Matthew

Matthew

*"People out there want to define all of us by our pasts. But we do things differently because of Him."*
―Matthew to Simon.[src]
**Matthew**, also known by his Hebrew name **Levi**, is a former tax collector in Capernaum who became one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.

One of the most notable adaptations to his character is the descision to portray him as autistic.

The descision was inspired by how detailed Matthew's Gospel was, as well as the need to explain why the character would hava orignally been a tax collector. The autism representation is widly considered to be both positive and accurate.

## Biography

### Early Life

Matthew, the son of a leatherworker named Alphaeus, was born in Capernaum. As a child he attended Hebrew school like all the other boys, showing unusual promise in literacy and mathematics, enabling him to be a bookkeeper's apprentice when he was eight while his Torah studies were put on hiatus.

Before Matthew could begin studying Torah again, he was shown at the age of thirteen to the Roman Magistrate, who was so impressed by his intelligence he offered Matthew a very lucrative job if he chose to work for Rome as a tax collector, which he accepted. As a result, he was ostracized by his family and forced to buy his own house. Surrounded by only poor servants and Roman guards, Matthew lost the chance to study Torah and have real friends.

### Publicanus

#### The Tax Collector

As a tax collector, Matthew was in charge of collecting taxes on income, goods, and property of the Jews in his district of Capernaum. The only Jews who respected him were the two other tax collectors in Capernaum, Rom and Jahaz. The way Matthew made his money was by having his citizens pay something extra in addition to the Roman taxes, allowing him to live in luxury at their expense. Seeing the actions of the tax collectors, the Jews saw them as traitors and the worst kind of sinners to a point where some Jewish leaders said that tax collectors could not be redeemed.

#### A Desperate Fisherman

While collecting taxes from Andrew and preparing to collect his boat as collateral for unpaid debt, his brother Simon claims to have a deal with Quintus, the Praetor of Capernaum, who's canceled the brothers' debts. Skeptical of this, Matthew visits Quintus the following day to verify the claim. When the Praetor confirms it, Matthew reveals his distrust of Simon's reliability, and agrees to spy on him to make sure he'll come through. This puts him in the position to witness the miracle of the fish after watching Simon and others fish all night without making a catch, leaving him shaken.

#### Impossible Things

##### Report to the Romans

Matthew reports everything he saw to Quintus, who dismisses the miracle as a trick pulled by the fishermen to fool the taxman. He commends Matthew for collecting the money owed by Simon and Andrew, and promotes his roman escort Gaius to the rank of Primi. Matthew, however, is unsatisfied with the Praetor's explanation for the impossible sight.

##### Investigating Miracles

Growing desperate for answers, Matthew even asks Andrew and Simon if it was a ruse, but they only act hostile in response. When a crowd gathers outside of Zebedee and Salome's home to hear Jesus preach, Matthew listens from a safe distance and sees Jesus heal a paralytic whose friends lowered to the Rabbi through the roof, which he records.

#### Speaking with his Mother

Feeling utterly confused, Matthew tries to seek answers from his mother, Elisheva. But the visit dissolves when they begin to argue about his betrayal, with Elisheva stating he is using God's gifts to bleed their people dry. When he tries to justify his actions, she finally asks him to leave.

### Discipleship

#### "Follow Me"

While Matthew is sitting in his booth the following morning, Jesus stops by with His disciples and bids Matthew to follow Him. Matthew does so without hesitation, meeting Big James and John, Mary, Little James, and Thaddeus and having them all over at his house for a dinner party that evening, along Mary's friends from the Red Quarter and Rom and Jahaz. Yussif and another Pharisee see them and criticize Jesus for dining with sinners, but are intimidated into leaving when Gaius drops by. The Roman tries once again to dissuade Matthew from making such a rash decision, but is unable to. Matthew tasks him with giving his possessions to Alpheus and Elisheva and letting them know what's happening.

#### In Sychar

The group leaves Capernaum and heads for Judea. Matthew recommends going around Samaria and traveling along the Jordon River, but Jesus decides to go through Samaria instead. The group stops at Sychar, and there, Jesus teaches. Matthew bumps heads with a few of the disciples when he tries to organize the ministry, most notably Simon. While looking for Jesus, Matthew meets Thomas and Ramah who Jesus had called twelve days prior, but makes a bad first impression with Thomas. Additionally, Matthew starts writing in his journal of what Jesus does and says.

#### In Bashan

While travelling to Syria through the Bashan, Jesus calls a follower of John the Baptizer named Philip. Philip and Thaddeus became the only two male disciples who accept Matthew, with the former taking him under his wing to learn what he missed in Torah studies. Mary and Ramah join him in studying scriptures and he loans them writing materials, growing especially close to Mary. Simon is upset to learn Matthew's been recording their Rabbi's doings, fearing enemies will twist His words and remaining overly critical of Matthew.

