Was Matthew a tax collector

Answer 1

Judas Iscariot was a thief. John 12:6, ........... he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. It was Matthew that was the Tax Collector (Publican); Matthew10:3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the PUBLICAN; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

Answer 2

Yes, Matthew's occupation prior to becoming a disciple of Jesus was tax collecting. When Jesus called him, he was sitting carrying out his unpopular job.

Matthew according to his own record was a publican, which means a tax collector.

Mat_10:3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

Mat_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.

Answer 3

The reference to Matthew as a tax collector is found in Matthew, alone among the gospels. The original New Testament gospel, now known as Mark's Gospel, refers to Levi, son of Alphaeus, as a tax collector. However, for some reason, Marknever again refers to Levi, but introduces Matthew and James, son of Alphaeus, as disciples in the full list of the twelve disciples (verse 3:14-19). There is no reason here to believe that the author of Mark was portraying Matthew as either the tax collector or as the brother of James, son of Alphaeus.

Disciples are not supposed to simply disappear, and the author of the gospel now known as Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 9:9; 10:3) resolved the difficulty by referring to the disciple Matthew as the tax collector whom Jesus called to follow him. Because of this usage in Matthew, it has become accepted by Christians that Matthew and Levi were one and the same person.

Luke more or less faithfully copies Mark, using the name Levi as the former tax collector in the corresponding place in the text, while John makes no mention of him.

Answer 4

It is unclear whether or not Matthew was a tax collector. Certainly, Matthew's Gospel labels him as such, at Matthew 9:9, 10:3. However, New Testament scholars have analysed Matthewand Mark synoptically ('with the same eye') and concluded that Matthew's Gospel was really based on Mark's Gospel.

Mark's Gospel, refers to Levi, son of Alphaeus, as a tax collector. However, for some reason, Mark never again refers to Levi, but introduces Matthew and James, son of Alphaeus, as disciples in the full list of the twelve disciples (verse 3:14-19). There is no reason here to believe that the author of Mark was portraying Matthew as either the tax collector or as the brother of James, son of Alphaeus.

Disciples are not supposed to simply disappear, and the author of the gospel now known as Matthew's Gospel resolved the difficulty by referring to the disciple Matthew as the tax collector whom Jesus called to follow him (Matthew 9:9; 10:3). He changed Mark's original to remove Levi from the disciples in his gospel, but the only explanation for someone with access to the other gospels must be that Levi and Matthew are the same person, and this has therefore become accepted by the Christian Church. However, this is subject to serious doubt because it is clear from the texts that the author of Matthew knew nothing about the mission of Jesus apart from what he learnt from Mark. There seems to be no way that Matthew's author could have known this, and it seems contrary to the context of Mark at verses 3:14-19.

Answer 5

The tax collectors of Jesus time wee Nichodemus and Matthew the disciple as well.