This chapter explores personal experiences and the journey of faith, focusing on the choice to believe in the restored gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ. It delves into the significance of having a desire to believe, leading to a deeper knowledge and understanding of one's faith and connection with the Savior.
Throughout the Book of Mormon, the Savior pronounces fifty-three “I am” statements as he details his purpose and declares his divine identity. In 2 Nephi 29: 8 – 9 he explains that he does so for a particular reason, “Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. […]. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever […]” (emphasis added). In this next episode Dr. Joshua M. Matson, assistant professor of ancient scripture, discusses his recent article “Coming to Know Christ through the ‘I Am’ Statements in the Book of Mormon” and explains the significant presence of these statements in the Bible and Restoration scriptures. He outlines how the Savior utilizes two forms of “I am” statements—metaphorical (depicting what he does) and absolute (his titles or depicting who he is)—throughout the scriptures to proclaim his role and character. Professor Matson explains that the “I am” statements in the Book of Mormon serve as another witness of Jesus Christ, alongside similar “I am” statements presented in the Old and New Testaments, and that they are spoken by both the premortal Jehovah and the resurrected Jesus Christ. In studying the “I am” statements we may come to know the Savior in his own words and through his own perspective.
Publications
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“Coming to Know Christ through the ‘I Am’ Statements in the Book of Mormon” (in I Glory in My Jesus: Understanding Christ in the Book of Mormon, Religious Studies Center, 2023)
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Essential Tools for Interpreting the New Testament (BYU Studies, 2024)
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“The Fourth Gospel and Expectations of the Jewish Messiah” (in Thou Art the Christ, the Son of the Living God: The Person and Work of Jesus in the New Testament, Religious Studies Center, 2018)
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“Covenants, Kinship, and Caring for the Destitute in the Book of Amos” (in Covenant of Compassion: Caring for the Marginalized and Disadvantaged in the Old Testament, Religious Studies Center, 2021)
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“From Jewish King to Islamic Prophet: Interreligious Conversations about Solomon in Antique Jewish and Islamic Literature” (in The Journal of the School of Religious Studies, Vol. 48, McGill University, 2020
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Personal Website https://joshuammatson.com/
Click here to learn more about Joshua M. Matson
