In Cherokee, a verbal suffix is used to indicate whether a speaker has direct personal knowledge of a described event or not, such as when the speaker relates an event based on hearsay. The first mode is called EXP (experienced) mode and the second is called NXP (nonexperienced) mode. In the case of Matthew 9:9 the narration of much of the rest of the gospel is switched from NXP to EXP once Jesus sees Matthew at the tax-collection station and calls him away. From this point on, Matthew, the presumed author of the gospel, relates the events from his own experiences rather than from hearsay.

There are exceptions, however, that mark times when Matthew is not present and a switch to the NXP mode is made. These include the killing of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1-12), the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13), in Old Testament quotes and stories (see for example Matthew 24:37-39), or in reports of meetings by others (see Matthew 26:3-5. (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 56ff.)