Matthew, St. One of the twelve Apostles and of the four Evangelists. In Matthew 10. 3 he is described as a tax collector. According to Papias he made a collection in Hebrew of the sayings of Jesus, and since the time of Irenaeus he has been credited with the authorship of the gospel bearing his name. In art he is depicted with a sword, a money-bag, or a carpenter's square. Feast day in the E., 16 Nov.; in the W., 21 Sept.

The Gospel according to Matthew is the opening book of the New Testament.

Matthew, St an Apostle, a tax-gatherer from Capernaum in Galilee, traditional author of the first Gospel. Matthew may be represented in art as the author of one of the Gospels, in which case his symbol is an angel, one of the tetramorph. He may alternatively be shown with the instruments of his martyrdom (a spear, sword, or halberd), or with a money-bag or money-box as a sign of his occupation as tax-gatherer. He may also be shown wearing spectacles, perhaps so as to read his accounts. His feast day is 21 September in the West and 16 November in the East.
Matthew principle more will be given to those who are already provided for. The allusion is to Matthew 25:29.

Matthew, Saint (active 1st century ad) Apostle and probably one of the four evangelists of the New Testament. In the lists of the disciples given in the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew is sometimes called Levi. Before his calling, he was a tax collector for King Herod Antipas. Feast day: September 21 in the West, November 16 in the East.