called also Levi, was the son of Alpheus, but probably not of
that Alpheus who was the father of the Apostle James the less. He was a
native of Galilee; but it is not known in what city of that country he
was born, or to what tribe of the people of Israel he belonged. Though a
Jew, he was a publican or tax-gatherer under the Romans; and his office
seems to have consisted in collecting the customs due upon commodities
which were carried, and from persons who passed, over the lake of
Gennesareth. Our Saviour commanded him, as he was sitting at the place
where he received these customs, to follow him. He immediately obeyed;
and from that time he became a constant attendant upon our Saviour, and
was appointed one of the twelve Apostles. St. Matthew, soon after his
call, made an entertainment at his house, at which were present Christ
and some of his disciples, and also several publicans. After the
ascension of our Saviour, he continued, with the other Apostles, to
preach the Gospel for some time in Judea; but as there is no farther
account of him in any writer of the first four centuries, we must
consider it as uncertain into what country he afterward went, and
likewise in what manner and at what time he died.
In the few writings which remain of the apostolical fathers, Barnabas,
Clement of Rome, Hermas, Ignatius, and Polycarp, there are manifest
allusions to several passages in St. Matthew’s Gospel; but the Gospel
itself is not mentioned in any one of them. Papias, the companion of
Polycarp, is the earliest author on record who has expressly named St.
Matthew as the writer of a Gospel; and we are indebted to Eusebius for
transmitting to us this valuable testimony. The work itself of Papias is
lost; but the quotation in Eusebius is such as to convince us that in
the time of Papias no doubt was entertained of the genuineness of St.
Matthew’s Gospel. This Gospel is repeatedly quoted by Justin Martyr, but
without mentioning the name of St. Matthew. It is both frequently
quoted, and St. Matthew mentioned as its author, by Irenæus, Origen,
Athanasius, Cyril, Epiphanius, Jerom, Chrysostom, and a long train of
subsequent writers. It was, indeed, universally received by the
Christian church; and we do not find that its genuineness was
controverted by any early profane writer. We may therefore conclude,
upon the concurrent testimony of antiquity, that this Gospel is rightly
ascribed to St. Matthew. It is generally agreed, upon the most
satisfactory evidence, that St. Matthew’s Gospel was the first which was
written; but though this is asserted by many ancient authors, none of
them, except Irenæus and Eusebius, have said any thing concerning the
exact time at which it was written. The only passage in which the former
of these fathers mentions this subject, is so obscure, that no positive
conclusion can be drawn from it; Dr. Lardner, and Dr. Townson,
understand it in very different senses; and Eusebius, who lived a
hundred and fifty years after Irenæus, barely says, that Matthew wrote
his Gospel just before he left Judea to preach the religion of Christ in
other countries; but when that was, neither he nor any other ancient
author informs us with certainty. The impossibility of settling this
point upon ancient authority has given rise to a variety of opinions
among moderns. Of the several dates assigned to this Gospel, which
deserve any attention, the earliest is A.D. 38, and the latest, A.D. 64.
It appears very improbable that the Christians should be left any
considerable number of years without a written history of our Saviour’s
ministry. It is certain that the Apostles, immediately after the descent
of the Holy Ghost, which took place only ten days after the ascension of
our Saviour into heaven, preached the Gospel to the Jews with great
success; and surely it is reasonable to suppose, that an authentic
account of our Saviour’s doctrines and miracles would very soon be
committed to writing, for the confirmation of those who believed in his
divine mission, and for the conversion of others; and, more
particularly, to enable the Jews to compare the circumstances of the
birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus with their ancient prophecies
relative to the Messiah; and we may conceive that the Apostles would be
desirous of losing no time in writing an account of the miracles which
Jesus performed, and of the discourses which he delivered, because the
sooner such an account was published, the easier it would be to inquire
into its truth and accuracy; and, consequently, when these points were
satisfactorily ascertained, the greater would be its weight and
authority. We must own that these arguments are so strong in favour of
an early publication of some history of our Saviour’s ministry, that we
cannot but accede to the opinion of Jones, Wetstein, and Dr. Owen, that
St. Matthew’s Gospel was written A.D. 38.
