| | '''Feastday:''' September 21, November 16. | | '''Feastday:''' September 21, November 16. |
| − | He is mentioned five times in the [[New Testament]], once concerning his call (Matthew 9:9) and four other times in lists of the twelve ([[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 6:15, [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 3:18, Matthew 10:3, [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 1:13). His call is also recorded in Mark 2:14 and [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 5:27, where he is called Levi. | + | He is mentioned five times in the [[New Testament]], once concerning his call (Matthew 9:9) and four other times in lists of the twelve ([[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 6:15, [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 3:18, Matthew 10:3, [[Book of Acts|Acts]] 1:13). His call is also recorded in Mark 2:14 and [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 5:27, where he is called Levi. However, some scholars dispute whether Levi was the same person as Matthew.<ref>https://brentnongbri.com/2018/05/21/matthew-and-levi-and-james/</ref> |
| | Matthew was the son of Alpheus, a [[Galilean]], and a tax collector by trade. Such a job was often associated with extortion and was therefore regularly despised, especially by the [[Pharisees]]. When called by [[Jesus]], he was sitting at a customhouse. Matthew arose and followed the Lord, setting for him a feast in his house, where other tax collectors and [[sinner]]s reclined at table with Jesus and his disciples. This prompted a rebuke from the Pharisees, whereupon Jesus responded, "''I came not to call the just, but sinners.''" | | Matthew was the son of Alpheus, a [[Galilean]], and a tax collector by trade. Such a job was often associated with extortion and was therefore regularly despised, especially by the [[Pharisees]]. When called by [[Jesus]], he was sitting at a customhouse. Matthew arose and followed the Lord, setting for him a feast in his house, where other tax collectors and [[sinner]]s reclined at table with Jesus and his disciples. This prompted a rebuke from the Pharisees, whereupon Jesus responded, "''I came not to call the just, but sinners.''" |