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Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage: A Christian Theology of Roots and Renewal
In this very readable sequel to his popular book Our Father Abraham — which has sold more than 70,000 copies — Marvin Wilson illuminates theological, spiritual, and ethical themes of the Hebrew scriptures that directly affect Christian understanding and experience.
Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage draws from both Christian and Jewish commentary in discussing such topics as thinking theologically about Abraham, understanding the God of Israel and his reputation in the world, and what it means for humans to be created in God’s image. Wilson calls for the church to restore, renew, and protect its foundations by studying and appreciating its origins in Judaism.
Designed to serve as an academic classroom text or for use in personal or group study, the book includes hundreds of questions for review and discussion.
Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage draws from both Christian and Jewish commentary in discussing such topics as thinking theologically about Abraham, understanding the God of Israel and his reputation in the world, and what it means for humans to be created in God’s image. Wilson calls for the church to restore, renew, and protect its foundations by studying and appreciating its origins in Judaism.
Designed to serve as an academic classroom text or for use in personal or group study, the book includes hundreds of questions for review and discussion.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2014
66 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Marvin R. Wilson
33 books16 followersDr. Marvin R. Wilson's widely used textbook, Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, has been translated into Italian, Chinese, Korean and other languages. For a number of years, Marvin worked as a translator and editor of the New International Version of the Bible. Recently, he contributed a major article to the ESV Study Bible. Marvin also served as primary scholar of a two-hour TV documentary, Jews & Christians: A Journey of Faith, a program that has now played on more than 200 PBS stations.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 22, 2015
There is a movement afoot and I good one I might submit that is seeking to understand the roots of the faith. This implies there is a system of thought and a way of approaching Scripture that perhaps has not been properly understood or utilized over the years. Marvin Wilson, in his excellent and timely book Exploring our Hebraic Heritage: A Christian Thelogy of Roots and Renewal, outlines for the reader exactly what it means to get back to a proper understanding and application of God’s Word.
This process of getting back to our roots has been labeled in many ways over the years with a number of movements coming and going that had as their stated goal a return to our Jewish or Hebraic roots. Some of those movements have been quite successful in their efforts to properly define what getting to our roots means while others have I will submit been far less successful. Outside of these movements and their various permutations, what are our root and why is getting back to them of such importance? Does it mean we are to become Jewish to get back to our roots?
Wilson approaches these and many other related questions by first establishing what theology is and for that matter, what theology is not. He rightly notes the difference in the Hebraic approach to Scripture as opposed to the Greek mindset that permeates the modern approach to many principles and concepts found in Scripture. Furthermore, Wilson aptly notes that while systematic theology, biblical theology, and even denominational creeds and confessions are helpful, “it is critical to seek to mold that system by Scripture, not Scripture by that system.”
Building on these important principles on how to “do” theology, Wilson then begins to unpack what it means to have our theological mindset underpinned by a Hebraic approach to Scripture. He first outlines the hallmarks of what he terms “Hebraic Theology”, notably the fact that its theology is rooted in actual history, it builds on God’s revelation of Himself throughout history to His people, it has a focus on a personal God and not some entity detached from His creation, God’s word is living and active, Hebraic theology has as a main focus the overarching message of redemption, and it is focused on the how of what it means to live holy and ethically.
It seems as if the front of the book or the Old Testament has to take a back seat in theological discussion, since in the minds of many in the church, the New Testament has superseded the first 39 books of the Bible. In taking that approach, Wilson notes “Over the centuries, while most of Christian interpreters understood the Old Testament as witnessing to Christ, considerable disagreement existed on what else from the Old Testament can be legitimately salvaged. This troubling feeling concerning the largest portion of the Word of God has often been resolved with a sort of cherry-picking approach.” Arguably, one sees that cherry-picking approach in discussions about the continued validity or lack thereof concerning what is termed the “Law”.
To help the reader better understand what Hebraic theology is all about, Wilson next invests some time looking at the foundational sources of Hebraic thought. Of great importance is the aforementioned and often debated term and portion of Scripture called the “Law”. The modern Christian affirmation in many circles that the Law has been completely abrogated would have been a foreign concept for the people of Israel in the time period Scripture was written. Wilson aptly notes the entirety of Psalm 119 extols the Law of God. Furthermore, the term Torah itself means far more than just “Law”. Conversely, it actually carries the meaning of “guidance, direction, instruction, or teaching” meaning that anytime in Scripture where God is doing any of those things, whether directly from His mouth or in the lives of those Scripture discusses, it is Torah. Since that takes place all throughout Scripture, all of Scripture is really Torah. Wilson saliently reminds the reader that “Living a life of love requires all the help that a serious believer can get; led by the Spirit, one will be informed by the fullness of God’s teachings, including the law.” Those who teach Christ is the end of the law and thus the law is no longer valid, are also reminded by Wilson that end is the word “telos”, meaning “the purpose or goal of something.” Furthermore, as noted by Wilson, “Didactically, however, or by principle, when these laws are understood in context, many carry significant meaning about God or the timeless priorities he wishes to establish for his people.”
