Matthew, also called Levi, was a tax collector. It is unclear whether Jesus gave him the name Matthew or changed it himself. His name Matthew is the shortened version of Mattathias which means “the gift of God”. He was a first-century Galilean. He was supposed to have been born in Galilee, which was not part of Judea or the province of Roman Judea. He was the son of Alphaeus. His occupation before he faced a life-changing moment with the Lord was as a tax collector. He collected taxes from the Jewish people on behalf of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee. His tax office was located in Capernaum. As a tax collector Matthew is assumed to have been literate in Aramaic and Greek. Tax collectors were greatly disliked by society because they were greedy and dishonest with their people. According to the tax collection system of the Roman Empire, Matthew would have already paid all taxes in advance and then collected them from travelers and citizens to compensate himself. Tax collectors like Matthew were unscrupulous. To ensure their own profit and personal well-being they exhorted well above what was actually owed by citizens and travelers. The decisions of the tax collectors were supported by the intervention of the Roman soldiers so no one opposed them. Matthew is first mentioned in Matthew 9:9. He stood on the main road in his tax booth in Capernaum and collected taxes on foreign goods purchased from caravans, merchants, and farmers. In Matthew 9:9 it says that Jesus passed the tax office and saw Matthew, then he told Matthew to follow him and he got up and followed him. Luke 5:29 tells of the great banquet he gave for Jesus in his home. It was stated that large crowds of publicans and other people who were all......middle of paper......and Persians, Parthians and Medes. There is a legend that he died a martyr in Ethiopia. All in all we can all agree that Matthew was a missionary and died while serving the Lord. Matthew along with all the other apostles are perfect examples of what God looks for in his children. He does not look for those who presented themselves as saints but are dirty inside like the Pharisees and Sadducees and all the others. He wants us to come as we are, follow Him, and change our lives through Jesus Christ. Works Cited MacArthur, John. "Chapter 9." In Matthew, verse 10. Chicago: Moody Press, 1987.MacArthur, John. "Chapter 9." In Matthew, verse 9. Chicago: Moody Press, 1987. Zavada, Jack. "Matthew: Tax Collector and Apostle." About.com Christianity. http://christianity.about.com/od/newtestamentpeople/a/JZ-Matthew.htm (accessed April 7, 2014).