The New Testament doesn't give us a detailed personality profile of Matthew the Apostle, but we can infer some things from the information we do have. Here's what we can glean:
Based on his background and role:
* Practical and Organized: Before becoming a disciple, Matthew was a tax collector. This suggests he was likely organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable dealing with numbers and finances. Tax collectors managed money, kept records, and interacted with the public, so he likely possessed some level of practical skills.
* Literate and Educated: As a tax collector, Matthew needed to read, write, and keep records. This indicates a certain level of education and literacy, which was not universal in that society.
* Socially Outcast: Tax collectors were despised by their fellow Jews because they worked for the Roman Empire and were often seen as corrupt and exploitative. This suggests that Matthew may have been somewhat of a social outcast, used to being disliked. This might have made him more open to Jesus' inclusive message.
* Obedient and Responsive: Matthew's immediate response to Jesus' call to follow him ("Follow me" - Matthew 9:9) indicates a willingness to leave his previous life behind and obey Jesus' command. This suggests a responsive and perhaps even impulsive nature.
Based on his Gospel (attributed to him):
* Focus on Jewish Audience: The Gospel of Matthew shows a strong emphasis on demonstrating how Jesus fulfilled Jewish prophecies and traditions. This suggests that Matthew was deeply concerned with reaching a Jewish audience and proving that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for.
* Structured and Organized: Matthew's Gospel is often seen as well-structured and organized, further supporting the idea that he was a methodical person.
What we *don't* know:
* The Bible offers little insight into his emotional temperament. Was he generally cheerful, serious, introverted, or extroverted? The texts simply don't say.
* We don't know much about his personal relationships before or after becoming a disciple, other than the implication that he was an outcast.
In Conclusion:
While the Bible doesn't provide a complete picture, it suggests that Matthew was likely a practical, organized, and literate individual who was also responsive to Jesus' call. He may have been an outcast but used to it, and he was concerned with bridging the gap between Jesus' teachings and Jewish traditions. His former role as a tax collector implies a certain level of ambition and perhaps a willingness to work within a system, even if it was unpopular.
It's important to remember that this is all based on inference and interpretation. The Bible focuses more on Matthew's actions and role in spreading the Gospel than on a detailed psychological profile.