IDEOLOGICAL CLASH IN MATTHEW'S GOSPEL: IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIETAL PEACE

Matthew's Jesus announced the dawn of God's kingdom which by Jewish royal ideology was the Davidic Kingdom. The crowds followed him but Jewish authorities saw him as a power swindler, opposed him, and masterminded his execution for treason. Analogous royal ideology apparently explains the web of armed conflicts in much of today's world. This study ideologically analyses the dynamics undergirding the conflict between Jewish leaders and Jesus and draws implications for today's societies, with Nigeria in focus. It divulges crossing points among three constructs: politicization of religion, sacralisation of politics, and economic control, and advocates respect for human dignity, in place of religionism and veneration of ideologies, for peaceful coexistence.