Third and last point: Jesus prophecies about His own death and resurrection add to the dramatic tension of this most ultimate of redemption stories. He also worked as a missionary, bringing the good news to people in different parts of the world. 2023 Proven Way When he was chosen by Jesus to be one of His apostles, Matthew left this prominent and well-paying profession. The Gospel of Matthew was written 30-40 years after Jesus' resurrection, indicating that Matthew was perhaps in his 20s when following Jesus on earth. We dont normally do much in the way of Lent observance around here, but just as Advent is tied to Christmas, Lent is tied to the Passion of Christ and the celebration of the Resurrection. John 18:1-13. Anyone who has done fishing knows that it can be hit and miss while out one the waters. So the Synoptic Gospels actually begin later in Jesus' ministry. 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. In short, Matthew recorded the story of Jesus' life during a time when few people had actually been alive to witness Jesus' miracles or hear His teachings. He was devoted to Jesus, and once he made the decision to serve the Lord, he never looked back. Matthew was an accurate record keeper. But Matthew mentions them 28 times. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. How the disciples could be living and writing about the events of Jesus life as late as 95-100 A.D. As an example, Levi becomes Matthew, which is taken from the Hebrew word meaning gift of Yahweh. Matthew is a fascinating character for theologians and historians since he was not a well-liked individual in his day. 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. The level of craftsmanship with which The Gospel According to Matthewwas written never ceases to astound me. 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. 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 was anti-religious in his views. . The word rendered as wrote could also mean compiled, arranged, or composed. The word for oracles could mean sayings or gospel. And the word for interpreted here could mean translated.. 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. Sermons in Merced by Dr. John Oakes Ezekiel II Dramatic Symbolism. 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. Join our email list, and well send you some of our best free resourcesplus well tell you whenever we make something new. It is reasonable to assume that John was at least 20 years old at the time of the crucifixion, given his ability to care for Jesus mother (John 19:2627). Later apocryphal texts emerged claiming to be written by him, and some early church fathers supported these texts, but the works only survive in fragments and quotations, and modern scholarship is divided on their authorship. Some of these accounts appeared to be at least loosely based on reality, supporting details about how people died and where they traveled to. There is good news beyond Jesus death, although it appears to have escaped Peters awareness, and that good news is that Jesus will be risen from the grave on the third day. It had been 60 years since Jesus had walked with them. While there are credible arguments against his authorship, no alternative writer has been named. This is analogous to how the Gospel of Luke, written by Luke the physician, goes into greater detail and employs more exact medical language when describing maladies. He is also listed among the twelve, but without identification of his background, in Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13. After seeing this final miracle, the king and his kingdom of man-eaters come to realize the one true God and place their trust in Jesus as their Savior. Lessons in Ghana, Liberia, Cote dIvoire and Senegal by John Oakes Lessons in English and French. Joseph's death is not recorded in the Bible. It is supposed that Jesus, as he did in other cases, gave Levi another name, Matthew, meaning "gift of Yahweh." Andrew, Peter, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, worked as fishermen. , . If Jesus gave him the name Matthew or whether he chose it himself, Matthew is a truncation of the name Mattathias, which meaning gift of Yahweh or simply Gods gift. Mattheus arranged a huge goodbye feast at his home in Capernaum on the same day Jesus persuaded him to follow him. The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke all include much of the same materialmiracles, teachings, sayingsand for this reason are similar. It is, however, the end of the story. Matthew was a man who could have moved comfortably in political circles, and his book mentions things that someone in his position would know. Or at least much younger than their Master. Having witnessed this final miracle, the king and his kingdom of man-eaters recognize the one true God and put their faith in Jesus. Your email address will not be published. It seems in the Luke passage that Jesus was entering the home of someone he know. Levi did this promptly. So that would make most of the apostles teenagers when Jesus called them to follow him. Aside from a handful of mentions in the gospels, hes a surprisingly obscure New Testament figure. For example, the Book of Matthew is one of these. Deuteragonist: After Jesus, he is the second-most important character of the story, and since Jesus is the Son of God, Peter's the person getting the most Character Development.Season 3 especially focuses on him overcoming (the first of) his doubts toward Jesus. There are just seven mentions to him in the entire Bible, if you count parallel verses and quotations. Naomi, Simhony. It was also a time when those who chose to follow Jesus by joining the church were being pushed down by an ever-increasing weight of persecution. Fun fact: As a tax collector, Matthew wouldve presumably been great with money, and modern readers would think hed be an ideal candidate for the groups official treasurer. But given the reputation of tax collectors in first-century Judaism, that wouldve been a bad move politicallywhich might be why the disciples gave the job to a guy named Judas Iscariot. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. While Matthew is honored as a martyr, no one knows for sure where or how he died. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, and the traditional author of the firstSynoptic Gospel. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. In passages parallel to Matthew 9:9, both Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 describe Jesus's calling of the tax collector . Peter, Prince of the Apostles. The richer they were, the worse they were assumed to be. You . 0:00. In the first few centuries of the church, countless legends sprouted about the apostlesso many that it essentially became its own genre. At the very least, Jesus motivation to live and die in complete surrender to His Fathers will, knowing that His Fathers goals and mission are the best shows itself in this prophecy when considered in its context. by Ryan Nelson | Apr 1, 2019 | Bible characters. They were all alone there. Despite the fact that there are compelling reasons against his authorship, no alternate author has been identified. John's mother's name was Salome and some say that Salome was . Of whom are Matthew, Philip, Thomas, Levi, and many others. Stromata. The Jewish people shouted in . Why did he not appear to the Pharisees & teachers of the law? As we approach the first of three instances on which Jesus prophesied both His death and resurrection to His followers, Id like to take a minute to look forward to these three occurrences in particular. Matthew 4:18-22 relates that Andrew and Peter were fishing, plying their trade when called, and James and John were mending nets with their father. 