Saint Matthew the Apostle: From Tax Collector to Evangelist

His early life, conversion, importance to the Catholic Church, martyrdom, and a prayer for his intercession

Saint Matthew is one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and the traditional author of the Gospel according to Matthew. His life is a powerful example of conversion: a man viewed by many as a public sinner was called personally by Jesus, left his former way of life, and became a faithful apostle and evangelist.

Matthew’s story reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy. Christ does not merely call the already respectable, successful, or spiritually impressive. He calls sinners, heals them, and gives them a mission.

Who was Saint Matthew?

The name Matthew comes from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning “gift of the Lord” or “gift of God.”

Before following Jesus, Matthew worked as a tax collector. In the Gospel according to Matthew, he is introduced simply: “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him” (Matthew 9:9).

The Gospels according to Mark and Luke describe a similar calling involving a tax collector named Levi, the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27). The Catholic tradition generally identifies Matthew with Levi. The Gospel texts do not directly say, “Matthew was also called Levi,” but the similarities led the early Church to understand them as referring to the same apostle.

Matthew’s early life

The New Testament gives us very few details about Matthew’s childhood or family life. We do not know the exact year or place of his birth, and Scripture does not tell us much about his parents.

He was likely connected with Capernaum or the surrounding region, where Jesus carried out much of His Galilean ministry. Matthew’s work as a tax collector placed him within the Roman taxation system.

Tax collectors were often despised by their fellow Jews. They collected taxes for Roman authorities and could become wealthy through commissions or dishonest overcharging. Some abused their position, and the entire profession became associated with greed, collaboration with foreign rulers, and ritual impurity.

This is why the Gospel frequently places “tax collectors and sinners” together. Many religious people considered tax collectors morally compromised and spiritually unworthy.

Matthew’s occupation does not prove that he was personally dishonest, but it explains why his calling would have surprised those who witnessed it. Jesus saw more than Matthew’s reputation.

Jesus calls Matthew

Jesus did not begin by demanding that Matthew prove himself worthy. He simply said: “Follow me.” Matthew’s response was immediate: “And he rose and followed him” (Matthew 9:9).

That short sentence contains the beginning of a completely new life. Matthew left behind his tax booth, his former occupation, his security, and his place within the Roman system. He did not know every detail of what would happen next. He knew only that Jesus had called him.

The calling of Matthew shows that conversion often begins with a personal encounter with Christ. Jesus does not merely offer information. He calls people into discipleship.

Matthew’s meal with Jesus

After Matthew began following Jesus, he held a meal in his home: “And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples” (Matthew 9:10).

Religious leaders criticized Jesus: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:11–13).

This does not mean that Jesus approved of sin. It means that He came precisely to save sinners.

Matthew’s meal became an early sign of evangelization. He brought people from his former world into contact with Christ. His friendships became an opportunity for others to encounter the Lord.

Matthew’s transformation

Matthew’s conversion involved more than changing jobs. Jesus changed Matthew’s entire identity. Matthew had been known as a tax collector. After meeting Christ, he became an apostle, evangelist, teacher, and witness to the Resurrection.

God does not waste the gifts He has given us. He purifies them and redirects them toward His purposes. Matthew’s familiarity with writing, recordkeeping, administration, and communication may have served his apostolic mission.

Matthew among the Twelve Apostles

Saint Matthew is listed among the Twelve Apostles in Matthew 10:2–4. As one of the Twelve, he shared in Jesus’ public ministry. He heard the Lord’s teaching, witnessed miracles, saw Christ’s compassion, and received authority to preach and serve.

The Apostles were not chosen because they were naturally impressive or free from weakness. They came from different backgrounds and personalities. Christ formed them into one apostolic body.

Saint Matthew and the Gospel according to Matthew

The Gospel according to Matthew presents Jesus as the promised Messiah and fulfillment of the Old Testament. Matthew frequently refers to Scripture and shows how Jesus fulfills the hopes of Israel.

Matthew presents Christ as the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the new Moses, the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, the King who inaugurates the Kingdom of Heaven, the suffering Messiah, and the risen Lord who sends His disciples to all nations.

The Gospel opens with a genealogy: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1).

Matthew also emphasizes the Kingdom of Heaven. His Gospel contains the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s Prayer, the parables of the Kingdom, teachings about forgiveness and fraternal correction, the Last Judgment, and the Great Commission.

The Gospel concludes with Christ’s command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). It also ends with His promise: “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Was Matthew definitely the author of the Gospel?

The Gospel itself does not name its author within the text. The earliest Christian testimony, however, connects the Gospel with Matthew the Apostle. Papias, an early Christian writer associated with the second century, is often cited in connection with the tradition that Matthew compiled sayings of the Lord.

The early Church consistently associated the First Gospel with Matthew. Modern scholarship discusses the precise process by which the Gospel reached its final written form, but the Church receives it as inspired Scripture and preserves its apostolic connection.

Why Matthew’s Gospel matters to the Catholic Church

It teaches the authority of Christ

Jesus speaks not merely as another religious teacher but with divine authority. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, the crowds are astonished because He teaches as one who has authority (Matthew 7:28–29). Jesus fulfills the Law and brings it to completion.

