Matthew, also known as Levi, was the brother of James the Less whose father was Alpheaeus (Mark 2:14). He was a custom officer (Matt. 1

The Scriptures confirm that he was a leader of the church before the destruction of the city and the Temple. Many other non-biblical historians have left records that do not prove that Jesus of Nazareth lived, but they state that most people of that time thought he did. Julius Africanus (circa 221 AD) cited Thallus who wrote in around 52 AD and was

After the death of Peter and Paul in Rome in 64 AD there was a strong tradition that John Mark went back to Alexandria, a Greco-Roman city in Egypt with a large Jewish population, where he had been before. Eusebius wrote that Anianus, a convert of St. Mark, followed him as bishop of Alexandria confirming in this way that Mark spent a few years in that city. It is not clear when he came in that city but it must be between 48 and 61 AD. He was martyred and buried there in 68 AD.

The Gospel of Saint John tells us that Joseph of Arimathea, fearing the Jews, was a secret follower of Jesus (John 19:38). His identity is still not well known as none of the four Gospels introduces him before the crucifixion. However we know he was rich and a member of the Sanhedrin. Kingsbury, The Christology of John's Gospel. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989). He was also waiting for the kingdom of God (Luke 23:51) as all the Christian believers. Jesus was seen by up to 500 people after his resurrection. Some of these people are mentioned in the Gospels, first of all the disciples. To them he appeared in rooms that had been locked by fear of persecution. The first time he appeared one of the disciples, Thomas, was not there and he refused to believe the other who said that Jesus had come among them. "Doubting Thomas" wanted to see for himself (John 20:25). Jesus appeared again to his disciples eight days later and Thomas was there. Jesus told him to look and to touch him and this time he believed that Jesus had come back. Jesus reproved him for not believing without seeing (John 20:26-29). Jesus' appeared in closed rooms after his resurrection and he could be seen and touched as a physical being.

Mark was probably younger that the apostles but this did not prevent him to be very useful during the Apostolic Age. He traveled to many lands to preach, and he was extremely successful at converting people to Christian faith. In addition the fact that he wrote the first Gospel (by date) makes him somebody special for all the Christians.

would then have been written at the most 17 years after Jesus' death, and even probably before. In these conditions there were still enough living witnesses to verify the accuracy of the story, adding quite a lot to its credibility. Kingsbury, Conflict in Matthew: Jesus, Authorities, and Disciples. (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1989). John Mark was an important person among the early Christians. He had a Roman name (Mark or Marcus) and a Jewish name (John or Jonah). It is thought that his father

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