In the end, this is speculation, and we simply cannot know how old the apostles were. In the end, this is speculation, and we simply cannot know how old the apostles were. Claims to fame: Matthew works as a tax collector before meeting Jesus. In Exodus 30:14-15, we read that every male over the age of 20 was to pay a tax to maintain the Sanctuary or Temple. The Gospel of Matthew talks about money in more detail and greater frequency than the other gospelssimilar to how the Gospel of Luke, written by Luke the physician, includes greater detail about ailments and uses precise medical terminology. Were going to look at what the Bible says about Matthew, what we know about the gospel that bears his name, and some other tidbits about this enigmatic apostle. John 18:1-13. Most scholars believe Jesus lived from sometime around 4 BC to around 30 or 33 AD. He traded in a life of affluence and security for a life of poverty and unpredictability. At the very least, Jesus motivation to live and die in complete surrender to His Fathers will, knowing that His Fathers goals and mission are the best shows itself in this prophecy when considered in its context. The Hebrews were subject to the sovereignty of the Roman Empire during their lifetime. If it doesnt work, try reloading the page or contacting customer service. There is good news beyond Jesus death, although it appears to have escaped Peters awareness, and that good news is that Jesus will be risen from the grave on the third day. The Transfiguration. Students (or disciples) were often younger than their teachers in Jewish culture. Mattew put together a masterpiece that, like any genuinely great narrative, instills perspective and inspires understanding while constantly directing us to the true Christ. His Story from the Bible Zacchaeus was a tax collector of the city Jericho and learned that Jesus the prophet was passing through the city. Matthew is considered one of the Four Evangelists. This is a title reserved for Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Johnthe traditional authors of the four gospels. There are several conflicting accounts about his death. The level of craftsmanship with which The Gospel According to Matthewwas written never ceases to astound me. Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it? Andre Iguodala compares Stephen Curry to Jesus Christ - "I think I've met the closest thing to Jesus Christ" Iguodala claims he knew Curry was destined for greatness from the moment he joined the Warriors in 2013, and even went as far to compare him to Jesus Christ when praising him He knew the human heart and the longings of the Jewish people. Later, in Matt. How educated he was is really unknown. Your email address will not be published. Some of these accounts appeared to be at least loosely based on reality, supporting details about how people died and where they traveled to. This account is no longer accepted by the majority of researchers today. The scripture that can be confusing in this connection is Mark 1:14-20. Interestingly, Matthew calls this person Matthew, and Mark and Luke call him Levi: As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collectors booth. Besides this, Matthew gives Peter a good deal of positive attention in his gospel. They were most certainly teens by this point, as they were able to leave home to follow a rabbi. What were their professions? And as it is said, Jesus' ministry lasted for about 3 to 3 years before he died. When he authored the Gospel of Matthew some 20 years later, he was able to draw on such characteristics. 17 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James up on a high mountain. According to Matthew 4:21-22, James and John intentionally abandoned their father in the boat in order to follow Jesus. They had an urgent request. You . Its a great introduction to the Bible. Not only do we read the recorded interaction between Jesus and His followers, but as we read the tale, our gaze is drawn to the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ as well. In the same way, Matthew used the word in this passage to call our attention to the direction in which Jesus ministry is now heading. Aside from a handful of mentions in the gospels, he's a surprisingly obscure New Testament figure. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. and Peter saw more of Jesus than Matthew and was a pillar of the early church, so . . John watches as a New Heaven and a New Earth appear in a vision. Follow me, Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. Mark 2:14, After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. This does seem to imply that John was almost certainly less than thirty when he began to follow Jesus. Over 30,000 video lesson and teaching resources are available in one convenient location. Others have speculated that Matthew was a bit older than the others because he had a fairly important position as a tax collector. as members of a sect called the Zealots." However, because males began working at a young age maybe as early as 12 that would be regarded unacceptable today, it is possible that estimating their ages would be a suitable solution. 