#### In Syria

After Jesus calls Nathanael, they travel to Syria where people line up to be healed by Jesus. The disciples take turns helping and watching Him, and Matthew tries to write down how many people are being healed and of what. That night, around the campfire, Simon, Andrew, and Thomas tell Matthew why they dislike him, pointing out he has yet to acknowledge the pain he's caused their people . Matthew tries to apologize, but Simon does not let him, saying that he would never forgive him anyway.

#### The Feast of Tabernacles

The group travels to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Matthew has many questions since it is his first time celebrating a Jewish holiday since his childhood, and he helps to build the booth and goes with Jesus, along with Simon and John, to the Pool of Bethesda. There, they watch Jesus healing Jesse, a paralytic who had been there the longest.

#### In Jericho

The group travels to Jericho, with Jesus meeting with John the Baptizer,. While the others are out with Jesus or gathering supplies, Matthew and Thomas are left to look over the camp but they argue the whole time and he gets distracted by the fact something is troubling Mary Magdalene. Suddenly a demoniac named Caleb appears and Matthew and Thomas try to protect the women. Mary tries to drive the demon out the man but fails, then a Zealot attempts to fight off the demoniac. Returning to camp, Jesus drives the demon out immediately. That day, Jesus calls Simon the Zealot, nicknamed "Zee", to follow Him. Matthew meets Simon Z., then Simon notices that Mary Magdalene is missing.

#### Searching for Mary

Jesus sends Simon and Matthew to search for her in Jericho. Matthew worries about her the whole time, hardly getting sleep and getting carried away while describing Mary's appearance, making Simon realize he's become infatuated with her. When they find Mary she initially refuses to come back, hung-over and ashamed of her actions. Matthew reminds her of his own mistakes as well as the ways she's blessed the group, and uses his scarf to hold her hair back when she starts vomiting despite his usual squeamishness.

#### Shabbat Controversy

Run out of food on Shabbat, the group goes to a synagogue in Wadi Kelt. Jesus heals Elam, a man with a withered hand, then permits the hungry disciples to pick from the wheat field and eat the grains, upsetting the Pharisees. Then Jesus claims to be the Son of Man and the Lord of the Sabbath. Matthew asks Philip why people keep getting angry when Jesus uses the title "Son of Man", which Philip promises to explain later.

#### Preparing for the Sermon

Jesus has the group prepare for a sermon he plans to give. After Jesus was detained by the Romans, the disciples argue about what to do . When John snaps at Mary that it might be her fault because of her absence slowing things down, Matthew and Ramah both chastise him, prompting John to mock Matthew for only speaking forward when Mary is involved.. When Jesus returns, He and Matthew spend a week organizing the sermon into 20 sections, though this is partly for Matthew's sake so Jesus can explain certain concepts to him. When Jesus lists the Beatitudes, He tells Matthew jr is blessed even when facing persecutions on Jesus's behalf, calling him the salt of the earth, one who purifies and heals the world, leaving Matthew in grateful tears.

#### Sermon on the Mount

After finishing on organizing the big sermon, Matthew helps with crowd control and tells the others what Jesus plans on teaching. While listening to the Sermon, Matthew is suddenly affected by Jesus’s insistence that one should try to reconcile any quarrel with someone before worshiping God, remembering the argument with his father a few years prior that lead to Alpheus declaring him dead to the family. He becomes emotional at the realization he will have to face his father again to make amends.

#### An Immaterial Debt

After the sermon, Jesus blesses His followers and lets them go home to Capernaum. Matthew drops by Mary Magdalene’s house for insight, telling her that he was disowned and not sure if he’s planning to do the right thing. Mary and Ramah both assure him he’s handling everything well. He spends the night camped outside the city before going to his childhood home, where Alpheus answers the door and to Matthew’s shock warmly greets him as “Son”.

Matthew tells his parents what Jesus taught about reconciliation, and expresses remorse at the pain and shame he caused them by his actions. They tell him they were at the sermon and Alpheus apologizes for his own actions. They are both thrilled that Matthew is acting as Jesus’s scribe, and Elisheva says God made him different for a special reason. Alpheus returns the key to Matthew’s old house, though he insists he will never stay in it again, telling him he can find a use for it, but can stay with them when he’s in town.

#### Sent Out

After a period of time Jesus calls a meeting at Simon and Eden’s house, declaring He will send the men out two-by-two in order to spread His teachings, giving them temporary power and authority to heal and cast out demons, bidding them to take nothing but rely on God to provide through the hospitality of others. When Simon asks if they should have someone in charge of the group’s future finances, Philip naturally nominates Matthew, but he admits to being uncomfortable working with money again and instead suggests Judas, a former businessman.

As Jesus assigns the pairs and where they will go, Matthew finds amusement with the others at Big James teaming with Little James, but is horrified when Jesus pairs him with Simon Z., who is just now learning he was once a tax collector (someone the Zealots would’ve targeted).  Their Rabbi reminds them that none of them are what they once were, and Simon Z and Matthew should understand this better than anyone.