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. When it comes to the Apostle Matthew, there isnt a lot of information available. Higher education consisted of studying under the supervision of a local rabbi for individuals who were intelligent (or affluent). How Old Was Jesus When He Began His Ministry? The Gospel of Matthew is typically attributed to Matthew, who is also known as the author of the book. He was loyal to Jesus and once committed, he never wavered in serving the Lord. Remember also that Jesus nicknamed them Sons of Thunder because they were probably either loud or bold, characteristics of youth. In the end, this is speculation, and we simply cannot know how old the apostles were. 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 ). Do you want to be a student or a teacher? The earliest records say he carried out his ministry in Ethiopia (not what we consider Ethiopia, but a region south of the Caspian Sea), Persia, Macedonia, and/or Syria. When he entered the town, he was met by a small delegation of Jewish elders. John was the son of Zebedee who was also a fisherman in Galilee. He gave up the delights of this world in exchange for the assurance of eternal life. One of these signs is Walking on water Feeding the 5,000 Matthew's Gospel names no audience for its message other than that which is implied in its Great Commission. 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. 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. 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. . Are you already a member? The exact date of his passing is unclear. Only one (and its parallels) gives us any substantial details about him. The Bible tells us that Peter had a wife when Jesus cured his mother-in-law, according to Matthew 8:14-15. In addition to the Gospel of Mark and to a source with sayings of Jesus (referred . Others have speculated that Matthew was a bit older than the others because he had a fairly important position as a tax collector. Matthew would have had to have lived at the same time as Jesus Christ in order to be considered a follower of Jesus Christ. It is amazing all the information that Scripture gives us. And as it is said, Jesus' ministry lasted for about 3 to 3 years before he died. Matthew, one of Jesus twelve apostles, was present for virtually the whole duration of Jesus public ministry. He gave lectures near the seaside and from the top of a mountain. Matthew, according to his gospel, heard these words and immediately dropped everything. Consider this: they were concerned about placing a tax collector in charge of their money, but Judas not only stole from the money bag (John 12:6), but he also betrayed Jesus at the end of the story. Dont we have more patience with their blunders and pride? Matthew was the only one who may have been older than the others, except from Peter. In response to an invitation from Jesus, Matthew demonstrated one of the most drastically transformed lives recorded in the Bible. We should not be made to feel unqualified because of our physical appearance, lack of education, or previous experiences in our lives. According to the early church, he composed it, and the attribution according to Matthew was probably first inserted around the time of the first century AD. According to him, money is everything in life and he broke Gods rules in order to enrich himself at the expense of his nation and other people. How did Luke know what Jesus said in the garden if the apostles were asleep? As a result, the majority of the apostles would have been teens when Jesus asked them to join him. In the time of Jesus, a Jewish male could only marry after reaching the age of eighteen. 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. But lets not void Jesus human nature and the nature of his patriarchal cultural. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. Jesus is on the lookout for those who are truly committed. Besides this, Matthew gives Peter a good deal of positive attention in his gospel. In most cases, a young mans discipleship instruction under the supervision of a rabbi begins between the ages of 13 and 15. Copyright 2022 . 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. Certain scholars believe that Matthews Gospel has internally referenced evidence that ties it to Matthews profession, which might suggest that he was the biblical author. The wealthier they were, the worse it was considered that they were. He traveled with Saint Barnabas and Saint Paul on many . He was born to Joseph and Mary sometime between 6 bce and shortly before the death of Herod the Great (Matthew 2; Luke 1:5) in 4 bce. There is very little information available about this apostle. You will be able to see your next lesson in 10 seconds. Do you wish you had a greater understanding of the Bible? Virtually everything we really know about Matthew comes directly from the gospels. Well, no Rabbi would take disciples until age 30, and no disciples would seek out a Rabbi younger than that. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Disciples come in two sexes, male and female. The early church fathers claim he was burned, stoned, stabbed, or beheaded for his faith. He was sitting at his tax collector's desk near the Sea of Galilee when Jesus told him to follow him (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14). Luke 3:23 says that he was about age thirty when he began his ministry. There would be no such thing as a half-hearted belief. This is solely for Peter and Jesus, according to Jesus request. Did Jesus encourage the apostles to break the Sabbath? Almost all we know about Matthew comes straight from the gospels, which is a good thing. They would be instructed to collect a specific amount of money, but they would be able to convince individuals that they owed a different amount, and they would have no ability to contest the amount they said they owed. Your response? For example, consider this passage from the prayer as reported by Matthew and Luke: Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. Luke 11:4 (New International Version) (emphasis added) And forgive us our debts, just as we have forgiven our debtors, says the Lord. Matthew, also called Levi, was the tax collector who Jesus called to follow Him in Luke 5:27 (also mentioned in Matthew 10:3), though he doesn't get much mention after that, except. Additionally, we can assume Jesus' age through the Book of John in which three Passovers are recorded (John 2:13, 6:4, 11:55). Matthew 14:14. Some argue that Levi was this persons tribal namemeaning he belonged to the tribe of Leviand that Matthew was a more personal name. Again, this in itself does not clinch the matter. Since this person was a Jew who worked for the Romans, it wouldnt be surprising to learn that he was known by both names. (Mark 3.16). Verse Concepts. (See Acts 11:27 for further information.) Its message was ultimately intended to go to "all nations." True Including parallel passages, there are just seven mentions of him in the entire Bible. He completed graduate work at Johns Hopkins University, receiving a Masters Degree in Near Eastern Studies in 1979. . 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