The National tribune., 1888-03-15

% TIRE AEoSi4S, whose
and still is our stndy)
1. His name
His surname was Levi. (St Mark, 2: Ia st.
Luke, 5: 81 The word Levi means servant Of
The iGB. 1t is believed he was known by this
name until called to the ap0stleship, and that
Christ then gave him a new name, q Christian
name, as being bestowed by Christ, to wit, Mat
thew, which means gift Of Jehopah. The name
Levi implies servitude to the law, and was not
a fit title for freeman in the Gospel Though
Christians must obey the law, they do not do
so as slaves They see the fitness of all Gods
requirements, and are so in sympathy with
Gods purposes that obedience becomes posi-
tive delight.
2. Parentags.
The name of his father was AIpheus (st.
Mark, 2:14.) st. Matthew does not give the
name of his father; and moreover, St. Luke
does not mention the name. We learn from st.
Matthew, To- 3, that the name of the father of
the Apostle James the Less was also Alpheus.
The two SITS. Matthew aud James, were not,
however, brothers. Tradition gives the name
Mary for the mother of St. Matthew.
3. Time and place of birth.
He was born at Nazareth, in Galilee, proba-
bly, not far from the year l a. ID.
4. Nationality and tribe.
He was evidently Jew. Both of his names,
Levi and Matthew are of Hebrew origin. By
a mere conjecture he has been assigned to the
tribe of Isachar. Geikie declares he was q
Levite, one of the priestly race, but that he had
degenerated into publican. There were
really only the two tribes, judah and Benja-
min, which were not carried OFF with the 10 lost
tribes, unless we except such Levites as remain
ed with those two tribes. The two, however,
were practically one, since by inteTmarriage and
government they had merged 1t is not un-
likely the Apostle derived descent from this
mingled tribe.
5. Education.
We have little data by which to determine
the educational attachments of the Apostle. He
probably attended the schools of the Jews
taught by the priests and Levtes. a large
part of instruction was oral, there being no
printed books, and MSS. being more rare and
more difficult to use as text books in q school
room. We know several Of the sciences were
taught and studied In general, the Apostles
were not literary men. Men they were of ex-
cellent judgment and considerable information.
A people descended from Solomon cannot be
supposed to be wholly ignorant 1t was the
business of the Seribes TO furnish books in MS.
| The tribe of Levi was set apart to the mental
and moral training of society. Priests and
Levites were scattered throughout Palestine.
Priests served at the temple only two out of %
weeks of the year. The Levites were the edu-
Gators of the Jewish Nation There are evil
denees in the Scriptures that the Israeites knew
something Of geography, arithmetic, surveying,
| astronomy, architecture and medicine. Proba-
| bly,, however, the education of the masses was
mostly IN history, genealogy, morals, govern
ment and religion. In the time Of st. Mat
| thew the Old Testament was complete, and
schooling would be largely based On 1t as q
| textbook
His religious education was secured largely
at home, the Old Testament making 1t the
1VVtvr Cfr Eo1,
/ things. Then he learned much at the syna-
gogs. Probably, Also he went TO the temple
| especially in earlier years. to attend the great
religious festivals
He was not wholly ignorant as to Christ
| Living at Capernaum, the headquarters Of
| Christ's ministry, he would necessarily learn
much of Christianity. We can thus, in part al
| least account for the prompt way in which hG
responded to Christ's reply. As soon as called
! he set about adjusting his governmental &C
counts and waited till a successor replaced
! him. As square business man, he could moi
! leave the receipt of custom till his accounts
| had been audited. He was one Of the four Evan
| gelists and one Of the II Apostles.
0. Marriage
| We do not learn that he had wife. TIL,
| Jewish race, however, with Messianic hope
were inclined to marriage, and the inferenct
in the case Of each Jew is that he was welded
| T. Vocation.
We do not read that he had learned som,
| trade but the all but universal Jewish prae
| tiee leads US TO the conviction he worked il
early years at some manual employment WheI
| called to become follower Of Christ he was
| publican, or tax gatherer. The Jewish nation
had lost its independence, and was subject II
| Rome. That government, after It's custom il
all conquered countries, appointed officers
called publicans, to collect taxes In the interes
of Rome. Such officers were always deteste(
by the vanquished people. 1t was though
| specially degrading IN any Jslc to accept thu
| Office which necessitated his forcing his owl
people to the humiliation of paying tribute Il
| heather government We see then the posi-
ton Of Levi in his community He was de
tested by every loyal jew We do not know
how long he had occupied the position. FL
| held the Office under Pontius PLATE, the Ro
| man Governor. The publicans collected i'm
ports and exports. Passengers by water haC
to pay tribute Much latitude was given q
| these officers as to the amount of taxes. Thu
Office was often bought outright from the Ro
| man government, the purchaser making wha
he could. Very many publicans cheated anC
were oppressive. 1t was dehling and discredit
able to one to associate with publicans. (St
Matt, 8: IL It was said by Jews that tn
| publicans were more voracious in a city thar
wild beasts in q field" They constantly re
minded the Jews of their heather bondage
When st. John Baptist said to body of publ
cans, Exact no more than that which is ap
pointed you" (St. Luke, 3: IL, 49, he gave
hint as to their dishonesty. He hurled som
of his hottest thnnderbolts at the publicanE
Pessimists must remember there was politica
corruption $3.50 years ago. We do not lear
as to Lewis honesty. There were doubles
many publicans of business credit and integrity
Whether it were best to select publican as al
Apostle is answered by the fact Christ wa
omniscient. Indeed, In his ministry Jesus sue
ceeded to greater extent with this class thai
with the Pharisees, who were the extreme re
ligionists of his day.
For two to three years St. Matthew was a
associate, follower or learner of Christ. Afte
the death Of our Savior he gave his life to tn
work of an Apostle.
g. Finances
He owned O house in Capernaum. (St. Luke
$500 He could afford to be hospitable. Pub
lcans, as rule, made money. We do not kno1
how long he had been in office. The "receip
of custom at Capernaum was desirable one
as being evidently quite lucrative. The pos
tion itself required good business talent, an
generally only men in some repute financially
could secure such positions We have not proc
however, that Levi was in more than comfort
able circumstances.
g. Journeys.
As q Jew he probably went each year to Jeru
salem to attend the Passover. As ministe
under Christ he went here and there through