St. Matthew (Levi) the Apostle

Saint Matthew, also known as Levi son of Alphaeus, occupies a unique place among the Twelve Apostles as one who was dramatically transformed from a despised tax collector into a herald of the Gospel. Born in Galilee, he worked as a publican—a tax collector for the Roman occupation—at the customs post in Capernaum. In first-century Jewish society, tax collectors were considered the worst of sinners, traitors who collaborated with pagan oppressors and enriched themselves by extorting their own people.

Yet it was to this very man, seated at his tax booth counting his ill-gotten gains, that our Lord Jesus Christ directed His life-changing call. The Gospel records the moment with striking simplicity: Jesus saw Matthew sitting at the tax office and said to him, "Follow Me." Without hesitation, without negotiation, Matthew immediately arose, left everything behind—his lucrative position, his wealth, his former life—and followed Christ. This instant response reveals a soul that recognized divine authority and hungered for righteousness despite his sinful occupation.

To celebrate his newfound calling and to introduce his former associates to the Master who had shown him mercy, Matthew prepared a great feast at his house. He invited Jesus, the disciples, and many other tax collectors and sinners—those whom polite society shunned and religious leaders condemned. This banquet became a powerful demonstration of Christ's mission: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

When the Pharisees and scribes criticized Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners, our Lord responded with words that would echo through the ages: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." Matthew's feast thus became not merely a celebration of one man's conversion, but a prophetic sign of the Kingdom of God—a Kingdom where the lost are found, the outcast are welcomed, and sinners are transformed into saints through divine grace and mercy.

Saint Matthew holds the distinction of writing the first Gospel in the canonical order of the New Testament. According to ancient tradition preserved by the Church Fathers—including Papias, Irenaeus, Origen, and Eusebius—Matthew composed his Gospel originally in Hebrew (or Aramaic) for the Jewish Christians of Palestine, approximately eight years after the Ascension of our Lord, around 41-50 AD. This makes it the earliest written account of Christ's life and teachings.

Matthew's Gospel is uniquely structured to present Jesus as the promised Messiah, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He begins with the genealogy of Christ, tracing His lineage through Abraham and David, establishing His royal and covenantal credentials. Throughout his Gospel, Matthew repeatedly uses the phrase "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet," connecting the life of Christ to the ancient Hebrew Scriptures. His account includes the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord's Prayer, and numerous parables found nowhere else, making it the most comprehensive catechetical text in the early Church.

As a former tax collector, Matthew was uniquely qualified for this task—he was literate, skilled in record-keeping, trained in multiple languages, and accustomed to precise documentation. The Holy Spirit worked through these natural abilities, transforming a man who once counted coins into one who would count souls for the Kingdom. His Gospel became the bridge between the Old and New Covenants, demonstrating how Christ fulfilled the Law and the Prophets while inaugurating a new era of grace and truth.

After Pentecost, Saint Matthew remained in Palestine for several years, preaching and teaching among the Jewish people. According to the Syriac Orthodox tradition and the testimony of early Church historians, he later traveled far beyond the borders of Judea to evangelize distant lands. His missionary journeys took him through Syria, Persia (modern-day Iran), Macedonia, and eventually to Ethiopia (which in ancient times referred to the regions south of Egypt, including parts of modern Sudan and Ethiopia).

In Ethiopia, Saint Matthew performed numerous miracles in the name of Christ, healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. Through these signs and wonders, accompanied by his powerful preaching of the Gospel, he converted multitudes to the Christian faith, including members of the royal household. He ordained bishops and priests, established churches, and laid the foundation for what would become one of the most ancient Christian communities in the world.

The circumstances of his martyrdom vary in different traditions. According to the most widely accepted account in the Syriac Orthodox Church, Saint Matthew was celebrating the Divine Liturgy when soldiers sent by the local king burst into the church and martyred him at the altar. Other traditions state he was stabbed with a spear or sword while preaching. Regardless of the precise manner, all accounts agree that he received the crown of martyrdom around the year 74 AD, sealing his testimony to Christ with his own blood. His relics were later translated and are venerated in various locations, with portions traditionally believed to rest in Salerno, Italy.

Matthew's Gospel is characterized by its systematic presentation of Christ's teaching ministry. The five great discourses—the Sermon on the Mount, the Mission Discourse, the Parables of the Kingdom, the Discourse on the Church, and the Eschatological Discourse—form the theological backbone of his work. Each discourse is carefully structured and concludes with a formula phrase, demonstrating Matthew's skill as a teacher and organizer of divine truth.

The Gospel emphasizes Christ as King, Teacher, and Judge. Matthew presents Jesus as the new Moses who ascends the mountain to deliver the New Law, as the promised Son of David who establishes an eternal Kingdom, and as Emmanuel—God with us—who fulfills every promise made to Israel. His account of the Passion and Resurrection is marked by attention to detail and theological depth, revealing how Christ's suffering and victory accomplished the salvation of the world.

In the Syriac Orthodox tradition, the Gospel of Matthew has always held a place of special honor. It is the Gospel most frequently read in the liturgy, and its themes of mercy, repentance, and divine calling resonate deeply with our understanding of God's boundless love for sinners. Matthew himself stands as living proof that no one is beyond redemption, that Christ calls not the righteous but sinners, and that the greatest saints are often those who were once the greatest sinners.