Matthew J. Thomas
Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Department Chair of Theology
I am originally from the East Bay, and am grateful to be teaching here in Berkeley with the GTU. I first began studying theology while working in Oakland with youth at Harbor House Ministries, and this context has been foundational for my work since then.
In 2016 I completed at D.Phil in Theology at the University of Oxford, which was published as Paul's 'Works of the Law' in the Perspective of Second Century Reception. This project sprang from my own desire to understand more precisely Paul's teachings regarding faith, works and justification within his original context. Methodologically, the project involves bringing together the disciplines of New Testament and patristics to allow Paul's early readers to shed light on his writings.
My wife Leeanne and I did masters studies at Regent College in Vancouver (where we met in Hebrew class), and together we wrote the commentaries on 1 and 2 Maccabees for the Ignatius Study Bible. We have four children — Camille, Raphael, Michael and Agnes — who often find ways to crash my lectures at DSPT.
- D.Phil in Theology (New Testament & Patristics), University of Oxford, 2016
- MCS in Biblical Languages, Regent College, 2012
- Pauline theology, patristics (particularly ante-Nicene), early Christian interpretation of Scripture
- Paul's 'Works of the Law' in the Perspective of Second-Century Reception (Mohr Siebeck, 2018; IVP, 2020)
- “Righteous-ed by faith: Justification as factitive in the pre-Augustinian tradition,” Studia Patristica Vol. CXXIII, ed. Markus Vinzent (Peeters, 2021)
- 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees, introductions and commentary in Ignatius Study Bible (with Leeanne Thomas, forthcoming 2022)
- “Origen on Paul’s Authorship of Hebrews,” New Testament Studies no. 65.4 (October 2019)
- Pentateuch & Histories; Gospels; Pauline literature; Josephus seminar; Christianity from Christ to Constantine