The Apostle Matthew. The Life of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

The Christian religion is a great field for study. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ had twelve disciples, followers, apostles. Each of them before his meeting with the Savior lived his life, fulfilled his duties, played a certain role in society. The histories of the lives of the apostles are extremely interesting. In this article we will talk about the life of the apostle Matthew. Akathist to the Apostle Matthew is read in all churches on the day of remembrance - November 16.

Matthew before meeting with the Savior

During the Roman Empire, people often had two names. So, and the apostle Matthew had one more name - Levi. Matthew Levi was the son of Alpheus and the brother of Jacob, another of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. Matthew lived in his own house in the city of Capernaum, which was located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The Jews, like other inhabitants of the territories conquered by the Roman Empire, were obliged to pay taxes to the treasury of the empire. Tax collectives collected tax. It is no wonder that people did not like those who held such a post, because public prosecutors often oppressed the people, abusing their official duties, showed cruelty and lack of compassion. One of the tax collectors was Matthew Levi. Thanks to his position, he made a decent fortune. But Matthew, although a publican, still did not lose his human appearance.

How Matthew became a disciple of the Savior and apostle

Matthew often heard the sermon of Christ, who had settled in the same Capernaum, and saw the miracles they were doing. The Apostle Matthew's apprenticeship was due to the fact that the Lord saw how Matthew treated him, his teaching, saw the willingness to believe and follow him. Jesus accompanied by people once left the city and went to the sea. Just to the place where Matthew collected taxes from passing ships. Approaching the future apostle, the Lord said that he followed him. The apostle Matthew, who strove for Christ with his heart and soul, did not hesitate to follow Teacher. Matthew Levi, not believing himself that Jesus, sinful, was chosen by Jesus, prepared a meal in his house. Everyone was invited to the holiday. Among the people present in the house of the apostle were publicans, as well as all friends and relatives. Jesus sat down at the same table with publicans and sinners, so as to give their word to them a chance to repent and be saved. The apostle Matthew himself confirmed by his example the divine destiny of the Master, who said that he came to save the sinners, but not the righteous. The future apostle left all his possessions and went after the Lord. Soon, Matthew was added to the number of twelve apostles.

The Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

Matthew was a faithful disciple. Together with the rest of the apostles, he saw all the miracles performed by Jesus, listened to all his sermons, accompanied everywhere. Matthew himself went to people, trying to convey to them the teaching of Christ, and thereby giving the opportunity to be saved. The apostles, including Matthew, his brother Jacob Alfeev, and also the apostle Andrew, with a shudder of the heart, saw the arrest of the Master, His torment, death, and then - ascension. After the Lord ascended to heaven, the apostle, together with the other disciples, preached to the people of Galilee and Jerusalem the teaching of Christ - the Gospel. When the time had come for the apostles to disperse all over the world and bring the teaching of Christ to all nations, the Jews, the other disciples and the apostle Andrew, the very first of the called disciples of Jesus, expressed to Matthew their desire to carry the teaching further in writing. Matthew Levi, following the universal desire, wrote his Gospel - the Gospel of Matthew. This was the very first Gospel of the New Testament. This book was aimed primarily at delivering the teachings to the inhabitants of Palestine, and written in Hebrew.

Appeal of people in faith by the apostle Matthew

After the apostle left Jerusalem, he visited the gospel in Syria, Persia, Parthia, Media, Ethiopia or India. Here he tried to convert the wild people of cannibals (anthropophagous) with bestial customs and customs. (The Akathist to the Apostle Matthew is read on the day of his death in Ethiopia on November 16.) In the city called Mirmenach, at the very beginning of his stay in Ethiopia, the holy apostle Matthew converted several people to the Christian faith, appointed a bishop and built a small temple. He prayed all the time that the whole tribe converted. And one day, Matthew was on a high mountain in fasting and prayer. To him in the image of a young man God appeared and gave the apostle a staff, saying that Matthew stuck a stronger rod at the temple. From the staff was to grow a tree with juicy and delicious fruits, and from the base of the tree was to appear a source of clear water. Everyone who eats the fruit should become meek and kind, and after drinking from the source, gain faith. The apostle Matthew began to descend from the mountain with a rod, but the demon possessed by the wife and son of the owner of the city of Fulvian began to discourage the apostle, shouting that the apostle wants to destroy them. Matthew in the name of Christ cast out demons. Both Fulvian's wife and son followed the apostle, becoming humble.

