Abstract:
Within the passion narrative Matthew adds important pericopes to the Marcan text concerning
both Pilate and Judas. These additional pericopes provide a rich resource for exploring the
psychological motivation of and the psychological consequences for these two key actors
in the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus. The present study employs the Jungian framework
of the sensing, intuition, feeling and thinking (SIFT) approach to Biblical hermeneutics to
explore the interpretation of Matthew 27:19–25 (concerning Pilate) through the lenses of
sensing and intuition, and the interpretation of Matthew 27:3–10 (concerning Judas) through
the lenses of thinking and feeling among 24 experienced preachers in Ontario, Canada. The
findings confirm the hypotheses advanced by the SIFT approach that significant differences
emerge between the psychological perceptions of sensing types and intuitive types, and that
significant differences emerge between the psychological evaluations of thinking types and
feeling types.
Description:
This research is part of the
research project, ‘Biblical
Theology and Hermeneutics’,
directed by Prof. Dr Andries
van Aarde, Post Retirement
Professor and Senior
Research Fellow in the
Dean’s Office, Faculty of
Theology and Religion,
University of Pretoria.
