Who Wrote Matthew?
Quick Summary
The Gospel of Matthew is traditionally attributed to Matthew, also called Levi, a Jewish tax collector who became one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. While the Gospel itself is formally anonymous, early Christian tradition consistently names Matthew as its author. Modern scholarship generally understands Matthew as the product of a Jewish-Christian author or community, writing in Matthew’s name and preserving apostolic teaching, likely between 80–90 CE.
Introduction
The Gospel of Matthew opens the New Testament and shapes how generations of readers understand Jesus. Its careful structure, deep engagement with the Hebrew Scriptures, and sustained teaching sections suggest deliberate composition rather than spontaneous recollection.
Because Matthew does not name its author, the question of authorship requires attention to early Christian testimony, internal literary evidence, and historical context. Understanding who wrote Matthew helps readers see how memory, tradition, and theology converge in the formation of the Gospels.
The Traditional Attribution to Matthew
Early Christian writers consistently identify Matthew as the author of the first Gospel. Papias of Hierapolis, writing in the early second century, states that Matthew compiled the sayings of Jesus in the Hebrew language and that others later interpreted them. This testimony is preserved by Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History 3.39).
Irenaeus, writing in the late second century, affirms that Matthew produced a Gospel among Jewish believers while Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome. This consistent attribution across geographic regions suggests that the name Matthew was not assigned casually.
Matthew (Levi) in the New Testament
Matthew appears in the Gospels as a tax collector called by Jesus (Matthew 9:9). In Mark and Luke, the same figure is called Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27), suggesting a shared identity.
Tax collectors were trained in record-keeping and administration, a background often noted by scholars when considering the Gospel’s structured style. However, the Gospel does not emphasize autobiographical detail, and the author never writes in the first person.
Internal Evidence from the Gospel
Matthew demonstrates extensive familiarity with Jewish Scripture. The Gospel repeatedly frames Jesus’ life as fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, using explicit formula quotations. This suggests an author deeply embedded in Jewish interpretive traditions.
The Gospel also reflects advanced Greek composition. Most scholars agree that Matthew used the Gospel of Mark as a source, adapting and expanding it for a Jewish-Christian audience. This dependence makes it unlikely that the Gospel was written directly by an eyewitness recording events independently.
John J. Collins notes that Matthew reflects “a community steeped in Scripture, wrestling with identity after the destruction of the Temple” (Introduction to the Hebrew Bible).
Language and Sources
The Gospel of Matthew was written in Greek, not Hebrew or Aramaic. While Papias refers to Hebrew sayings, most scholars interpret this as either a collection of traditions or an early source rather than the canonical Gospel itself.
In addition to Mark, Matthew appears to draw on shared sayings material often referred to as “Q,” as well as unique traditions sometimes called “M.” This layered use of sources points toward a compositional process rather than single-authorship in the modern sense.
Date and Historical Setting
Most scholars date Matthew between 80–90 CE, after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. The Gospel reflects tension between emerging Jewish-Christian communities and synagogue leadership.
Themes of authority, teaching, and community discipline suggest a church navigating its identity without the Temple. Dale C. Allison Jr. emphasizes that Matthew presents Jesus as both teacher and interpreter of Torah for a post-Temple world (The New Moses, Fortress Press).
Authorship and Inspiration
For many readers, the idea that Matthew reflects community tradition rather than direct eyewitness writing raises questions about inspiration. The early church did not equate inspiration with modern notions of individual authorship.
Instead, the Gospel’s authority rests in its faithful preservation of apostolic teaching. Brevard Childs argues that the canonical Gospels function as theological witnesses shaped by the Spirit within the believing community (The New Testament as Canon).
Matthew’s Gospel reflects inspired memory, interpretation, and proclamation rather than detached historical reporting.
Why the Name Matthew Matters
Even if the Gospel was written by a later disciple or community, attaching Matthew’s name signals continuity with apostolic authority. The name functions as a guarantor of tradition rather than a claim of personal authorship.
This practice was not deceptive in the ancient world but communicative. It identified the stream of teaching to which the Gospel belonged.
Conclusion
The Gospel of Matthew is formally anonymous but consistently attributed to Matthew by early Christian tradition. Modern scholarship understands the Gospel as the work of a Jewish-Christian author or community preserving and interpreting apostolic teaching.
Matthew endures because it presents Jesus as teacher, fulfillment, and authoritative interpreter of Scripture, speaking into a community learning how to live faithfully after loss and transition.
FAQ
Who wrote the Gospel of Matthew?
Early Christian tradition attributes the Gospel to Matthew the apostle, though most scholars see it as written by a later Jewish-Christian author preserving Matthew’s tradition.
Was Matthew an eyewitness to Jesus?
Matthew the apostle was an eyewitness, but the Gospel itself reflects literary dependence on earlier sources, suggesting mediated tradition.
When was Matthew written?
Most scholars date the Gospel to 80–90 CE, after the destruction of Jerusalem.
