Matthew, also called Levi, was a tax collector at Capernaum who was called by Jesus to follow him and became one of the twelve apostles; he is traditionally identified as the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
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Life & Story
Before his call, Matthew worked as a tax collector sitting at the toll booth, a profession that in Jewish society of his day placed him alongside sinners and Gentiles, since tax collectors served the Roman authorities and often profited at the expense of their own people. According to the Gospel of Matthew, as Jesus passed by He saw him and simply said, "Follow me," and Matthew immediately arose and followed Him — a brief and powerful call matched by an equally decisive response. The Gospel of Luke records the same event under his original name, Levi, describing him as a publican sitting at the place of toll whom Jesus called to follow. After his call, Matthew hosted a great feast at his house for Jesus, inviting other tax collectors and guests to sit at table with the Lord, marking the transition from his old life to his new vocation. He was later numbered among the twelve apostles and followed Jesus through His ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. Early church tradition identifies this former tax collector as the author of the Gospel of Matthew, a work centered on the theme of the Kingdom of Heaven, rich in Old Testament quotation, and commissioning the gospel to be carried to all nations. Matthew's life bears witness to how grace reaches those held in low regard by society: the tax collector Levi became the apostle Matthew. The penmanship once used for accounts books was transformed into the writing of a gospel. His story stands for everyone summoned by the Lord to leave behind an old trade and follow the Savior, and his name reminds readers that, in the Kingdom of Heaven, the call does not ask about a person's former occupation or status.