Additional information
by Douglas a. Wheeler Ph. D. (Author)
It is the goal, or it should be the goal, of every serious Christian to learn to effectively study the Bible. Effective Bible study can be defined as the ability to do independent research in the Bible without the aid of commentaries. Hebrew is the foundation stone on which the Old Testament revelation was given to man. This was the linguistic vehicle that God chose to reveal Himself and His plan, for not only the Jew, but also for all of mankind. It is an accepted fact that a person cannot study the Old Testament in depth without a working understanding of the language of Hebrew. The same could and should be said about the New Testament because of certain facts that remain constant. Every single writer of the New Testament, with the possible exception of Luke, was a native speaker of a Semitic language. The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is a Jewish manuscript. It is a book written by Jews, to Jews, not only pointing the way for a Jewish Messiah, but also showing how Jesus fulfilled the role as the Jewish Messiah. It is impossible to separate the way a person thinks from what he writes. It can be said then that the New Testament is Hebraic thought that has been clothed in Greek garments. In order to effectively see these thought patterns, a person must have at least some ability to handle Hebrew to unlock the rich storehouse of knowledge that is available to us as we study the New Testament.
Author Biography
Douglas A. Wheeler, Th.D., PhD. is a pastor, professor, and scholar, teaching the Scriptures from the the original Hebraic language and thought. Dr. Wheeler is a prolific author, writing on such topics as "The Influence of the Hebrew Language, History and Culture on the New Testament," "Think on These Things-Hebraic Conceptual Ideas from Philippians 4:8," "Hebrew Bible Study Methodology," "Benching and the Early Christian Meal," "For the Love of God," as well as "God in Pursuit of His People","Salt of the Earth", "The Menorah a Picture of the Christian Life", "The Law of the Fringe", and "The Echad of God".