### Psalm 3

Matthew offers to let the women stay in his old house instead of Mary’s tiny apartment, which they gratefully accept. He and the rest of the Twelve meet there that evening, and he runs into Gaius, who is checking up on him. After telling him of the dangerous new mission, Gaius tells Matthew he can trust his own instincts.

Simon Z. assures the other Simon he won’t hurt Matthew, having come to terms with his past career. The men gather close and all recite Psalm 3 to encourage each other.

### A Taxman and a Zealot

Matthew and Simon Z. take their assignment in Jericho, learning how to combine their respective strengths with Matthew doing most of the speaking and Simon Z. handling the physical work.  On returning to Capernaum, the twelve debate about the meaning of their temporary spiritual authority, some of them feeling unworthy to have been vessels for Jesus’s power but given no understanding. Matthew agrees with Eden that they should ask Jesus to explain instead of arguing about it amongst themselves.

### Water and Wine

A few days later Jesus and some of the disciples have breakfast at Simon and Eden’s house while the former is out working on the broken cistern with Gaius. They discuss fasting, and Jesus tells the Parable of Old and new wineskins. Matthew notes Jesus’s concern for Eden (who’s been hiding the fact she recently had a miscarriage), and His attempts to help her feel included and appreciated.

Yussif and Jairus suddenly come into the house and the latter begs Jesus to heal his deathly ill daughter, having heard of all He can do and knowing Who He truly is. The group is mobbed by hopeful pilgrims on the way, and Matthew helps Little James back onto his feet when he gets knocked over in the chaos. Jesus suddenly halts and says someone touched Him, drawing some of His power, and a woman named Veronica confesses to grasping the fringe of his garment knowing it would heal her bleeding that’s lasted twelve years.

After commending her faith, Jesus has the rest of His followers stay to protect her while He takes Simon and the Sons of Thunder the rest of the way to Jairus’s house. Afterwards He and the apostles all immerse themselves in the Sea of Galilee to purify after contact with her, and end up horsing around in the water.

### Iron Sharpens Iron

In the following weeks Matthew records the incident with Veronica and keeps pestering John to write what happened at Jairus’s house before he forgets anything (Jesus having told Simon and the brothers to keep the exact details secret), and sees the other apostles start debate about arming themselves to keep their Rabbi safe. He’s happy to learn Simon has been working with Gaius, coming to both men’s defense when John calls the Roman a terrorist, and in return Simon says Matthew’s quick mind is the best weapon of all and shows him how to use his pen as a weapon in a pinch.

### Jew and Gentile

Around this time he starts studying Jesus’s lineage. When Philip and Andrew return from a failed attempt to smooth things over between various Jewish and Gentile groups in the Decapolis, the disciples argue whether or not Jesus has come for Gentiles as well, to which Matthew points out that His ancestry includes gentile women like Ruth and Rahab.

### More Precious Than Rubies

Mary Magdalen, who has been staying in his old house with Tamar, asks him about a box containing tzitzit she found locked up in his office. Matthew suddenly grows upset, begging her to not go through his belongings before running off. He returns hours later, contrite and offering both an apology and explanation.: the tassels had belonged to an old shepherd (one of Simon's companions from the Pilot) who took on all his family's debts to bear the punishment and gave the tzitzit to Matthew when he turned himself in, calling them his most prized possession.

Mary tells him it was not the tassels themselves, but what they represented, and the man wanted Matthew to be Jewish again. When he ponders why the shepherd chose him, she tells him about the dove that led her to the place she met Jesus, and says God used the old man in a similar fashion to reach Matthew. Though knowing he still feels unworthy, she assures him he's ready to don the tzitzit himself.

### Matthew's Apostleship

#### Writing his Gospel

After a decade of teaching and testifying the life and message of Jesus, Matthew decides to organize all the notes he wrote during Jesus' ministry into a one precise book.

#### Mourning Big James

Around fourteen years after Jesus' resurrection, Big James is killed with the sword by King Herod Agrippa. Matthew and the other disciples travelled to Jerusalem to sit Shiva to mourn James. John takes this time to interview everyone who was there during Jesus' ministry, as he is planning to write a book as well. Matthew tries to tell John that the book needs to be precise.

## Appearances

* *Season One*
	+ *I Have Called You By Name*
	+ *Shabbat*
	+ *The Rock On Which It Is Built*
	+ *Indescribable Compassion*
	+ *Invitations*
	+ *I Am He*
* *Season Two*
	+ *Thunder*
	+ *I Saw You*
	+ *Matthew 4:24*
	+ *The Perfect Opportunity*
	+ *Spirit*
	+ *Unlawful*
	+ *Reckoning*
	+ *Beyond Mountains*
* *Season 3*
	+ *Homecoming*
	+ Two by Two
	+ Clean, Part 1
	+ Clean, Part 2
	+ Intensity in Tent City
	+ Ears to Hear
	+ Sustenance