Biography
Joshua Matson grew up in Chubbuck, Idaho, graduated from Pocatello High School where he was a varsity athlete and student leader, and served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Canada Calgary Mission. Josh holds a PhD in Religion from Florida State University, an MA in Biblical Studies from Trinity Western University (Langley, British Columbia, Canada), and a BA with University Honors in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from Brigham Young University. In addition to his formal education, Josh is a former research associate with the Scripta Qumranica Electronica project at the University of Haifa and an Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls Scholar at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His research focuses on the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Bible (particularly the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament and the Jewish Context of the New Testament), ancient and modern manuscript studies, and contextualizing the Book of Mormon in the ancient world. Josh has presented at numerous regional, national, and international meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature and frequently teaches at BYU Education Week and the Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium. Previously a Religious Educator with Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, Josh is married to the former Erin Barnes and together they are the parents of four children and reside in Santaquin, Utah.
Research Interests
Dead Sea Scrolls, Hebrew Bible Minor Prophets, Textual Criticism, Intertextuality in Antique Literature, Material Reconstruction of Fragmented Manuscripts, Second Temple Judaism, Book of Mormon Studies, Early Christianity, Formation of Canon, Spatial Theory, Dead Sea Scrolls in Modern Religious Traditions, and Use of Non-Canonical Religious Texts in Modern Religious MovementsTeaching Interests
Old Testament, Intertestamental Period, Dead Sea Scrolls, Book of Mormon, New Testament, HebrewEducation
- Religion, Religions of Western Antiquity , American Religious History, Florida State University (2021)
- Biblical Studies, Hebrew Bible , Greek New Testament, Trinity Western University (2015)
- Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Hebrew Bible , University Honors, Brigham Young University (2013)
Professional Citizenship
- Committee/Council Member, BYU New Testament Commentary Committee (2023 - 2027)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Interpreter Foundation (2024 - 2024)
- Media Participation, Come, Follow Up (TV Episode) (2023 - 2023)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Interpreter Foundation (2023 - 2023)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, 2025 Religious Education Symposium in Honor of Sidney B. Sperry (2023 - 2023)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, BYU Studies Quarterly (2023 - 2023)
- Media Participation, Come, Follow Up (TV Episode) (2023 - 2023)
- Media Participation, Come, Follow Up (TV Episode) (2023 - 2023)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Religious Educator (2023 - 2023)
- Guest Speaker, Spanish Fork Young Single Adult Stake (2023 - 2023)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, BYU Studies Quarterly (2023 - 2023)
- Guest Speaker, BYU Education Week (2023 - 2023)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, BYU Studia Antiqua (2023 - 2023)
- Media Participation, Come, Follow Up (TV Episode) (2023 - 2023)
- Media Participation, Follow Him (Podcast-Guest) (2023 - 2023)
- Media Participation, Come, Follow Up (TV Episode) (2023 - 2023)