Matthew in Easton's Bible Dictionary
gift of God, a common Jewish name after the Exile. He was
the
son of Alphaeus, and was a publican or tax-gatherer
at
Capernaum. On one occasion Jesus, coming up from the
side of the
lake, passed the custom-house where Matthew was
seated, and said
to him, "Follow me." Matthew arose and followed him,
and became
his disciple (Matt. 9:9). Formerly the name by which
he was
known was Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27); he now
changed it,
possibly in grateful memory of his call, to Matthew.
The same
day on which Jesus called him he made a "great
feast" (Luke
5:29), a farewell feast, to which he invited Jesus
and his
disciples, and probably also many of old associates.
He was
afterwards selected as one of the twelve (6:15). His
name does
not occur again in the Gospel history except in the
lists of the
apostles. The last notice of him is in Acts 1:13.
The time and
manner of his death are unknown.
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