_MATTHEW, TIIE EVANGELIST, IS regarded by most of the ancient Christian writers, and by the best modern commentators, as identical with the publican whom Mark and Luke name Levi. If their view be con:ect, Matthew—signifyino: in Hebrew " the gift of Jellovah”—was perhaps a surntune analogous to Peter as acided to Simon, and to Boanerges as applied to James and John. He was early called to be a disciple, a-nd was afterwards numbered among the twelve apostles. He was a publican, probably one of the subordlnate class who were charged with collecting the taxes in a limited district. Having teft all to follow Jesus, he also made him a feast hi his house, at which a great multitude of publicans were present as invited guests. After the record of his choice as one of the apostles, given by three evangelists—of whom only Matthew speaks of him self as the publican—no mention is made of him in the gospels, except generally as they all speak frequently of " the twelve," and, after the departure of Judas, of " the eleven ;' and in the Acts, having been mentioned once by name, he is included afterwards among " the eleven," and probably also among " the apostles." A tradition, as old RS the 1st
c., says that le continued in Jerusalem about 15 years after the ascension. With this accords the statement of Eusebius, made long afterwards, that he preached to his own nation before he went to foreign countries. Among the countries mentioned by other writers are Ethiopia, Persia, _Macedonia, Media, and Parthia. Several of the earlier writers ao.ree in numbering him among thc;few apostles who. did not suffer martyrdom, though alater tradition affirms that he, too;4ealed 1118 teStinaony witghii blood.