It teaches the authority of the Church

Matthew contains one of the clearest passages about the Church: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus gives Peter a unique role among the Apostles and gives the Apostles authority to bind and loose.

It teaches reconciliation and forgiveness

Matthew records Jesus’ teaching about correcting a brother and seeking reconciliation within the Church (Matthew 18:15). Jesus also teaches Peter to forgive not merely seven times, but “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21–22). This does not mean ignoring abuse or refusing appropriate boundaries. It means resisting revenge and remaining open to forgiveness.

It teaches the Real Presence of Christ

Matthew records Jesus’ words at the Last Supper: “Take, eat; this is my body” and “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant” (Matthew 26:26–28). These words stand at the heart of Catholic Eucharistic faith.

It teaches the works of mercy

Matthew 25 contains Christ’s teaching about the final judgment and the works of mercy: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). Jesus identifies Himself with those in need.

Matthew’s symbol: the winged man

The traditional symbol of Saint Matthew is a winged man or angel. The symbol is drawn from the living creatures in Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4. It represents the human beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, which opens with Christ’s genealogy and human ancestry, and reminds us of the mystery of the Incarnation: the eternal Son of God truly became man.

Matthew’s missionary work

After the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, Matthew participated in the apostolic mission of the Church. The New Testament does not provide a detailed account of his later missionary journeys.

Early Christian traditions associate him with evangelization in different regions, including areas near Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, or Parthia. These traditions are not all consistent, and historians cannot establish every detail with certainty.

What is certain is that Matthew belonged to the apostolic generation that received Christ’s command to preach the Gospel to all nations.

The martyrdom of Saint Matthew

The Church honors Saint Matthew as a martyr. The exact location and manner of his death are uncertain because ancient traditions differ. Some accounts associate his martyrdom with Ethiopia, while others connect it with Persia or another region. Some traditions describe him as killed by a sword, while others give a different account.

Because the historical details are not equally reliable, it is best to avoid claiming certainty about the exact circumstances. What the Church does know is that Matthew gave his life in fidelity to Christ and the Gospel.

The word martyr comes from the Greek word for witness. A martyr gives witness to Christ not only by words but by steadfast faithfulness.

The feast of Saint Matthew

The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist on September 21 in the Roman Rite. The feast is an opportunity to thank God for Matthew’s conversion, the apostolic witness of the Twelve, the inspired Gospel, the Church’s mission to the nations, and the courage of the martyrs.

What Saint Matthew teaches Catholics today

No one is beyond God’s mercy

Matthew’s profession made him unpopular and morally suspect, yet Jesus did not treat him as permanently defined by his reputation. A person’s past may explain where he has been, but it does not determine what God can do with his future.

Conversion requires a response

Jesus called Matthew, and Matthew got up and followed Him. Grace comes first, but the human response matters. We must be willing to leave behind sinful habits, false security, and attachments that prevent us from following Christ.

Our past can become part of our mission

Matthew’s background did not disqualify him from apostolic service. God used the person he had been and transformed him into the person he was called to become.

Evangelization includes inviting others to Christ

Matthew brought people into contact with Jesus through the meal at his home. Catholics evangelize through conversation, hospitality, friendship, service, teaching, testimony, and the witness of a changed life.

Mercy must be joined to truth

Jesus ate with sinners, but He also called them to conversion. Catholic mercy is not pretending that sin does not matter. It is helping people encounter the truth and healing love of Christ.

A devotional prayer to Saint Matthew

O glorious Saint Matthew, you were called by Jesus Christ from the tax collector’s desk to become an apostle and evangelist.

Help me answer Christ’s call with the same courage and generosity. Ask the Lord to free me from greed, selfishness, fear, and attachment to worldly security.

Teach me to trust in God’s mercy, to welcome sinners with charity, and to proclaim the Gospel through my words and example.

Saint Matthew, faithful witness of Christ, pray for me and for all who are seeking conversion. Help me remain faithful to Jesus and lead others closer to His merciful Heart.

Amen.

The Catholic Church does not have one universally prescribed prayer to Saint Matthew comparable to the Our Father or Hail Mary. This is a devotional prayer asking for his intercession.

A prayer from Matthew’s Gospel

The Gospel according to Matthew also gives Catholics one of Christianity’s most important prayers:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Conclusion

Saint Matthew began as a tax collector sitting at a desk. He ended as an apostle, evangelist, martyr, and witness to the mercy of Jesus Christ.

His life shows that conversion is not merely becoming more religious. It is hearing the voice of Christ and allowing that voice to redirect everything.

Matthew left behind his old security and followed Jesus. He opened his home to others. He preached the Gospel. He helped hand on the story of Christ to the Church. According to the ancient witness of the Church, he remained faithful to the end.

His message is still directed to every Catholic: “Follow me.”

Christ continues to call people from every background, profession, and past. He does not ask whether we have always been worthy. He asks whether we are willing to rise, leave the old life behind, and follow Him.

Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, pray for us.