What does the Bible say about Matthew?
Matthew serves an important role in the Bible as an apostle and the writer of one of the Gospels. He walked and talked with Jesus and shared his version of the life of Christ. Learn more about this important biblical figure for a better understanding of the Bible and the life of the Messiah.
Christian quotes about Matthew
“How did Jesus expect His disciples to react under persecution? (In Matthew 5:12 He said), “Rejoice and be glad!” We are not to retaliate like an unbeliever, nor sulk like a child, nor lick our wound in self-pity like a dog, nor just grin a bear it like a Stoic, still less pretend we enjoy it like a masochist. What then? We are to rejoice as a Christian should and even “leap for joy” John Stott
“Multitudes of people who expect to go to Heaven will go to a Hell of torment. Thousands of “good” people, “moral” people, church members, even church workers – yes, and, alas, even prophets, priests and preachers – will find themselves lost when they expected to be saved, condemned when they expected approval, cast out of Heaven when they expected to be received into eternal bliss. That is the explicit meaning of the words of our Lord…[spoken in Matthew 7:21-23.]” John R. Rice
“You can never truly understand or help others, even in your own family, unless you first look thoroughly into your own life and deal with your own sins without compromise, excuses, or evasion (Matthew 7:1-5). John Broger
Who was Matthew in the Bible?
While the apostle Matthew served an important role in the New Testament, little is known about him. However, we do know he was a follower of Jesus and the writer of one of the four Gospels, an inspired account of the life of Christ, which means it is accurate and true. Some scholars think his Gospel was the first written because it is the longest of the four.
Luke and Mark also call Matthew Levi, the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27). Although Luke and Mark do not flat out say Levi and Matthew are the same person, the way the names are used shows that they are talking about the same person. The name Matthew means gift from God.
When Jesus called Matthew, he left his tax booth right away and went to follow him (Matthew 9:9). He left behind the source of his wealth, choosing instead to follow the Savior. He left his safe and comfortable job to go on a journey, face hardships, and die for his faith. He left his old life to start a new one with Jesus.
1. Mark 2:14 (NKJV) “As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.”
2. Luke 5:27-32 (NIV) “After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
3. Matthew 9:9 “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.”
4. Matthew 10:3 “Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus.”
5. Matthew 9:12–13 (ESV) “But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Who wrote the Book of Matthew In The Bible?
Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew written from a tax collector’s viewpoint. The Gospel of Matthew is well-organized and easy to understand. Matthew does not write this Gospel in order of time but instead groups it into six discussions.
Tax collectors were expected to be able to write in a shorthand style, which meant that Matthew could write down exactly what a person said as they said it. This means that Matthew’s words are not only guided by the Holy Spirit, but they should also be a record of some of Christ’s sermons.
While the author does not specifically mention he is the author, scholars agree Matthew wrote this book based on proof within the book itself. The Gospel of Matthew goes into more detail and talks about money more often than the other gospels. It seems like the author paid special attention to what Jesus said about money, knew more about money, and saw it as a helpful way to understand the Gospel. Several clues in the text show that the author was a Jewish Christian who wrote for other Christians from the same background.
6. Luke 6:15 “Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot.”
7. Acts 1:13 “When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.”
Was Matthew a tax collector?
Yes, Matthew was a tax collector before leaving his life behind to follow Jesus (Matthew 9:9). He served as a tax collector in the town of Capernaum before he became a follower of Christ (Matthew 9:9; 10:3). People in their own country hated tax collectors because they worked for the Roman government and got rich by taking taxes from their own people, often by taking more than they should have (Luke 19:8).
The religious elite thought that tax collectors like Matthew were very bad people, so bad that just spending time with them could ruin a good person’s reputation right away (Matthew 9:10–11). When Jesus had dinner at Matthew’s house with many tax collectors and sinners, the Pharisees asked the disciples about Jesus’ choice of friends. Jesus’ answered, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12–13).
