Matthew was one of the twelve apostles. His Gospel was probably the first written, though the order of the books of the Bible does not always correspond with their date. Matthew’s is not the longest gospel, in spite of its containing the most chapters.
Perhaps you do not all know that chapters and verses are comparatively recent divisions; they are not in the Hebrew and Greek originals, and it were well had man not introduced them. In the year A.D. 1240, however, Cardinal Hugo separated the books into chapters, and this was seen for the first time in Wycliffe’s Bible, in A.D. 1380. Three hundred years later, in A.D. 1560, the chapters were subdivided into verses by Robert Stephens on his way from Paris to Lyons, and they so appeared in the Geneva Bible then being printed.
Matthew’s own account of his call is contained in one verse (9:9), and he alone styles himself “Matthew the publican,” in the lists of the apostles. Considering how the publicans were hated by the Jews, it would have been natural had he omitted this, but if Jesus was not ashamed to call him to follow Him, Matthew is not ashamed of the truth about his previous life, and afterward never mentions himself, nor does he even add that he made Jesus a “great feast” — he sought not honor from men. This is a good lesson for us. The more we know of Jesus, the less we shall find to say of ourselves. Mark and Luke call him Levi, son of Alphaeus.
Judea was a Roman province, and taxed like one. A publican was a person who fanned the taxes — i.e., he paid a certain fixed sum to the government, and what he collected was then his own. These men often employed others to collect, who, in turn, extorted what they could over and above for themselves; they were generally Jews, lightly esteemed by their brethren, and classed with “sinners” — with such the Lord sat at meat in Matthew’s house.
Every gospel has its own character, and each writer presents the Lord to us in a different aspect. Matthew sets Him forth as Son of Abraham and David, and in connection with His people Israel. His genealogy through Joseph is given, for by law He was accounted his son. He is the King who comes to reign, but withal Emmanuel the Saviour, the Jehovah-Jesus who should forgive His people’s sins and heal their diseases. (Isa. 53:44Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4), Psa. 103:33Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Psalm 103:3).) He came to fuill this to Israel: He touched the leper, He healed the sick, he raised the dead, He cast out devils, He calmed the sea, He forgave sins, He gave sight to the blind; the dumb spake, and to the poor the gospel was preached (chaps. 8, 9). He did all that would prove Him to be the expected Messiah. He was more than a prophet, greater than John, greater than Jonas or Solomon (chaps. 11, 12). Yet they refused Him (11:19, 12:10, 14, 24, 34-45). Rejected by those to whom He came, He goes outside to “whosoever” will (12:50, 13:1, 2), and teaches by parables. The kingdom of heaven is one of Matthew’s great subjects; the King who was refused on earth would rule from heaven, and all that goes on in His name down here during His absence is within the kingdom of the heavens.
The Lord’s last journey to Jerusalem begins at chapter 20:29, and ends in the cross where He gave His life a ransom for many. The ascension is not mentioned by Matthew. Let these few words about this beautiful Gospel eourage us to read it afresh for ourselves.
ML 08/30/1959