Matthew Levi

Matthew was 31 when chosen, a customs collector and the only apostle with moderate wealth. A good business man and social mixer, gifted with the ability to make friends across a great variety of people (139:7.1). He served as fiscal agent and publicity spokesman. His greatest secret: he privately funded the apostles from his own fortune, but none of them ever knew (139:7.9). He most appreciated Jesus' forgiving disposition, always speaking of the kingdom as 'this business of finding God' (139:7.4). His extensive notes on Jesus' sayings became the basis for what is now known as the Gospel of Matthew (139:7.5).