Matthew evangelist

St. Matthew the Evangelist

San Matthew Biography and life

Few things are certain handed down to us around San Matteo. His name in Hebrew which means gift of God. He was the son of a certain Alpheus, not to be confused, however, with the father of James the lesser, he had the office of tax collector. His vocation to the Apostolate is narrated by both Mark and Luke with the name of Levi or Matthew.

It can be deduced that Levi was the name of when he was a tax collector while after the conversion Matteo was called. His conversation took place in Capernaum, a city given to industry and commerce, where he practiced his profession as a tax collector. Like the other apostles, he closely followed Jesus and witnessed the many wonders wrought by the Lord and the many disputes with the Pharisees. He was present at the last supper and accompanied him to the garden of Olives. He witnessed his resurrection and received the mission to preach the gospel worldwide.

He was the author of the first Gospel and preached the aforementioned gospel for fifteen years first in Palestine and then went to preach it in other districts such as Pontus, Arabia etc. always leading an austere life.

Matthew the Evangelist wrote the sayings and deeds of the Lord not in order but as he heard them preach from St. Peter. The Apostle did not write an orderly narration of the things concerning the Lord according to the need of the hearers.

Matthew having become an apostle, after preaching the faith to the Jews, having to leave to proclaim the good news to other people, wrote the Gospel in Hebrew, or in Aramaic which was spoken in Palestine at the time, leaving it to those whom he abandoned, so that he would make up for the lack of his presence, earmarking him for the Jews. He wrote it in Palestine and assigned it to Christian readers who had converted from Judaism and they knew perfectly the Jewish customs and were in danger of being seduced and misled by false Jewish doctors.

Many critics and historians believe that the composition of the first Gospel is to be placed around the year 40 and 50 AD. A Greek version was made towards the end of the Greek version.

The Evangelist wanted to demonstrate that Jesus is the true Messiah promised to Israel, the true founder and legislator of the messianic kingdom, which must extend to all peoples.
To this end, more than any other Evangelist St. Matthew appeals to the ancient prophecies concerning the Messiah, showing them fully fulfilled in Jesus Christ; he stops to talk about what refers to legislation, organization, development, and the leaders of the messianic kingdom and at the same time shows how Jesus left no stone unturned to induce the Jews to faith.

San Matthew Parables Index

1. The slave without mercy
2. The workers of the vineyard
3. The lost sheep
4. . The wise and the foolish builders
5. The faithful and wise slave
6. The ten girls
7. The sower
8. Children on the market square
9. The two children
10. . The good gifts of the Father
11. The talents
12. Weed in wheat
13. The net
14. The final judgment
15. The initial banquet
16. The evil tenants
17. The mustard grain
18. The yeast
19. The treasure in the field
20. The pearl of great value
21. The fig
22. The lamp under a bushel