There has also of late been great difference of opinion concerning the
language in which this Gospel was originally written. Among the ancient
fathers, Papias, as quoted by Eusebius, Irenæus, Origen, Cyril,
Epiphanius, Chrysostom, and Jerom, positively assert that it was written
by St. Matthew in Hebrew, that is, in the language then spoken in
Palestine; and indeed Dr. Campbell says, that this point was not
controverted by any author for fourteen hundred years. Erasmus was one
of the first who contended that the present Greek is the original; and
he has been followed by Le Clerc, Wetstein, Basnage, Whitby, Jortin,
Hug, and many other learned men. On the other hand, Grotius, Du Pin,
Simon, Walton, Cave, Hammond, Mill, Michaëlis, Owen, and Campbell have
supported the opinion of the ancients. In a question of this sort, which
is a question of fact, the concurrent voice of antiquity is decisive.
Though the fathers are unanimous in declaring that St. Matthew wrote his
Gospel in Hebrew, yet they have not informed us by whom it was
translated into Greek. No writer of the first three centuries makes any
mention whatever of the translator; nor does Eusebius: and Jerom tells
us, that in his time it was not known who was the translator. It is,
however, universally allowed, that the Greek translation was made very
early, and that it was more used than the original. This last
circumstance is easily accounted for. After the destruction of
Jerusalem, the language of the Jews, and every thing which belonged to
them, fell into great contempt; and the early fathers, writing in Greek,
would naturally quote and refer to the Greek copy of St. Matthew’s
Gospel, in the same manner as they constantly used the Septuagint
version of the Old Testament. There being no longer any country in which
the language of St. Matthew’s original Gospel was commonly spoken, that
original would soon be forgotten; and the translation into Greek, the
language then generally understood, would be substituted in its room.
This early and exclusive use of the Greek translation is a strong proof
of its correctness, and leaves us but little reason to lament the loss
of the original.
As the sacred writers,” says Dr. Campbell, “especially the evangelists,
have many qualities in common, so there is something in every one of
them, which, if attended to, will be found to distinguish him from the
rest. That which principally distinguishes St. Matthew, is the
distinctness and particularity with which he has related many of our
Lord’s discourses and moral instructions. Of these, his sermon on the
mount, his charge to the Apostles, his illustrations of the nature of
his kingdom, and his prophecy on Mount Olivet, are examples. He has also
wonderfully united simplicity and energy in relating the replies of his
Master to the cavils of his adversaries. Being early called to the
apostleship, he was an eye-witness and ear-witness of most of the things
which he relates; and though I do not think it was the scope of any of
these historians to adjust their narratives to the precise order of time
wherein the events happened, there are some circumstances which incline
me to think, that St. Matthew has approached at least as near that order
as any of them.” And this, we may observe, would naturally be the
distinguishing characteristic of a narrative, written very soon after
the events had taken place. The most remarkable things recorded in St.
Matthew’s Gospel, and not found in any other, are the following: the
visit of the eastern magi; our Saviour’s flight into Egypt; the
slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem; the parable of the ten virgins;
the dream of Pilate’s wife; the resurrection of many saints at our
Saviour’s crucifixion; and the bribing of the Roman guard appointed to
watch at the holy sepulchre by the chief priests and elders.
MATTHIAS the Apostle was first in the rank of our Saviour’s disciples,
and one of those who continued with him from his baptism to his
ascension, Acts i, 21, 22. It is very probable he was of the number of
the seventy, as Clemens Alexandrinus and other ancients inform us. We
have no particulars of his youth or education, for we may reckon as
nothing what is read in Abdias, or Obadiah, concerning this matter.
