Bible Contradiction? What was the name of the tax collector who was called by Jesus?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: What was the name of the tax collector who was called by Jesus?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Matthew

“As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He *said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9)

Levi

“As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He *said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.” (Mark 2:14)

“After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.”” (Luke 5:27)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

 

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

 

1. When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction.  A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time.  To put it another way, a Bible contradiction exists when there are claims within the Bible that are mutually exclusive in the same sense and at the same time.
2. One should be skeptical of whether this is a Bible contradiction given the Skeptic Annotated Bible’s track record of inaccurately handling the Bible.  See the many examples of their error which we have responded to in this post: Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions.  Of course that does not take away the need to respond to this claim of a contradiction, which is what the remainder of this post will do.  But this observation should caution us to slow down and look more closely at the passages cited by the Skeptic Annotated Bible to see if they interpreted the passages properly to support their conclusion that it is a Bible contradiction.
3. The point of contradiction that the skeptic sees is the difference between Matthew 9:9 and Luke 5:27 and Mark 2:14 with the name of whom Jesus called to follow Him.  Matthew 9:9 states it was Matthew while Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 states the name was Levi.
4. In examining the three passages we see three passages are referring to the same event and person since all three passages and its context share the following details in agreement:
   1. Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27 all mentioned a tax collector sitting in the tax collection booth.
   2. Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27 record Jesus saying “Follow me.”
   3. The event within the periscope of Jesus calling the tax collector to follow Him matches in detail.
   4. In all three account the event prior to Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27 was Jesus exiting a boat and while being on land Jesus healed a paralytic man (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-13, Luke 5:12-26).
   5. The details of the paralytic man being healed is matching in all three Gospel account and must be referring to the same event.  For instance in all three account Jesus said to the man his sin is forgiven.  In all three account the religious leaders reacted negatively to Jesus’ statement and then Jesus asked them which is easier to do, to forgive or to heal a man.  In all three account Jesus healed the man in order to show that He being the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins.
   6.  Sequentially following Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27 we also the three passages are talking about the same event (Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-20, Luke 5:33-39).  In all three account people asked Jesus questions about fasting and why His disciples didn’t fast but the disciples of John fasted.  Jesus’ response in all three account mentioned about old and new wineskin.
5. I don’t think there’s a contradiction here since both names (Matthew and Levi) refer to the same person.
   1. The name Matthew means “gift of God.”
   2. I take it that his name was originally Levi.  After he became a believer his name changed to reflect His new change identity and purpose.
6. Also its not a Bible contradiction since people in life and in the Bible can have more than one name or a name change.
   1. Abram/Abraham.
   2. Jacob/Israel.
   3. Gideon/Jerub-Baal.
   4. Joseph/Zaphenath-Paneah.
   5. Daniel/Belteshazzar.
   6. Hananiah/Shadrach.
   7. Mishael/Meshach.
   8. Azariah/Abednego.
   9. Peter/Cephas.
   10. Chileab/Daniel.
7. To further reinforce the point that people in the Bible can have more than one name note there are instances in the Bible where the Bible would state a individual’s name then state “___ who was also called ___.”  Thanks to Tom for making this point.
   1. “So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.” (Acts 1:23)
   2. “Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),” (Acts 4:36)
   3. “and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.” (Acts 10:18)
   4. “And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.” (Acts 12:12)
   5. “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.” (Acts 12:25)
8. While it is not infallible word of God Church history also helpfully attests that Levi was Matthew.  Jerome writes “Matthew, who is also Levi, and who from a publican came to be an apostle, first of all composed a Gospel of Christ in Judaea in the Hebrew language and characters for the benefit of those of the circumcision who had believed” (De viris inlustribus (On Illustrious Men), chapter III).
9. There is no contradiction here.
10. We shouldn’t miss that worldviews are at play even with the skeptic’s objection to Christianity.  The worldview of the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible actually doesn’t even allow for such a thing as the law of non-contradiction to be meaningful and intelligible.  In other words for him to try to disprove the Bible by pointing out that there’s a Bible contradiction doesn’t even make sense within his own worldview.  Check out our post “Skeptic Annotated Bible Author’s Self-Defeating Worldview.”