66 He wore clothing made of camel's hair and ate locusts and wild honey ( Matthew 3:4 ). He agrees to serve as one of the 12 apostles. Lessons in Ghana, Liberia, Cote dIvoire and Senegal by John Oakes Lessons in English and French. As a Jew, stepping into this profession was essentially an act of betrayal to his people. Sermons in Merced by Dr. John Oakes Ezekiel II Dramatic Symbolism. But after that, the consistent picture of the disciples is of an older Peter and James with long beards, some gray hair, or balding heads, clearly middle aged, and clearly older than their strapping young Rabbi. When it comes to the Apostle Matthew, theres not much to go on. For example, his account of the Resurrection tells that those assigned to guard the Savior's tomb saw two angels roll back the stone that covered the door of the tomb. "The evidence from Josephus suggests that it was not until about 68 C.E. The Apostle Matthew, also known as Saint Matthew and Levi, was one of Jesus Christs twelve disciples and was born in the city of Nazareth. Matthew the apostle had previously worked as a dishonest tax collector motivated solely by avarice, until Jesus Christ picked him to be one of his disciples. Some believe that Matthews involvement as an eyewitness to the events of the Gospel of Matthew is evidence that he did not write the Gospel of Matthew. The disciples were most likely not middle-aged men, as shown in historical films and even in the most recent television miniseries, The Bible, which is currently showing. Jesus also referred to them as small children, which might have been a reference to the fact that they were several years younger than He. in that of "Simon who is called (or named) Peter" (Matthew 10:2), a new name was given that practically superseded the old. As a tax collector, Matthews job wouldve involved meticulously recording and documenting tax information. But thats all there is to it. All the other early records of Matthews death claim he was martyred, but they disagree about how or where it happened. New Testament citations: John 1:29, John 1:36, John 19:33, John 19:36, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, 1 Peter 1:19. Matthew was a tax collector. Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. It was also a time when those who chose to follow Jesus by joining the church were being pushed down by an ever-increasing weight of persecution. One may assume that since he was running a fishing business when he met Jesus that he was "in his early thirties, born, like Jesus, some time before the turn of the century," (Thiede). Tax collectors were sinners by trade, lying and cheating their way into riches and robbing from even the poorest among their people. Only one (and its parallels) gives us any substantial details about him. Matthew, Mark, and Luke have parallel accounts of Jesus calling a tax collector to become a disciple. No one has ever heard of Jesus concept of loving everyone. In an attempt to murder him, the monarch makes many attempts, finally nailing him to the ground and setting him ablaze with his own blood on the ground. Peter, Prince of the Apostles. In addition to Matthews works, there are additional ancient Christian and Gnostic texts concerning him or even claiming to have been written by him, some of which surfaced hundreds of years after his death (such as the so-calledGospel of Pseudo-Matthew.) It had been 60 years since Jesus had walked with them. To learn the history of John, the disciple of Jesus, we begin with his life before he met Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew was written 30-40 years after Jesus' resurrection, indicating that Matthew was perhaps in his 20s when following Jesus on earth. . Well, no Rabbi would take disciples until age 30, and no disciples would seek out a Rabbi younger than that. No, Matthew wasnt a shady writer in the traditional sense. According to the early church, he composed it, and the attribution according to Matthew was probably first inserted around the time of the first century AD. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is incomparably more valuable than money, celebrity, and power. As we approach the first of three instances on which Jesus prophesied both His death and resurrection to His followers, Id like to take a minute to look forward to these three occurrences in particular. Follow me, Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:2728. As Jesus continued his journey, he came upon a guy called Matthew who was working at the tax collectors booth. He traveled with Saint Barnabas and Saint Paul on many . 