Matthew the Apostle

==Non-canonical or apocryphal gospels==
[[File:Matthaeus San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg|thumb|upright|''Saint Matthew'' (1713–1715) by [[Camillo Rusconi]], [[Archbasilica of St. John Lateran]] in Rome]]

In the 3rd century, [[Jewish–Christian gospels]] attributed to Matthew were used by Jewish–Christian groups such as the [[Nazarene (sect)|Nazarene]]s and [[Ebionites]]. Fragments of these gospels survive in quotations by [[Jerome]], [[Epiphanius of Salamis|Epiphanius]] and others. Most academic study follows the distinction of [[Gospel of the Nazarenes]] (36 fragments), [[Gospel of the Ebionites]] (7 fragments), and [[Gospel of the Hebrews]] (7 fragments) found in [[Schneemelcher]]'s [[New Testament Apocrypha]]. Critical commentators generally regard these texts as having been composed in Greek and related to Greek Matthew.{{sfn|Vielhauer|Strecker|2003|p=542}} A minority of commentators consider them to be fragments of a lost Aramaic- or Hebrew-language original.

The [[Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew]] is a 7th-century compilation of three other texts: the [[Gospel of James]], the [[Flight into Egypt]], and the [[Infancy Gospel of Thomas]].

Jerome relates that Matthew was supposed by the Nazarenes to have composed their [[Gospel of the Hebrews]],{{sfn|Saint Jerome|2000|p=10}} though [[Irenaeus]] and [[Epiphanius of Salamis]] consider this simply a revised version of the [[Biblical canon|canonical]] Gospel. This Gospel has been partially preserved in the writings of the [[Church Fathers]], said to have been written by Matthew.{{sfn|Mills|Wilson|2003|p=942}} Epiphanius does not make his own the claim about a Gospel of the Hebrews written by Matthew, a claim that he merely attributes to the [[heresy|heretical]] Ebionites.{{sfn|Epiphanius of Salamis|1987|p=129}}
[[File:Matthew the Apostle. Detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale. Ravena, Italy.jpg|thumb|Matthew the Apostle, detail of the mosaic in the [[Basilica of San Vitale]], [[Ravenna]], 6th century]]