The true author of the Gospel of Matthew, and indeed of the whole Gospel from beginning to end, is only one: the Holy Spirit; the words to put down in the Gospel itself come through the Holy Spirit. The Lord chose Matthew, the tax collector, to write down the Word in this Gospel, not because he had schooling but because he was clean from inside his heart. Because of the work he held, Matthew had more than one name (See Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27).
Who Was Matthew?
Matthew was considered an outcast because he was a tax collector; many places in the Bible talk against tax collectors. But the Lord took him for a purpose. As the Bible says, the Lord called; he got up and went to follow the Lord Jesus. He held a position as a tax collector, but that position did not keep him there; just a calling word from the Lord, and he followed. The following is proof of his heart and that he deserved to be a disciple. Matthew followed the Lord Jesus, saw the work of the Lord, and he believed the Word of the Lord because he saw it; so he believed every word the Lord spoke.
How Did Matthew Reach the Point of Writing the Gospel?
After having spent a long time following the Lord and having seen many miracle works, the work of the Lord opened Matthew’s heart fully to the task of writing down the Gospel. It was more than commitment; it was Matthew submitting himself to the Lord for the work. He followed that conviction, left everything behind, and worked for the Lord: he wrote down the Gospel.
One day, as he went through his life, the Lord put it in his heart to start the work. That was a simple way: come along, sit down, and listen to the Holy Spirit speak to him and give him the words to write down in the Gospel. When the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart, his mind received the exact words to put down in the Gospel. Suppose that someone comes and says that Matthew copied the Gospel. That is wrong; Matthew received the Gospel directly from the Lord; he did not take words from anyone, only from the Holy Spirit; his ear was opened, his heart was gentle, and the work of the Holy Spirit was done through him. Also, remember that Matthew was an intelligent man. His job as a tax collector was important to people at that time, but it did not keep him from where his heart was calling him. Most people, when the Lord calls, do not leave everything behind, but Matthew did. And the work of writing the Gospel, at that time, was work without payment.
Purpose of the Gospel
The Gospel of Matthew covers all the gospel details, and that is why his Gospel is the first Gospel to be put down in the Bible. The facts as written in this Gospel are further covered in the other Gospels. Think of the main details; for example, he has put enough details about the birth of the Lord, but the other Gospels also provide extra details. The main purpose of the Gospel of Matthew is to show the plan of the Lord for humans. He quotes things from the prophets that no one would have known except through the Lord, who showed them to him. As you read the Gospel, you should notice that Matthew quotes the old prophets many times. For example, in Matthew 2:23("and came and dwelt in a city being called Nazareth; so that it should be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a Nazarene."), he refers to a prophetic quotation older than his generation that was not available for common people to read. Matthew, as a tax collector, would not have had the opportunity to study many such writings and quote old prophetic words in the Gospel unless the Holy Spirit had revealed them to him. The Holy Spirit revealed these things to him and gave him the words to write down in the Gospel.
About the Author of the Gospel of Matthew
The true author of the Gospel of Matthew, and indeed of the whole Gospel from beginning to end, is only one: the Holy Spirit; the words to put down in the Gospel itself come through the Holy Spirit. The Lord chose Matthew, the tax collector, to write down the Word in this Gospel, not because he had schooling but because he was clean from inside his heart. Because of the work he held, Matthew had more than one name (See Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27).Who Was Matthew?
Matthew was considered an outcast because he was a tax collector; many places in the Bible talk against tax collectors. But the Lord took him for a purpose. As the Bible says, the Lord called; he got up and went to follow the Lord Jesus. He held a position as a tax collector, but that position did not keep him there; just a calling word from the Lord, and he followed. The following is proof of his heart and that he deserved to be a disciple. Matthew followed the Lord Jesus, saw the work of the Lord, and he believed the Word of the Lord because he saw it; so he believed every word the Lord spoke.How Did Matthew Reach the Point of Writing the Gospel?
After having spent a long time following the Lord and having seen many miracle works, the work of the Lord opened Matthew’s heart fully to the task of writing down the Gospel. It was more than commitment; it was Matthew submitting himself to the Lord for the work. He followed that conviction, left everything behind, and worked for the Lord: he wrote down the Gospel.One day, as he went through his life, the Lord put it in his heart to start the work. That was a simple way: come along, sit down, and listen to the Holy Spirit speak to him and give him the words to write down in the Gospel. When the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart, his mind received the exact words to put down in the Gospel. Suppose that someone comes and says that Matthew copied the Gospel. That is wrong; Matthew received the Gospel directly from the Lord; he did not take words from anyone, only from the Holy Spirit; his ear was opened, his heart was gentle, and the work of the Holy Spirit was done through him. Also, remember that Matthew was an intelligent man. His job as a tax collector was important to people at that time, but it did not keep him from where his heart was calling him. Most people, when the Lord calls, do not leave everything behind, but Matthew did. And the work of writing the Gospel, at that time, was work without payment.
Purpose of the Gospel
The Gospel of Matthew covers all the gospel details, and that is why his Gospel is the first Gospel to be put down in the Bible. The facts as written in this Gospel are further covered in the other Gospels. Think of the main details; for example, he has put enough details about the birth of the Lord, but the other Gospels also provide extra details. The main purpose of the Gospel of Matthew is to show the plan of the Lord for humans. He quotes things from the prophets that no one would have known except through the Lord, who showed them to him. As you read the Gospel, you should notice that Matthew quotes the old prophets many times. For example, in Matthew 2:23("and came and dwelt in a city being called Nazareth; so that it should be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a Nazarene."), he refers to a prophetic quotation older than his generation that was not available for common people to read. Matthew, as a tax collector, would not have had the opportunity to study many such writings and quote old prophetic words in the Gospel unless the Holy Spirit had revealed them to him. The Holy Spirit revealed these things to him and gave him the words to write down in the Gospel.