As he was walking by
[the city limits], he saw
Levi, the son of Alphaeus
[also called Matthew], sitting at the tax booth
[a simple customs station where everyone who sold goods had to pay sales tax]. He said to him, "Follow me
(become my disciple)." He got up and followed him.
[It was not unusual to have multiple names at this time. Levi was his Hebrew name, meaning "united with," while Matthew was his Greek name, meaning "gift of God." The collection of customs duties and taxes from the provinces of Rom were leased out to private individuals. These were called "publicanus." Levi was such a publican who collected taxes for Herod Antipas. The Jews hated and looked down on the tax collectors who allied themselves with the occupying power. Levi immediately accepted the call, left his old life behind, and became one of Jesus' twelve disciples. Later, he wrote down his eyewitness account of Jesus' life – the Gospel of Matthew.]
