The Gospel of Matthew - Christian Santoro
Who was the author of this Gospel? Provide a detailed biography of the Evangelist.
Matthew was one of the twelve Apostles, this is evident in ‘Acts 1: 13’, where Matthews is mentioned entering a room with the other disciples, “They went up to the room where they were staying … Peter, John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew and James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Patriot”. Whilst Matthew was an Apostle, he was a tax collector before being called to action by Jesus, this is proven in the Bible in ‘Matthew 9:9’, “Jesus saw a tax collector named Matthew … [h]e said to him follow me”. Testimony to proof that Matthew did in-fact write his gospel is that the superscription, ‘The Gospel According to Matthew’ has been added as early as A.D. 125. Scholars believe that the superscription “is found on all know manuscripts” and is evidence that Matthew was the author as many people acknowledged his authorship before referencing his gospel. Matthew was the Author of a Gospel and a tax collector before being called to action by Jesus to become an apostle.
When was the Gospel thought to be written?
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Matthews gospel has significant similarities to 80% of Marks gospel so we can determine that Matthews gospel was written post 50 - 55AD the estimated time of the writing of Marks gospel. Consequently, if we recognise that the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem in 70AD is not mentioned in Marks gospel than a date between 55 - 65AD is recognised. This period is also supported by scholars as, ”the church was largely Jewish and the gospel was preached to the Jews only” during the estimated time of Matthews largely Jewish targeted Gospel was