What was matthews profession

While not strictly a profession, Simon the Canaanite, earned the title of zealot. His fierce loyalty to his faith and Israel was evident. Zealots, like Simon, engaged in politics and anarchy in hopes of instigating a revolution that would overthrow the Roman government.

When Simon joined Jesus as a disciple, he remained zealous, but with a new allegiance and loyalty to Jesus, rather than a political revolution.

Occupations of the 12 Disciples - Unknown Not all the occupations of the 12 disciples are known. It is possible that these disciples had learned the fishing trade as young men.

This time the risen Christ would show Himself not to all Twelve, but to only seven of them. In all likelihood Philip, James the son of Alphaeus , and Judas Thaddaeus were tradesmen of some sort. Regardless of their professions, eleven of the disciples immediately left behind everything to follow Jesus.

Judas Iscariot, chosen by Jesus as treasurer, appears to be the only disciple who struggled continually with financial insecurity. The skills needed in the occupations of the 12 disciples became applicable to the Great Commission Matthew Fishermen often worked long into the night, using two types of nets. The circular net, about 15 feet 4. The long net—sometimes nearly feet meters long and 8 feet 2. A well-flung net would drop over a school of fish, bringing in everything it had trapped.

Prior to preaching the word of God, he worked as a tax collector in Capernaum. Matthew is the patron saint of tax collectors and accountants. The Feast of St. Matthew is annually celebrated on September We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Matthew, Mark, and Luke have parallel accounts of Jesus calling a tax collector to become a disciple.

There are several possible explanations for this difference. Others suggest this person was originally named Levi, but that Jesus called him Matthew similar to Simon, who Jesus named Peter. As we just learned in the passages above Matthew , Mark , Luke —28 , Matthew was a tax collector, or a publican—someone who was contracted by the Roman government to collect taxes. As a Jew, stepping into this profession was essentially an act of betrayal to his people.

Tax collectors had very little accountability. Tax collectors earned a reputation for telling people they owed more than they did and pocketing the difference. To the Jews, tax collectors were the embodiment of sin. Think about that: they were worried about putting a tax collector in charge of their money, but Judas not only stole from the money bag John , but ultimately betrayed Jesus.

Tax collectors were sinners by trade, lying and cheating their way into riches and robbing from even the poorest among their people. They were religious outsiders, because the way they practiced their profession openly defied the Law of Moses. The richer they were, the worse they were assumed to be.

After Jesus calls him, Matthew hosts a gathering at his house, and as he and his unsavory companions dine with Jesus, the Pharisees ask why Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners Matthew By calling Matthew, Jesus was proclaiming that no one would be excluded from his movement—not even those society considered irredeemable. The only people who saw more of who Jesus was and what he was capable of were Peter, James , and John.

Besides this, Matthew gives Peter a good deal of positive attention in his gospel. Elwell and B. Beitzel, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible.

The date of his death is unknown. There are several conflicting accounts about his death. Clement of Alexandria quotes Heracleon, one of the earliest commentators on the New Testament, as saying that Matthew died naturally:.

Of whom are Matthew, Philip, Thomas, Levi, and many others. The early church fathers claim he was burned, stoned, stabbed, or beheaded for his faith. While there are credible arguments against his authorship, no alternative writer has been named.

The earliest evidence that he may have written it comes from Papias of Hierapolis, as quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea in Church History :. Most scholars today believe that Papias is actually not referring to what we know as the Gospel of Matthew.