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. It is in Matthew 16:21 (ESV) that we find the first prophecy, which states: From that point on, Jesus started to teach his followers that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elder and chief priest and scribes, and be crucified, and on the third day be risen. (Matthew 16:21, English Standard Version) Matthew distinguishes this section from the others by beginning it with the words From that time. The usage of this word earlier in the book, when Matthew uses it to stress the commencement and direction of Jesus mission while stating His primary message: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, may bring this phrase back to your memory (Matthew 4:17 ESV). There are a number of contradicting tales of how he passed away. However, scholars say that the Gospel According to Saint Matthew, although later attributed to. Tradition mentions his ministry inJudaea, following which he is said to have embarked on a journey to the East, which might have taken him to Ethiopia or Persia. It feels like a lifeline to me right now. If the brothers were grown men, Salomes obstinacy would be quite incomprehensible. According to the Gospels, it appears that a handful of Jesus initial disciples changed their names after becoming followers of Jesus (remember that Simon becomes Peter). God has the ability to utilize anybody to assist him in his job. Aside from a handful of mentions in the gospels, hes a surprisingly obscure New Testament figure. So all of this suggests a very startling, and in some ways endearing picture of the disciples. In its place, Matthew began collecting souls for the kingdom of God, rather than tax money, from that point forth. In short, Matthew recorded the story of Jesus' life during a time when few people had actually been alive to witness Jesus' miracles or hear His teachings. And as to the plausibility of them being young enough to still be around to write about all this in the 60s 90s, there is no problem at all. Additional evidence may be found in Matthew 17:24-27. . The earliest evidence that he may have written it comes from Papias of Hierapolis, as quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea in Church History: So then Matthew wrote the oracles in the Hebrew language, and every one interpreted them as he was able.. Today, the physical movie theater remains a popular destination for teens, mostly because it provides them with opportunities to meet up with friends, go on dates, hang out, and so on. Why did he not appear to the Pharisees & teachers of the law? Matthew the Apostle was the author of one of the four gospels included in the New Testament of the Bible. The children had a forceful mother called Salome, who insisted on arranging where they would sit at the dinner table with Jesus. Matthew 9:9-13 is a Bible verse that describes the life of Jesus. 4 Hurley believes "the foundation-stone of Jesus's attitude toward women was his vision of them as persons to whom and for whom he had come. No other disciples wives are mentioned in the Bible at any other time. The king repeatedly makes moves to try and kill him, eventually having him nailed to the ground and lit on fire. According to Matthews Gospel, which was written 3040 years after Jesus resurrection, he was in his 20s when he followed Jesus on earth, implying that Matthew was in his 20s when following Jesus on earth. Tc gi: www.britannica.com There are just one or two (and their counterparts) that provide us with any meaningful information about him. Scholars have speculated that all of them were less than 30 years old simply because they took the role of student to the "Rabbi" Jesus and this was traditional. John, his brother James, Peter, and Andrew were all partners in the fishing business before they became disciples of Jesus. When it comes to the Apostle Matthew, there isnt a lot of information available. And, despite the fact that he was a religious outsider, Jesus elevated him to a prominent position inside what would later become the worlds greatest religion. We know that John lived until about AD 96 or 97, which is about 66 years after Jesus died. ' But go and find out what it means when someone says, I wish mercy, not sacrifice. I have not come to summon the righteous, but sinners,' says the Lord. Neophilologus 87 (1) (01): 137-151. Its as if my teacher waved a magic wand and took care of everything for me. Discover interesting information about the life and career of this former publican who became an evangelist, as well as his death and contributions to history. The Gospels are the four books that make up this collection. As one of the twelve apostles, Matthew was there throughout almost all of Jesus ministry. I have never heard anyone claim this was the Simon's first encounter with Jesus. Fun fact: As a tax collector, Matthew wouldve presumably been great with money, and modern readers would think hed be an ideal candidate for the groups official treasurer. But given the reputation of tax collectors in first-century Judaism, that wouldve been a bad move politicallywhich might be why the disciples gave the job to a guy named Judas Iscariot. They traveled with Jesus for seven miles without knowing who he was, but came to realize who he was when they had dinner with him. Throughout the first several decades of the church, a plethora of tales concerning the apostles arose, becoming so numerous that it virtually established its own genre. Now, God, Himself, will dwell with the people . Foxes Book of Martyrs also lends support to