The Miracle Created by the Apostle Matthew

In the city, near the temple, the apostle firmly stuck a rod, and in front of everyone a miracle happened. As Matthew the Lord said, a huge tree grew, unprecedented fruits appeared on the tree, and a stream began to flow from the foot of the tree. People gathered from all over the city to see this miracle, to try the fruits and drink water from the creek. The apostle stood on the dais and began to preach. All who were near believed and received baptism in the water from the spring. The wife and son of Fulvian were baptized. Fulvian, at first with respect and surprise, reacted to the deeds of the apostle, was very angry when he realized that the new faith would remove the people from idols. And the owner of the city planned to kill the apostle Matthew.

Attempts to seize the apostle Matthew

In the night Jesus appeared to the apostle, encouraged him, saying that he would not leave in the agonies that Matthew had to go through. When Fulvian sent his soldiers to the temple to bring Matthew, they were surrounded by darkness, so much so that they could hardly find a way back. Fulvian became even more angry and sent many more soldiers to the apostle. But even those warriors could not seize Matthew, for the heavenly light that lit the apostle was so bright that the warriors threw weapons and ran in terror. Then Fulvian himself came to the temple with escort. But suddenly he became blind and began to ask Matthew to be merciful and forgive sins. The apostle crossed the evil ruler. He found the ability to see, but decided that it was only the magic of Matthew, and not the power of the Lord. Fulvian decided to burn the apostle.

The End of St. Matthew's Life

Matthew grabbed and nailed to the ground by the arms and legs with large nails. By order of the cruel Fulvian, branches, brushwood, sulfur, tar were placed on top, believing that the apostle would burn. Instead, the flame was extinguished, and the holy apostle Matthew, alive and unharmed, praised the name of the Lord. Those present were horrified and also praised God. Everything except Fulvian. On his orders, brought even more branches and brushwood, laid on top of the apostle, poured resin. Fulvian placed twelve golden idols around the proposed fire, which he worshiped. He wanted with their help to burn Matthew. But Matthew in earnest fervor prayed earnestly, that the Lord might show forth his strength and put to laugh those who still hoped for idols. The flame turned to the idols and melted them, singing those standing nearby. Then the fiery serpent, escaping from the flames, went to Fulvian, who in fear wanted to escape. Seeing the futility of trying to avoid a snake, Fulvian prayed to Matthew, asking him to save him from death. The apostle extinguished the flame. The ruler wanted to receive St. Matthew with honors, but the apostle last time offered a prayer to the Lord and died.

How did Fulvian become Matthew

Fulvian ordered the unharmed body of the apostle to put on expensive clothes, to bring it to the palace, but doubts of faith forced him to order to tie down the iron ark for the remains and, having sealed it, to lower it into the sea. The ruler decided that if God, who saved from the fire of the apostle, will not let the body drown, then he will believe and give up idols. At night, the bishop saw Matthew, who gave directions, where to find his rendered by the sea on the shore of relics. Fulvian also went to look at this miracle, and, finally making sure of the power of the Lord, received the baptism with the name of Matthew. So the calling of the apostle Matthew as a disciple of God converted a whole nation into faith.

The feats of the apostles are invaluable for the emergence of Christianity. So the example of the apostle Matthew himself showed his life. The icon with its image will remind every Christian about perseverance and deed in the name of the Lord. The life of the apostle Matthew is an instructive story for all.