After the ascension of our Lord, the Apostles retiring to Jerusalem in
expectation of the effusion of the Holy Ghost, as had been promised,
Peter proposed to fill up the place of Judas: to this the disciples
agreed. They then presented two persons, Joseph Barsabas, surnamed
Justus, and Matthias. The lot falling on Matthias, he was from that time
associated with the eleven Apostles. The Greeks believe that Matthias
preached and died at Colchis.
that Alpheus who was the father of the Apostle James the less. He was a
native of Galilee; but it is not known in what city of that country he
was born, or to what tribe of the people of Israel he belonged. Though a
Jew, he was a publican or tax-gatherer under the Romans; and his office
seems to have consisted in collecting the customs due upon commodities
which were carried, and from persons who passed, over the lake of
Gennesareth. Our Saviour commanded him, as he was sitting at the place
where he received these customs, to follow him. He immediately obeyed;
and from that time he became a constant attendant upon our Saviour, and
was appointed one of the twelve Apostles. St. Matthew, soon after his
call, made an entertainment at his house, at which were present Christ
and some of his disciples, and also several publicans. After the
ascension of our Saviour, he continued, with the other Apostles, to
preach the Gospel for some time in Judea; but as there is no farther
account of him in any writer of the first four centuries, we must
consider it as uncertain into what country he afterward went, and
likewise in what manner and at what time he died.
In the few writings which remain of the apostolical fathers, Barnabas,
Clement of Rome, Hermas, Ignatius, and Polycarp, there are manifest
allusions to several passages in St. Matthew’s Gospel; but the Gospel
itself is not mentioned in any one of them. Papias, the companion of
Polycarp, is the earliest author on record who has expressly named St.
Matthew as the writer of a Gospel; and we are indebted to Eusebius for
transmitting to us this valuable testimony. The work itself of Papias is
lost; but the quotation in Eusebius is such as to convince us that in
the time of Papias no doubt was entertained of the genuineness of St.
Matthew’s Gospel. This Gospel is repeatedly quoted by Justin Martyr, but
without mentioning the name of St. Matthew. It is both frequently
quoted, and St. Matthew mentioned as its author, by Irenæus, Origen,
Athanasius, Cyril, Epiphanius, Jerom, Chrysostom, and a long train of
subsequent writers. It was, indeed, universally received by the
Christian church; and we do not find that its genuineness was
controverted by any early profane writer. We may therefore conclude,
upon the concurrent testimony of antiquity, that this Gospel is rightly
ascribed to St. Matthew. It is generally agreed, upon the most
satisfactory evidence, that St. Matthew’s Gospel was the first which was
written; but though this is asserted by many ancient authors, none of
them, except Irenæus and Eusebius, have said any thing concerning the
exact time at which it was written. The only passage in which the former
of these fathers mentions this subject, is so obscure, that no positive
conclusion can be drawn from it; Dr. Lardner, and Dr. Townson,
understand it in very different senses; and Eusebius, who lived a
hundred and fifty years after Irenæus, barely says, that Matthew wrote
his Gospel just before he left Judea to preach the religion of Christ in
other countries; but when that was, neither he nor any other ancient
author informs us with certainty. The impossibility of settling this
point upon ancient authority has given rise to a variety of opinions
among moderns. Of the several dates assigned to this Gospel, which
deserve any attention, the earliest is A.D. 38, and the latest, A.D. 64.
It appears very improbable that the Christians should be left any
considerable number of years without a written history of our Saviour’s
ministry. It is certain that the Apostles, immediately after the descent
of the Holy Ghost, which took place only ten days after the ascension of
our Saviour into heaven, preached the Gospel to the Jews with great
success; and surely it is reasonable to suppose, that an authentic
account of our Saviour’s doctrines and miracles would very soon be
committed to writing, for the confirmation of those who believed in his
divine mission, and for the conversion of others; and, more
particularly, to enable the Jews to compare the circumstances of the
birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus with their ancient prophecies
relative to the Messiah; and we may conceive that the Apostles would be
desirous of losing no time in writing an account of the miracles which
Jesus performed, and of the discourses which he delivered, because the
sooner such an account was published, the easier it would be to inquire
into its truth and accuracy; and, consequently, when these points were
satisfactorily ascertained, the greater would be its weight and
authority. We must own that these arguments are so strong in favour of
an early publication of some history of our Saviour’s ministry, that we
cannot but accede to the opinion of Jones, Wetstein, and Dr. Owen, that
St. Matthew’s Gospel was written A.D. 38.
