Why does St. Matthew have two names in the Bible?

Michie · Sep 25, 2023

The famous tax-collector, Matthew, turned apostle may have had his own name-change after encountering Jesus Christ.

Name changes are significant in the Bible, as they typically signal a new mission from God. For example, Abram became Abraham and Simon was re-named Peter.

Another character in the Bible whom many scholars believe received a name change was Matthew the apostle. In the Gospel of Matthew the tax-collector who is called by Jesus Christ to become an apostle is named“Matthew” (Matthew 9:9).

Yet, in the Gospel of Mark the same tax-collector is named “Levi” (Mark 2:14).

Some scholars believe that the tax-collector simply had two names, one in Greek (Matthew) and the other in Hebrew (Levi). This is very possible, as scholars point to Simon (Peter) and Saul (Paul) as similar examples that don’t signify a name change, but the existence of two names in two different languages.

At the same time, other scholars believe this could indicate a name change. In the Catholic Encyclopedia, it explains, “It is probable that Mattija, ‘gift of Iaveh,’ was the name conferred upon the tax-gatherer by Jesus Christ when He called him to the Apostolate, and by it he was thenceforth known among his Christian brethren, Levi being his original name.”

In reality, both theories are possible. What is certain is that after he left his tax-collecting business he was forever known as “Matthew” by the early Christian community.

Whatever the case may be, both names are capable of inspiring symbolic reflections, as can be seen in the following passage from The Golden Legend, a popular medieval text that provided inventive meanings for saints’ names.

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