Wilson also builds on the subject matter presented in his previous book Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, another book I highly recommend reading before reading Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage. Wilson explores what it means to be part of the root, a concept often very misunderstood or ignored in the church today. Understanding what being grafted in to the root is all about is vital to understanding the need to grasp why one needs to get back to the root to understand what they have been grafted into in the first place. This really is a matter of proper identity and Wilson states “Our biblical, Hebraic heritage is not the dead faith of the living but the living faith of the dead. It is not a relic to put in a museum but a life-giving source to embrace. There is no way the church may define itself without being connected to the people of Israel.” This is indeed something of a paradigm shift for many and a needed one at that.
There is much to be gleaned theologically from the life of Abraham and Wilson roots his discussion (pun fully intended) in this important figure of the faith. We find in the life of Abraham the concept of covenant, something no new to Abraham specifically, but certainly elaborated more fully in God’s dealing with him as the father of the faith. Wilson avers “the expression ‘Our Father Abraham’ expresses more than some historic remembrance of a virtuous biblical character or present spiritual ties to a family of faith. The expression is ultimately an eschatological statement. Abraham is a symbol of hope; he binds Christians and Jews together with a common vision of the outworking of the kingdom of God.”
I also appreciated Wilson’s sections on who God is, how we should worship Him, and repentance and prayer with the focus in his discussion on the Hebraic (i.e. biblical) approach to such matters. With that said, perhaps the most important aspect of this book is Wilson’s question on whether the church has superseded Israel. This particular point truly gets to the heart of what it means to be connected to our roots. If the roots have been replaced, then there would be no need to be concerned with getting back to anything. Wilson correctly states “A spirit of triumphalism and arrogance on the part of the church has largely characterized most of the history of Christian-Jewish relations.” A rather bold yet again correct statement. Wilson urges the reader to understand “The teaching of Gentile believers ‘grafted into Israel’ and being part of the spiritual ‘seed of Abraham’ is an important piece of Paul’s theology.”
Getting back to our roots is not a call to become Jewish in our practices as followers of Christ. Conversely, it is better termed as the necessity to understand Scripture from the viewpoint (i.e. historical, linguistic, cultural, etc.) of those who wrote the words that we find in the pages of God’s Word. To get back to our roots is to both understand our Hebraic heritage and to grow in God’s Word via that heritage which will in turn promote a more cogent and holistic understanding of what God has revealed to us in His Word.
I highly recommend this book to all believers. Wilson does an excellent job of explaining his thesis and the importance of our Hebraic heritage and a Hebraic theological understanding. Full of theological insight, excellent references to both Jewish and Christian scholars, and most importantly, biblically based, this book is a valuable resource for those desiring to better understand, study, and apply Scripture.
I received this book for free from Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This process of getting back to our roots has been labeled in many ways over the years with a number of movements coming and going that had as their stated goal a return to our Jewish or Hebraic roots. Some of those movements have been quite successful in their efforts to properly define what getting to our roots means while others have I will submit been far less successful. Outside of these movements and their various permutations, what are our root and why is getting back to them of such importance? Does it mean we are to become Jewish to get back to our roots?
Wilson approaches these and many other related questions by first establishing what theology is and for that matter, what theology is not. He rightly notes the difference in the Hebraic approach to Scripture as opposed to the Greek mindset that permeates the modern approach to many principles and concepts found in Scripture. Furthermore, Wilson aptly notes that while systematic theology, biblical theology, and even denominational creeds and confessions are helpful, “it is critical to seek to mold that system by Scripture, not Scripture by that system.”
Building on these important principles on how to “do” theology, Wilson then begins to unpack what it means to have our theological mindset underpinned by a Hebraic approach to Scripture. He first outlines the hallmarks of what he terms “Hebraic Theology”, notably the fact that its theology is rooted in actual history, it builds on God’s revelation of Himself throughout history to His people, it has a focus on a personal God and not some entity detached from His creation, God’s word is living and active, Hebraic theology has as a main focus the overarching message of redemption, and it is focused on the how of what it means to live holy and ethically.
It seems as if the front of the book or the Old Testament has to take a back seat in theological discussion, since in the minds of many in the church, the New Testament has superseded the first 39 books of the Bible. In taking that approach, Wilson notes “Over the centuries, while most of Christian interpreters understood the Old Testament as witnessing to Christ, considerable disagreement existed on what else from the Old Testament can be legitimately salvaged. This troubling feeling concerning the largest portion of the Word of God has often been resolved with a sort of cherry-picking approach.” Arguably, one sees that cherry-picking approach in discussions about the continued validity or lack thereof concerning what is termed the “Law”.
