Matthew, the tax collector, was an Israelite who collected taxes for the Roman Empire. The Israelites living under the oppression of the Roman

Empire despised tax collectors. Matthew did not care; he lived a charmed life. He socialized with the wealthy and elite of society. He had a high-profile job, which paid well and came with dishonest perks. From Matthew’s perspective, life was good.

For Matthew, the chosen, life changed when Christ approached him and said, “Follow me.”

Many of Christ’s apostles were fishermen. Christ invited them to become “fishers of men.” In contrast Matthew was a businessman, but like the fishermen, Matthew was chosen. Matthew the taxpayer, left his worldly comforts and followed Christ. Matthew, the chosen, wrote the first book of the four Gospels of Christ. The book of Matthew chronicles the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. But Matthew also includes the parables, the miracles, as well as the sermons of Christ.

Before Matthew met Christ, he was a writer who worked as a tax collector. After Matthew met Christ, he used his gift of writing to record his spiritual journey with Christ. In a world of political upheaval, intertwined with religion, the prophesized Messiah began his earthly ministry. Matthew was chosen as an apostle of Christ. Matthew not only served as an apostle, but he witnessed and recorded the ministry of Christ. Over time, Matthew came to realize that people from all earthly kingdoms and all walks of life are chosen by Christ.