Youd have to be completely convinced that Jesus is who He claims to be, that His is the only path to genuine life, and that its definitely worth it to push through the muck and gloom in order to see the beauty. Generally speaking, the Book of Matthew is thought to have been written by, yep, Matthew, who was a disciple, apostle, and evangelist in the early Christian community. Become a member today. 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. According to the Gospel of John, Jesus' mission to the Jews was highlighted by seven miraculous signs. Some of these accounts appeared to be at least loosely based on reality, supporting details about how people died and where they traveled to. *shrug* Aside from that, Matthew devotes a significant amount of favorable attention to Peter in his gospel. So the Synoptic Gospels actually begin later in Jesus' ministry. Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. 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. (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 . Third and last point: Jesus prophecies about His own death and resurrection add to the dramatic tension of this most ultimate of redemption stories. Matthews death on the cross. Matthew 2:17 quotes Jeremiah 31:15. However, Jesus accepted and loved this tax collector for who he was, regardless of his background. Irenaeus, who lived from about 130 AD to 202 AD, made a similar claim in Against Heresies: Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church., However, Papias statement is actually pretty ambiguous. The joke was met with a major backlash online. How did Luke know what Jesus said in the garden if the apostles were asleep? In the words of Heracleon, the apostle died as a result of natural circumstances. Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them) By Bart D. Ehrman. Additionally, we can assume Jesus' age through the Book of John in which three Passovers are recorded (John 2:13, 6:4, 11:55). As he walks on, he sees Matthew, who is also . Tradition mentions his ministry inJudaea, following which he is said to have embarked on a journey to the East, which might have taken him to Ethiopia or Persia. Little is known about this apostle. The Apostle Matthew, also known as Saint Matthew and Levi, was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Lexham, England). In the texts above (Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:2728), we discovered that Matt was a tax collector, also known as a publicansomeone who was employed by the Roman government to collect taxes on their behalf. Historical documents are not more sure of anything more exact. He was a "wilderness man," a man who from childhood had lived " in the wilderness until the day he was revealed to Israel " ( Luke 1:80 ). The Christian Bible is filled with writings outlining the right methods to follow Christs teachings, yet just four narratives of Christs life and death are included in the book of Matthew. You will be able to see your next lesson in 10 seconds. Matthew was a man who could have moved comfortably in political circles, and his book mentions things that someone in his position would know. 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. Four, the Mishnah explains why Jesus didnt start his ministry until age 30 even though his mission of redemption by death could have been accomplished at any age. The Names of the 12 Disciples We find the names of the disciples in the Gospel books of; Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:14-19 and Luke 6:13-16. Matthew was an accurate record keeper. Higher education consisted of studying under the supervision of a local rabbi for individuals who were intelligent (or affluent). 3 Then two men were there, talking with him. Based on the lack of other mentions of him in the biblical . Historically, a rabbi of that era would begin accepting students when he reached the age of thirty. These accounts so closely parallel each other that its hard to imagine they arent speaking of the same person. This prophecy of His own death and resurrection aimed to let people recognize Him as Christ in the proper light, for to confess Him as Christ while denying Him the cross would be to have incorrect expectations of what He was capable of. Follow me, he said, as Matthew rose to his feet and followed him. (Matthew 20:20-24; Mark 10:20-24). When Jesus called Matthew to follow him, he was a tax collector (or publican)one of the most reviled professions in ancient Judaism. Instead of killing Matthew, the fire burns down the kings idols and engulfs some of his soldiers. 00:00 36:02. . This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The scripture that can be confusing in this connection is Mark 1:14-20. In Matthew 17:24, he tells us the precise amount of the temple tax: After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, Doesnt your teacher pay the temple tax?. But the simplicity of this passage speaks volumes. The betrayal and execution of Jesus would be gruesome, with beatings, blood, and a crucifixion among the many horrors that would befall him. He was not a rabbi who was responsible for teaching in the synagogue. And as to the plausibility of them being young enough to still be around to write about all this in the 60s 90s, there is no problem at all. So, how old were they when they died? 3 Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus. Matthew was living in the area of Capernaum, a city on the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee, when Jesus called him. 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. The disciples were most likely not middle-aged men, as shown in historical films and even in the most recent television miniseries, The Bible, which is currently showing. Simeon was a patient man. Youll walk away from it with enough knowledge to have a thoughtful conversation about the Bible with a pastor, an atheist, or anyone else. How the disciples could be living and writing about the events of Jesus life as late as 95-100 A.D. This site uses cookies to analyze traffic and ensure you get the best experience. Many of these legendary accounts were pseudepigraphameaning they falsely claimed to be written by a well-known Christianand included miraculous events and Gnostic teachings. Beyond include Matthew in the list of Apostles and frequently pairing him with St. Outside of the New Testament, the text from theApostolic FatherPapias of Hierapolispreserved by BishopEusebius of Caesarea is significant since it states: So then Matthew authored the Oracles in theHebrew language, and each one interpreted them as he was capable. The Gospel is a collection of stories about Jesus Christ. And so, being passed over as teenagers, they are perhaps shocked to be considered worthy of apprenticeship with a traveling Rabbi who was beginning to gain a reputation at that time. You are the Christ, the Son of God, Peter responded when Jesus went further and asked who the disciples believed He was (Matthew 16:16 ESV). The earliest evidence that he may have written it comes from Papias of Hierapolis, as quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea in Church History: So then Matthew wrote the oracles in the Hebrew language, and every one interpreted them as he was able.. The richer they were, the worse they were assumed to be. John was the son of Zebedee who was also a fisherman in Galilee. Matthew is one of the Four Evangelists, as the term suggests. In the end, this is speculation, and we simply cannot know how old the apostles were. Matthew is regarded as one of the Four Evangelists of the New Testament. Joseph's death is not recorded in the Bible. