Question

Write a summary of 250-500 words, i.e., 1/2 to 1 page, of Matthew's life both before and after he became a follower of Jesus. Include Scripture verses and other source information to back up your summary.

Answer 1

Matthew was an unfair tax collector consumed by selfishness until Jesus chose him as a disciple. So Matthew is in Capernaum, in his tax booth on the main roadway, he was collecting business on foreign stuff brought by farmers, dealers, and caravans, under the Roman Empire's rule, Matthew would have paid all the taxes in advance, then collected from the citizens and travelers to repay himself. On the same day Jesus invited Matthew to follow him, Matthew threw a big farewell dinner in his home, inviting his friends so they could meet Jesus too. From that time on, instead of collecting tax money, Matthew collected souls for Christ. Matthew 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.

Answer 2

Matthew the Apostle, Saint Matthew or Levi was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus and one of the four Evangelists. He is believed to have written the first of the Gospels.

Before Jesus came into his life, Matthew was a tax collector, a worker for the Roman government who lived off getting money from the common people. He would tax at higher rates than the romans charged for his own benefit. It is possible that Matthew was rich and accommodated before his time with Jesus.

Tax collectors were considered sinners and were despised by the common people in the times of Jesus.

When Matthew had his calling, he invited Jesus for dinner at his home, inviting many tax collectors to dine along with them. This made others question the companions of Jesus, for they were sinful and corrupted tax collector. It was then when Jesus said "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick...I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mark 2: 17, Luke 5: 32)

After this, he followed Jesus and left behind his riches and comforts and faced the hardship of traveling and fasting, he eventually became a Martyr.

Matthew preached the Gospel to Jewish communities in Judea. He was witness of the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus and proclaimed that he was the new Messiah.

Matthew is recognized as a Saint and his feast day is celebrated on September 21st in the West and November 16th in the East.