Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER SIXTH. THE FOUR GOSPELS SEPARATELY EXAMINED. MATTHEW. Matthew was a Galilean Jew, and held the office of a receiver of customs under the Roman government, at the sea of Tiberias, near Capernaum (Matt. ix. 9). By Mark he is called Levi, son of Alpheus (Mark ii. 14). When a Jew became a Roman citizen he generally assumed a Roman name; and it is probable that Levi was the original Hebrew, and Matthew the assumed Roman name of this evangelist. He left his business at the call of Christ, and became his permanent attendant and one of the twelve apostles a short time before the delivery of the sermon on the mount (Luke v. 27). In enumerating the apostles he calls himself Matthew the publican (Matt. x. 9) or customhouse officer, a name exceedingly odious to the oppressed Jews. The nature of the publican's office, and the injustice and oppression which these officers generally practised, were enough to excite odium in a nation less sensitive than the Jewish. When the Romans subjugated the Jews, they treated them as they did other conquered nations, that is, they required of every man, in addition to various taxes, the payment of an annual tribute, as a token of his subjection and for the support of the dignity of the Roman empire. This tribute was extremely hateful to the Jews, who boasted that they had no sovereign but God, that they were Abraham's seed, and were not in bondage to any man. But oppressive as this tax was in itself, it often became still more so by the manner in which it was collected. It was customary for the government to expose the taxes of a province to sale, and he who would offer the most for them had the privilege of collecting; and all that he could obtain above the amount paid to the government, went to enrich...