8. Matthew 9:9 (NLT) “As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.”
9. Matthew 9:10 “Later, as Jesus was dining at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples.”
10. Matthew 10:3 (KJV) “Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus.”
What is the Book of Matthew about?
Matthew wanted to show the Jews that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. The Gospel of Matthew quotes the Old Testament more than any other Gospel to show how Jesus fulfilled the words of the Jewish prophets. Also, Matthew goes into detail about how Jesus is related to David and uses a lot of languages that Jews would have been used and known.
Since Matthew was a Jew himself, he wrote about Jesus’ work from a very Jewish point of view. Matthew’s many connections between Jesus and the Old Testament show that Jesus’s ministry was foretold. Additionally, they also show how people in the first century read the Old Testament with a Christ-centered perspective.
11. Matthew 1:1 “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”
12. Matthew 1:20 (ESV) “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
13. Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).”
14. Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
15. Mark 8:29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
16. Matthew 26:63-64 “But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
17. Matthew 4:17 (NASB) “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
18. Matthew 27:17 “Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
19. Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
20. Matthew 3:3 “For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!”
21. Matthew 2:5–6 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
22. Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
23. Matthew 16:15-16 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
24. Matthew 24:44 (NLT) “You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”
25. Matthew 16:13-17 “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.”
26. John 4:25-26 “The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
27. Malachi 3:1 “See, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to His temple, the Messenger of the covenant you desire—see, He is coming,” says the Lord of Hosts.”
28. John 1:41 “He first *found his own brother Simon and *said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).”
29. Ephesians 2:4-5 “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Matthew the Evangelist
Matthew is one of the Four Gospel Writers, the first evangelist besides John the Baptist. Evangelist comes from the Greek word “good news,” which is “evangelion.” With their writings, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John spread the good news about Jesus Christ. After Jesus went up to heaven, Matthew preached the Gospel, as Jesus had told his followers to do. People think that he started Christian communities in Ethiopia and other parts of the African continent. We know from history that he died as a martyr.
30. Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
31. Matthew 10:23 “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”
32. Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
33. Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
34. Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
35. Matthew 24:14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
36. Matthew 9:31 “But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.”
Most Popular Bible Verses from Matthew
Here are popular Bible verses from the book of Matthew
37. Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
38. Matthew 5:43-44: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
39. Matthew 6:9-13: “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
40. Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
41. Matthew 16:26: “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
42. Matthew 22:37-40: “Jesus replied, ‘”Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two.'”
43. Matthew 16:18: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it.”
44. Matthew 27:31: “After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.”
45. Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
46. Matthew 28:5-6: “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.'”
How did Matthew the Apostle Die in the Bible?
No one knows how Matthew died, although he is remembered as a martyr, as no recordings offer this information. Different stories say that he was killed by being stoned, burned, stabbed, or beheaded. One even says that, like John, he died of natural causes.
47. 2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
48. Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
What can we learn from Matthew today?
After 400 years of silent prophets, God’s people must have wondered if He had given up on them. But John and Jesus’ work showed God’s people that He had not forgotten about them. During that time, God was quiet because He was getting ready to pull the key part of His plan to save the world. God had not forgotten about His people; He remembered them as Matthew stated to the Jews.
Matthew wrote for his fellow Jews, many of whom, especially the Pharisees and Sadducees, refused to accept Jesus as their Messiah. Even though they had read and studied the Old Testament for a long time, they could not see the truth about who Jesus was when he came. Matthew offered validity to Jesus written for those seeking the Messiah and to help us understand Jesus better even today.
49. Luke 2:11 “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
50. 1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
51. Titus 2:13 “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.”
Conclusion
God sent His Son to save us all from our sins. The apostle Matthew showed Jesus as Israel’s King and the Messiah. His coming to earth as God in the flesh reminds us of how much He loves us. Now that Jesus has been raised from the dead and ascended, he will always be with us, even until the end of time (Matthew 28:20). As such, the Gospel of Matthew offers a way to learn about the purpose of Christianity. While little is known of Matthew, he brought light to the understanding of Jesus.
