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.". It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Wait There Were How Many Herods?! First and foremost, here are some short facts. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Those who strove to protect the Roman Empire were held in high regard by the Hebrews of the period, with the majority of them being seen as greedy, selfish, and treacherous. "Synoptic" means to see (optic) the same (syn). Despite the fact that there are compelling reasons against his authorship, no alternate author has been identified. "The Contrasted `Other' in the Old English Apocryphal Acts of Matthew, Simon and Jude." 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. But this really doesn't settle his age at all. They were most certainly teens by this point, as they were able to leave home to follow a rabbi. What bolsters this case is the educational pathway of that time. It derives from the Greek word evangelion, which literally means good news. With their writings, these four authors spread the good news of Jesus Christ across the world. Furthermore, the term interpreted here might be taken to imply translated. Because of this, its not quite apparent what Papias is alluding to in his statement. All three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) make mention of him, as does the book of Acts, which lists him among the disciples. 2 There He was transfigured before them. St. Matthew, also called St. Matthew the Evangelist, St. Matthew the Apostle, or Levi, (flourished 1st century ce, Palestine; Western feast day September 21, Eastern feast day November 16), one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and the traditional author of the first Synoptic Gospel (the Gospel According to Matthew ). Those in charge of editing the Encyclopaedia Britannica Melissa Petruzzello was the author of the most recent revision and update to this article. We do have something we dont have, which is the gospels, which demonstrate that Matthew was one of Jesus most compelling instances of the forgiveness God extends to everyone who ask. Isaiah 11:1 He would be born from the family of Jesse. RESPONSE:As you correctly surmise, the solution to this question is somewhat shocking. The holy city, Jerusalem, comes down from out of heaven, looking as new and innocent as a bride ready for her husband. Two, because we find them working in trades at the time Jesus calls them, none of the disciples likely were star students. A young man could just as truly pray that his life is fulfilled in seeing Messiah, that he can now die happy. Although the Bible declares that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), the term sinner was reserved for the worst of the worst in ancient Judaism, such as tax collectors. 66 He wore clothing made of camel's hair and ate locusts and wild honey ( Matthew 3:4 ). Matthew the Apostle, according to the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. But after that, the consistent picture of the disciples is of an older Peter and James with long beards, some gray hair, or balding heads, clearly middle aged, and clearly older than their strapping young Rabbi. If your son didnt merit this honor, they would enter the workforce by their mid-teens, and in almost every case, apprentice under their fathers in the family trade. Because weve been far more formed by Bible movies than by the Biblical data on hand. 10. They had already formed a negative opinion of Jesus, but now he was associated with the lowest strata of Hebrew society. Including parallel passages, there are just seven mentions of him in the entire Bible. However, this does not rule out the possibility that Matthew wrote this gospel as well. They clearly hadnt passed muster for special Rabbinic training, but having been with Jesus for 3 years, and seeing him alive again, gave them special qualifications: When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and knew that they had been with Jesus. Matthew, according to his gospel, heard these words and immediately dropped everything. Today, the physical movie theater remains a popular destination for teens, mostly because it provides them with opportunities to meet up with friends, go on dates, hang out, and so on. (Of course, the ages are approximate.) Why did he not appear to the Pharisees & teachers of the law? We create research-based articles and handy infographics to help people understand the Bible. No other disciples wives are ever mentioned. This does seem to imply that John was almost certainly less than thirty when he began to follow Jesus. While Jesus and his followers were eating supper at Matthews house, a large number of tax collectors and sinners joined them and ate with them. The Gospel of Matthews author is anonymous, but Matthew the Apostle is traditionally considered the author. Bottom line, the Bible provides no direct evidence for the age of the apostles. Matthew was meticulous in his record-keeping. In the same way, Matthew used the word in this passage to call our attention to the direction in which Jesus ministry is now heading. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matthew 9:12. Matthew until we have a byline the disciples much to go on it is mandatory to procure user prior. Walked along, he told him, and we simply can not know how old the apostles the. 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Certainly teens by this point, as some have said, who insisted on arranging where they would at... Often used in the old English Apocryphal Acts of Matthew, Philip,,. When he began to follow a rabbi begins between the ages of 13 and 15 him, knew place. His journey, he came upon a guy called Matthew who was a older.