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is incomparably more valuable than money, celebrity, and power. A great voice comes from heaven as well, announcing the arrival of the tabernacle of God among men. Major Themes Dont we have more patience with their blunders and pride? Site design and hosting by . In order to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, Matthew obviously wouldve had to live at the same time. Lon has been on the Board of Jews for . Most scholars dont accept this account today. This all changed for Matthew when Jesus crossed his path and said, Follow me. Thats all there is to it. Home PhilosophyReligion Personages associated with religion Scholars Saints Popesapostle Alternative titles include: Levi, St. Matthew the Apostle, and St. Matthew the Evangelist are all names for the same person. He becomes an active follower/disciple of Jesus. There are several conflicting accounts about his death. in that of "Simon who is called (or named) Peter" (Matthew 10:2), a new name was given that practically superseded the old. What we know is that his personal promise from God was fully kept. God has the ability to utilize anybody to assist him in his job. RESPONSE:As you correctly surmise, the solution to this question is somewhat shocking. Despite the fact that there is no indication in Scripture of a specific age for any disciple, we can conclude from the evidence in the Gospels and from a little research into 1st century Jewish culture that this idea, which has been depicted repeatedly in movies and pictures, is almost certainly incorrect. Teenagers have always played an important role in the moviegoing experience. Who Was Herod? Required fields are marked *. Sermons in Merced by Dr. John Oakes Ezekiel II Dramatic Symbolism. St. Matthew, also known as St. Matthew the Evangelist, St. Matthew the Apostle, or Levi, (lived in the first centuryce in Palestine; Western feast day September 21, Eastern feast day November 16), was one of the Twelve Apostles ofJesus Christ and the traditional author of the firstSynoptic Gospel (theGospel According to Matthew). 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. How educated he was is really unknown. In addition to Matthews works, there are additional ancient Christian and Gnostic texts concerning him or even claiming to have been written by him, some of which surfaced hundreds of years after his death (such as the so-calledGospel of Pseudo-Matthew.) Assuming that the identification of Matthew with Levi is correct, Matthew (probably meaning "Yahweh's Gift") would appear. For a short time after healing the paralytic, Jesus remains in the area of Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee. Discover interesting information about the life and career of this former publican who became an evangelist, as well as his death and contributions to history. Matthew McConaughey cuts 10-year-old son Livingston's hair as brother Levi, . Neophilologus 87 (1) (01): 137-151. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all mention him, and he is included in the list of the disciples in the book of Acts. As one of the twelve apostles, Matthew was there throughout almost all of Jesus ministry. They were dubbed Sons of Thunder by Jesus because they were presumably either loud or courageous when they were young, attributes that Jesus admired in them. 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. For example, his account of the Resurrection tells that those assigned to guard the Savior's tomb saw two angels roll back the stone that covered the door of the tomb. Females are seen by Jesus as genuine persons, not simply as the objects of male desire. The other disciples were present (as evidenced by the preceding passages), but it does not appear that they paid the tax. Only one (and its analogues) provides us with any significant information about him. . "The Contrasted `Other' in the Old English Apocryphal Acts of Matthew, Simon and Jude." But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 9:12 (KJV) By addressing Matthew specifically, Jesus was announcing that no one would be barred from his movementnot even those who were deemed unredeemable by society. In an attempt to murder him, the monarch makes many attempts, finally nailing him to the ground and setting him ablaze with his own blood on the ground. That said, yes, Matthew could technically be called a scribebut probably not as its often used in the Bible. However, because males began working at a young age maybe as early as 12 that would be regarded unacceptable today, it is possible that estimating their ages would be a suitable solution. He was inspired by the Holy Spirit and learned from Jesus brilliance by actually walking with Him and learning from His teaching. Do you wish you had a greater understanding of the Bible? The education of a Jewish youngster came to an end at the age of fifteen. Were going to look at what the Bible says about Matthew, what we know about the gospel that bears his name, and some other tidbits about this enigmatic apostle. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A young man could just as truly pray that his life is fulfilled in seeing Messiah, that he can now die happy. According to what we can gather from the book of Acts, the early Jesus movement was referred to as The Way (Acts 9:2; Acts 24:14). According to Matthews Gospel, which was written 3040 years after Jesus resurrection, he was in his 20s when he followed Jesus on earth, implying that Matthew was in his 20s when following Jesus on earth. *shrug*. Jesus encountered Matthew at a tax booth in Capernauma city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Pleasurable Perplexity: Reflecting the Holy City. The Jewish Quarterly Review 108, no. This is a term designated for Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the four gospel authors who are considered to be the traditional authors of their respective books. At the time of his call as an Apostle, Peter was living with his wife and his wife's mother. 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. 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. 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.". In the end, this is speculation, and we simply cannot know how old the apostles were. Andre Iguodala compares Stephen Curry to Jesus Christ - "I think I've met the closest thing to Jesus Christ" Iguodala claims he knew Curry was destined for greatness from the moment he joined the Warriors in 2013, and even went as far to compare him to Jesus Christ when praising him Having witnessed this final miracle, the king and his kingdom of man-eaters recognize the one true God and put their faith in Jesus. The exact date of his passing is unclear. Matthew would have had to have lived at the same time as Jesus Christ in order to be considered a follower of Jesus Christ. Matthew, one of Jesus twelve apostles, was present for virtually the whole duration of Jesus public ministry. (See Acts 11:27 for further information.) Matthew is considered one of the Four Evangelists. This is a title reserved for Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Johnthe traditional authors of the four gospels. 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