Trust

Son of Alphaeus (2:14)

The most successful British soldier of WWII did not exist. His name was Captain William Martin. He was the key player in Operation Mincemeat, which may have saved somewhere up to 10,000 lives during the Allied invasion of Sicily. His real name was Glyndwr Michael, a lonely vagrant who died from eating rat poison. His body was dressed up and set afloat to deceive the German high command into sending reinforcements to Greece, leaving the Allies to invade Sicily with minimal resistance.

Levi is not only given his real name but, by the giving of his father's name, is clearly identifiable to all who might meet him or his family. Such detail suggests the writer knew that some would question the truth of his accounts. Who wouldn't? His claims are truly extraordinary. When you do, he seems to want to say, go talk to Levi, son of Alphaeus. He was there too. Now there's an idea. I wonder what Levi, otherwise known as Matthew, might have to say about Jesus.




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