Exploring Matthean eschatology through Jungian lenses: applying the SIFT approach to Matthew 24: 1–6, 32–44

This study explores Matthean eschatology through the lens of Jungian psychological type theory and the SIFT approach to biblical hermeneutics. It addresses a gap in existing literature related to the SIFT approach that has not considered eschatological passages drawn from the Gospels. The present study tested the ways that the two functions of both the perceiving and judging processes explored and responded to verses from Matthew 24, a passage rich in eschatological imagery. The sensing types struggled to engage with complex eschatological imagery, remaining anchored to the text, while the intuitive types were able to make imaginative links with theological and practical themes, using the text as a springboard for further discussion. The feeling types were distressed by the descriptions of the end times, while the thinking types were relatively comfortable with the same imagery.