To take St Matthew – as a smart business man he could quickly spot what was crooked and what was straight.  Yet even he was deceived by Judas Iscariot to the very end.  But Our Lord, whose judgement in detecting the false from the true was unerring, was not deceived for a moment.  As St John said, “Jesus…knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone” (NRSV, John 2:24,25).  He “knew from the first who…was the one that would betray him” (NRSV, John 6:64).

On the other hand, Matthew’s occupation had made it virtually impossible for him to be honest; and yet in Our Lord he saw the quality of integrity completely flawless. Even Our Lord’s enemies admitted, “Teacher, we know that you are true…” (RSV, Mark 12:14).