There is no historical evidence to suggest that an "original" Gospel of Matthew was ever discovered. The Gospel of Matthew, as we know it today, is part of the canonical New Testament and its origins are complex and debated among scholars.
Here's what we know:
* No "Original" Discovery: There is no record or archaeological evidence of a rediscovered "original" manuscript of Matthew that predates the existing copies.
* Multiple Texts and Versions: The New Testament texts, including Matthew, exist in thousands of ancient manuscript copies. These copies show variations, but they are all considered copies of versions circulating from early Christian times.
* Authorship and Dating: The traditional view is that Matthew the Apostle wrote the Gospel of Matthew. However, many scholars believe it was written by an unknown author in the late first century, drawing on earlier sources, including the Gospel of Mark and a hypothetical collection of sayings called "Q."
* Textual Criticism: Scholars use a process called textual criticism to compare the various manuscript copies and try to reconstruct the earliest possible version of the text. However, this process doesn't uncover a single "original," but rather aims to identify the most likely readings based on the available evidence.
In summary, the idea of someone "discovering" the original Gospel of Matthew is not supported by historical or scholarly evidence. The Gospel of Matthew evolved over time, and we only have copies of versions that were in circulation in the early centuries of Christianity.