Feast of St. Matthew – Apostle & Evangelist | September 21st
- RevShirleyMurphy
- Sep 25
- 6 min read
Little is known about St. Matthew, except that he was the son of Alpheus, and he was likely born in Galilee. He worked as a tax collector, which was a hated profession during the time of Christ.
On September 21st, Christians worldwide celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew, a day dedicated to honouring the remarkable life and enduring legacy of one of the beloved apostles. Known both as Matthew and Levi in the Bible, this apostle underwent a profound transformation through his encounter with Jesus, going from a despised tax collector to a cherished disciple and a prominent figure in the early church. As we delve into the story of St. Matthew’s life, we uncover not only the profound meaning behind his transformation but also his enduring legacy.
Christians commemorate Matthew, a former tax collector who became one of Jesus's disciples and the author of the first book of the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew. His feast day celebrates his transformation and his enduring legacy as a writer and messenger of the Good News.
St. Matthew was one of the Twelve Apostles called by Our Lord. He is most known for his profession as a tax collector and his role as one of the four evangelists. The Church celebrates the feast of this great Saint out of reverence for his role as an Apostle of Christ, his Gospel writings, and his work of evangelization.
Matthew was the son of Alpheus (Mark 2:14) and was likely a Galilean. He was a tax collector at Capharnaum and because of this was despised by the Pharisees. When he was called by Jesus, Matthew arose and followed Him and threw Him a feast in his house, where tax-gatherers and sinners sat together with Christ and His disciples. This drew forth a protest from the Pharisees whom Jesus rebuked with these words, “I came not to call the just, but sinners.”
Matthew is spoken of five times in the New Testament: first in Matthew 9:9, when called by Jesus to follow Him, and then four times in the list of the Apostles, where he is mentioned in the seventh (Luke 6:15, and Mark 3:18), and again in the eighth place (Matthew 10:3, and Acts 1:13).
From Matthew we know of the many doings of Christ and the message Christ spread of salvation for all people who come to God through Him. The Gospel account of Matthew tells the same story as that found in the other three Gospels, so scholars are certain of its authenticity. His book is the first of the four Gospels in the New Testament.
Many years following the death of Christ, around 41 and 50 AD, Matthew wrote his gospel account. He wrote the book in Aramaic in the hope that his account would convince his fellow people that Jesus was the Messiah and that His kingdom had been fulfilled in a spiritual way. It was an important message at a time when almost everyone was expecting the return of a militant messiah brandishing a sword.
It is thought he departed for other lands to escape persecution sometime after 42 AD. According to various legends he fled to Parthia and Persia, or Ethiopia. Nothing is recorded of Matthew's passing. We do not know how he died, if his death was natural or if he was martyred.
Saint Matthew was most likely born as Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Though nothing is known about his childhood, Levi became a tax collector for the Roman authorities. The name “Levi” implies that he was from the Tribe of Levi, the tribe responsible for Jewish liturgical worship. Though scholars cannot arrive at a definitive conclusion about the details of his life, it is almost universally accepted that the Levi mentioned in Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 is the same person mentioned in Matthew 9:9 by the name Matthew. Levi might have been his original name, and Matthew may have been the name given to him by Jesus upon his conversion. The name Matthew means “Gift of Yahweh.”
Levi’s call to follow Jesus was short but profound. He was a man clearly weighed down by his decision to betray his Levitical heritage by working for the Roman authorities to collect taxes for them. He might have been corrupt, greedy, and ostracized by his Jewish community. Most likely, his tax collecting took place in Capernaum, where Jesus had been living in Peter’s home. His duties likely involved gathering taxes on goods that came to Capernaum by way of the Sea of Galilee, as well as collecting a toll from those who arrived in that city by boat. When Jesus began His public ministry, many people took notice. Though there is no biblical account of Matthew listening to Jesus preach prior to his being called, it is reasonable to assume that he did hear about our Lord, and possibly even listened to Him preach in Capernaum. Matthew’s Gospel relates the conversion of the tax collector this way, “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9). There was no hesitancy. In an instant, the tax collector’s life changed.
Immediately after Matthew abandoned his occupation, he invited Jesus to dine at his house and Jesus accepted. Dining with them were other tax collectors and sinners. As a result, the self-righteous Pharisees quickly condemned Jesus for associating Himself with these men. Jesus, however, rebukes the Pharisees, saying, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Matthew 9:12–13).
Jesus’ call and Matthew’s response sent shockwaves through the rigid Jewish authorities. They had grown accustomed to making judgment and issuing condemnation. They were politically minded powermongers who lacked hearts of mercy. When Jesus arrived and acted with mercy for sinners, desiring their conversion, the Pharisees opposed Him, but the sinners responded. Though tax collectors like Matthew were wealthy and lived comfortably, Matthew found something in Jesus that his money could not produce.
Throughout the rest of the Gospels, Matthew’s name is listed with the Twelve. He was present at the Ascension and at Pentecost where he received his commission and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the other Apostles. Early Church Fathers state that he remained for some time in Judea, preaching the Gospel and helping the newly formed Church. It is during this period that he might have penned his Gospel. It is also commonly held by the Church Fathers that Matthew eventually went to “Ethiopia,” but not Ethiopia in northeast Africa. Instead, he might have travelled to the territory south of the Caspian Sea, modern-day Iran or Armenia.
One legend holds that while in the territory of ancient Ethiopia, Matthew made many converts. Among them were King Egyptus and his whole household, including his daughter Ephigenia. Matthew is said to have consecrated Princess Ephigenia as a virgin and set her over a newly formed company of virgins who gave their lives solely to Christ as His spouses. When King Egyptus died, Hyracus succeeded him as king and wanted to take Ephigenia as his wife. After making this request to Matthew, Matthew invited the new king to church to be instructed in marriage. Once the king arrived in pomp and circumstance, Matthew preached clearly that the virgin Ephigenia already had a spouse, her Lord Jesus Christ, and that she could, therefore, marry no other. Outraged, King Hyracus sent an assassin who stabbed Matthew in the back and killed him while he stood at the altar. The king then ordered that Ephigenia’s home be burned, but the legend continues that Saint Matthew appeared at the house and redirected the fire to the royal palace, which burned down. Shortly afterward, the king was afflicted with leprosy and killed himself, and his son became possessed by demons but later repented at Saint Matthew’s tomb. After this, King Hyracus’ brother became king and established Christianity as the official religion of his kingdom.
The most enduring gift Saint Matthew left behind is his Gospel. Though some modern scholars question whether he was the original author, early Church Fathers attribute the first Gospel to him unequivocally. Matthew’s Gospel was written by a Jew for his fellow Jews. It was most likely written in Hebrew and Aramaic and later translated into Greek. The original Hebrew and Aramaic texts no longer exist. His Gospel clearly shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, the long-awaited Messiah. He begins with a lengthy genealogy in which he traces Jesus’ roots back to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation.
Matthew’s Gospel is well structured and organized, offering five major discourses in which he presents the Kingdom of Heaven, the Church’s foundation on Peter, the call to righteousness and obedience to God’s will, unique parables, and the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount especially portrays Jesus as the new Moses, offering the New Law on the new mountain. Though Moses received the Law from God on Mount Sinai, Jesus gives the New Law as God Himself on the Mount of the Beatitudes.
As we honour Saint Matthew, we also celebrate the Gospel itself. Matthew was but a human instrument; the content of his Gospel is the Living Word of God. Ponder the inestimable value of this Gospel that God has used to transform countless lives. By his simple obedience to the will of God, Saint Matthew’s efforts have been exponentially fruitful and will continue to be so until the end of the age.
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