the martyrdom narrative of Matthew, saying that he was killed in the city of Nabadar with a halberd (a combined spear and battleax). Two, because we find them working in trades at the time Jesus calls them, none of the disciples likely were star students. during the Roman-Judean War that one of the revolutionary factions came to identify itself formally as the Zealots. As we come to see Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, and the Savior, may we also recognize that in order for any of this to be real, He had to take the route of the cross. The Greek word for . However, there are a few observations that may be made about their ages. When Jesus called Matthew to follow him, he was a tax collector (or publican)one of the most reviled professions in ancient Judaism. Or at least much younger than their Master. What is the relationship between the Abrahamic Covenant and the Mosaic Covenant? According to Matthew 9:9 and Mark 2:14, Matthew was sitting by the customs house in Capernaum (near modern Almagor, Israel, on the Sea of Galilee) when Jesus called him into his company. Although born in Bethlehem, according to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was a Galilean from Nazareth, a village near Sepphoris, one of the two major cities of Galilee ( Tiberias was the other). Because of this, the Pharisees questioned his disciples, Why is your teacher eating with tax collectors and sinners? They were perplexed. With the disciples, its possible that we had a Young Guns-style cast. Hes mentioned in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), and listed among the disciples in Acts. While Matthew is honored as a martyr, no one knows for sure where or how he died. Why was Jesus regarded odd by the establishment? This prophecy of His own death and resurrection aimed to let people recognize Him as Christ in the proper light, for to confess Him as Christ while denying Him the cross would be to have incorrect expectations of what He was capable of. Those appointed to be tax collectors had a job for life. In order for him to teach in the Temple area in Jerusalem, he would have had to have a pedigree that allowed it. Another relevant fact is that John lived until at least AD96 when Revelation was written, which is 66 years after Jesus died. 3 Then two men were there, talking with him. Pleasurable Perplexity: Reflecting the Holy City. The Jewish Quarterly Review 108, no. 64 views, 2 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 3 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Mt. Despite the fact that Matthew is revered as a martyr, no one knows for certain where or how he perished. Major Themes How old were the apostles when they began to follow Jesus? Lets get to know Matthew a bit better because he was the founder of the largest religion on the planet at the time of writing this article. St. Matthew, also called St. Matthew the Evangelist, St. Matthew the Apostle, or Levi, (flourished 1st century ce, Palestine; Western feast day September 21, Eastern feast day November 16), one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and the traditional author of the first Synoptic Gospel (the Gospel According to Matthew ). He said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed him." (Matthew 9:9) The end. It seems in the Luke passage that Jesus was entering the home of someone he know. Since Zacchaeus was "short in stature," he ran ahead. Papias of Hierapolis, who was referenced byEusebius of Caesarea inChurch History, provides the first indication that he may have authored it: So then Matthew penned the oracles in the Hebrew tongue, and every one interpreted them as he was able. A similar claim was made by Irenaeus in his work Against Heresies, which was published between 130 and 202 AD. As the author of the Gospel of Matthew, he has historically been recognized as such. degree in Hebrew and Old Testament at Capital Bible Seminary (1975, summa cum laude). Matthew was a tax collector , so financially he was stable , but the jews hated all tax collectors as they worked for the mighty Romans, but once he met Jesus his life was changed. Tax collectors earned a reputation for telling people they owed more than they did and pocketing the difference. He may or may not have been that well educated. While there are credible arguments against his authorship, no alternative writer has been named. The majority of experts think that Jesus lived from from 4 BC to approximately 30 or 33 AD. In Matthew 17:24, he tells us the precise amount of the temple tax: After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, Doesnt your teacher pay the temple tax?. New Testament citations: John 1:29, John 19:36, 1 Corinthians,., he would have had to have a pedigree that allowed it or where it.! Revered as a Jew, stepping into this profession was essentially an act of betrayal his... The twelve apostles, Matthew how old was matthew when he met jesus Peter a good deal of positive attention in his Gospel, isnt! ; ministry lasted for about 3 to 3 years before he died. you! 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