Traditionally, the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible is attributed to Matthew the Apostle, also known as Levi, a former tax collector who became one of Jesus' twelve disciples.

This view stems from early church fathers like Papias (c. 60–130 AD), who reported that Matthew compiled Jesus' sayings in Hebrew, later interpreted for wider use. Figures such as Irenaeus, Origen, and Eusebius echoed this attribution, with no early alternatives proposed, and all surviving manuscripts name Matthew as author.

Scholarly Perspectives

Modern scholars largely see it as anonymous, written in Greek around 80–90 AD by a Jewish Christian familiar with scripture, not necessarily the apostle due to stylistic differences from eyewitness accounts.

  • External evidence : Unanimous early church support (Papias, Pantaenus, Irenaeus).
  • Internal challenges : Greek fluency suggests education beyond a Galilean tax collector; heavy reliance on Mark's Gospel.
  • Defenses : Possible scribal translation from Hebrew original; apostle's unique access to events like the tax collector calling.

Historical Context

Tradition holds Matthew wrote first (c. 50–70 AD) for Jewish audiences, emphasizing Jesus as Messiah fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. Debates persist without definitive proof, blending faith, patristic testimony, and textual analysis—no recent 2026 shifts noted in discussions.

TL;DR : Church tradition credits Apostle Matthew; scholars favor anonymous authorship late 1st century.

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