Interpreting the Gospel of Matthew in light of current global realities: a response

Abstract

This article consists of a response to five papers presented by John Y.H. Yieh (Virginia Theological Seminary), Andries van Aarde (University of Pretoria), Dorothy Jean Weaver (Eastern Mennonite Seminary), Laura Anderson (Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley), and Lidija Novakovic (Baylor University, Waco), presented at the Matthew Section of the Society of Biblical Literature, held in Boston (Massachusetts), 21–25 November 2008. This response focuses on three questions: How can awareness of diverse perspectives or global realities enhance readers’ understandings of the Gospel of Matthew? In what ways might the Gospel of Matthew address global problems such as poverty, injustice and violence? To what extent do readers need a hermeneutics of suspicion in order to interpret Matthew responsibly in light of current global realities?