Viewing Matthew's Gospel through Subaltern Perspective: Prospects and Challenges

Abstract

This article interprets the Gospel of Matthew through subaltern biblical hermeneutics, reading it from the perspective of marginalized communities in the first-century context and today. Locating the Matthean community in Antioch as socially, religiously, and politically marginalized under Roman imperial rule and post-70 CE Jewish reconfiguration, it presents Matthew as a Gospel from the margins. Jesus is portrayed as a subaltern leader who challenges imperial and religious dominance, affirms the dignity of the excluded, and redefines power through servanthood. The study highlights Matthew’s counter-narratives of inclusion, community solidarity, and the kingdom of God, while critically assessing the strengths and challenges of the subaltern approach.