There has also of late been great difference of opinion concerning the
language in which this Gospel was originally written. Among the ancient
fathers, Papias, as quoted by Eusebius, Irenæus, Origen, Cyril,
Epiphanius, Chrysostom, and Jerom, positively assert that it was written
by St. Matthew in Hebrew, that is, in the language then spoken in
Palestine; and indeed Dr. Campbell says, that this point was not
controverted by any author for fourteen hundred years. Erasmus was one
of the first who contended that the present Greek is the original; and
he has been followed by Le Clerc, Wetstein, Basnage, Whitby, Jortin,
Hug, and many other learned men. On the other hand, Grotius, Du Pin,
Simon, Walton, Cave, Hammond, Mill, Michaëlis, Owen, and Campbell have
supported the opinion of the ancients. In a question of this sort, which
is a question of fact, the concurrent voice of antiquity is decisive.
Though the fathers are unanimous in declaring that St. Matthew wrote his
Gospel in Hebrew, yet they have not informed us by whom it was
translated into Greek. No writer of the first three centuries makes any
mention whatever of the translator; nor does Eusebius: and Jerom tells
us, that in his time it was not known who was the translator. It is,
however, universally allowed, that the Greek translation was made very
early, and that it was more used than the original. This last
circumstance is easily accounted for. After the destruction of
Jerusalem, the language of the Jews, and every thing which belonged to
them, fell into great contempt; and the early fathers, writing in Greek,
would naturally quote and refer to the Greek copy of St. Matthew’s
Gospel, in the same manner as they constantly used the Septuagint
version of the Old Testament. There being no longer any country in which
the language of St. Matthew’s original Gospel was commonly spoken, that
original would soon be forgotten; and the translation into Greek, the
language then generally understood, would be substituted in its room.
This early and exclusive use of the Greek translation is a strong proof
of its correctness, and leaves us but little reason to lament the loss
of the original.
As the sacred writers,” says Dr. Campbell, “especially the evangelists,
have many qualities in common, so there is something in every one of
them, which, if attended to, will be found to distinguish him from the
rest. That which principally distinguishes St. Matthew, is the
distinctness and particularity with which he has related many of our
Lord’s discourses and moral instructions. Of these, his sermon on the
mount, his charge to the Apostles, his illustrations of the nature of
his kingdom, and his prophecy on Mount Olivet, are examples. He has also
wonderfully united simplicity and energy in relating the replies of his
Master to the cavils of his adversaries. Being early called to the
apostleship, he was an eye-witness and ear-witness of most of the things
which he relates; and though I do not think it was the scope of any of
these historians to adjust their narratives to the precise order of time
wherein the events happened, there are some circumstances which incline
me to think, that St. Matthew has approached at least as near that order
as any of them.” And this, we may observe, would naturally be the
distinguishing characteristic of a narrative, written very soon after
the events had taken place. The most remarkable things recorded in St.
Matthew’s Gospel, and not found in any other, are the following: the
visit of the eastern magi; our Saviour’s flight into Egypt; the
slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem; the parable of the ten virgins;
the dream of Pilate’s wife; the resurrection of many saints at our
Saviour’s crucifixion; and the bribing of the Roman guard appointed to
watch at the holy sepulchre by the chief priests and elders.
MATTHIAS the Apostle was first in the rank of our Saviour’s disciples,
and one of those who continued with him from his baptism to his
ascension, Acts i, 21, 22. It is very probable he was of the number of
the seventy, as Clemens Alexandrinus and other ancients inform us. We
have no particulars of his youth or education, for we may reckon as
nothing what is read in Abdias, or Obadiah, concerning this matter.
After the ascension of our Lord, the Apostles retiring to Jerusalem in
expectation of the effusion of the Holy Ghost, as had been promised,
Peter proposed to fill up the place of Judas: to this the disciples
agreed. They then presented two persons, Joseph Barsabas, surnamed
Justus, and Matthias. The lot falling on Matthias, he was from that time
associated with the eleven Apostles. The Greeks believe that Matthias
preached and died at Colchis.