To help the reader better understand what Hebraic theology is all about, Wilson next invests some time looking at the foundational sources of Hebraic thought. Of great importance is the aforementioned and often debated term and portion of Scripture called the “Law”. The modern Christian affirmation in many circles that the Law has been completely abrogated would have been a foreign concept for the people of Israel in the time period Scripture was written. Wilson aptly notes the entirety of Psalm 119 extols the Law of God. Furthermore, the term Torah itself means far more than just “Law”. Conversely, it actually carries the meaning of “guidance, direction, instruction, or teaching” meaning that anytime in Scripture where God is doing any of those things, whether directly from His mouth or in the lives of those Scripture discusses, it is Torah. Since that takes place all throughout Scripture, all of Scripture is really Torah. Wilson saliently reminds the reader that “Living a life of love requires all the help that a serious believer can get; led by the Spirit, one will be informed by the fullness of God’s teachings, including the law.” Those who teach Christ is the end of the law and thus the law is no longer valid, are also reminded by Wilson that end is the word “telos”, meaning “the purpose or goal of something.” Furthermore, as noted by Wilson, “Didactically, however, or by principle, when these laws are understood in context, many carry significant meaning about God or the timeless priorities he wishes to establish for his people.”
Wilson also builds on the subject matter presented in his previous book Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, another book I highly recommend reading before reading Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage. Wilson explores what it means to be part of the root, a concept often very misunderstood or ignored in the church today. Understanding what being grafted in to the root is all about is vital to understanding the need to grasp why one needs to get back to the root to understand what they have been grafted into in the first place. This really is a matter of proper identity and Wilson states “Our biblical, Hebraic heritage is not the dead faith of the living but the living faith of the dead. It is not a relic to put in a museum but a life-giving source to embrace. There is no way the church may define itself without being connected to the people of Israel.” This is indeed something of a paradigm shift for many and a needed one at that.
There is much to be gleaned theologically from the life of Abraham and Wilson roots his discussion (pun fully intended) in this important figure of the faith. We find in the life of Abraham the concept of covenant, something no new to Abraham specifically, but certainly elaborated more fully in God’s dealing with him as the father of the faith. Wilson avers “the expression ‘Our Father Abraham’ expresses more than some historic remembrance of a virtuous biblical character or present spiritual ties to a family of faith. The expression is ultimately an eschatological statement. Abraham is a symbol of hope; he binds Christians and Jews together with a common vision of the outworking of the kingdom of God.”
I also appreciated Wilson’s sections on who God is, how we should worship Him, and repentance and prayer with the focus in his discussion on the Hebraic (i.e. biblical) approach to such matters. With that said, perhaps the most important aspect of this book is Wilson’s question on whether the church has superseded Israel. This particular point truly gets to the heart of what it means to be connected to our roots. If the roots have been replaced, then there would be no need to be concerned with getting back to anything. Wilson correctly states “A spirit of triumphalism and arrogance on the part of the church has largely characterized most of the history of Christian-Jewish relations.” A rather bold yet again correct statement. Wilson urges the reader to understand “The teaching of Gentile believers ‘grafted into Israel’ and being part of the spiritual ‘seed of Abraham’ is an important piece of Paul’s theology.”
Getting back to our roots is not a call to become Jewish in our practices as followers of Christ. Conversely, it is better termed as the necessity to understand Scripture from the viewpoint (i.e. historical, linguistic, cultural, etc.) of those who wrote the words that we find in the pages of God’s Word. To get back to our roots is to both understand our Hebraic heritage and to grow in God’s Word via that heritage which will in turn promote a more cogent and holistic understanding of what God has revealed to us in His Word.
I highly recommend this book to all believers. Wilson does an excellent job of explaining his thesis and the importance of our Hebraic heritage and a Hebraic theological understanding. Full of theological insight, excellent references to both Jewish and Christian scholars, and most importantly, biblically based, this book is a valuable resource for those desiring to better understand, study, and apply Scripture.
I received this book for free from Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
May 14, 2018
This book is basically an argument that Christianity, in many ways, has gotten away from its roots. The book talks about a great many things. It talks about our original roots with Abraham. It looks at Abraham from not only a Christian point of view, but a Jewish point of view, too. The author makes the church that the Christian church is in need of renewal, or a rethinking of certain things. Over the centuries, there seems to have a grown an animosity of Christians to Jews that the author says is unacceptable. The author makes the claim that the two sides, theologically (even though they don't always agree), should be able to talk and get along. He does say that a lot of the current attitude is not necessarily the fault of people today. It's actually taken place over the course of history. He cited the crusades, the events that lead up to the holocaust, the holocaust, and antisemitic sentiments that are held out in churches.
I found this book truly eye-opening in many ways. One, is it really shows (I believe) where Christianity started, and the changes that have happened in the church over the years, and how far away we have gotten from where Christianity started. The author made a pretty good point when he said that the truth is Christianity started out as a movement within Judaism. He does go as far as to point out that Jesus -- not as the Messiah, but as a man -- lived as a Jew the whole of his life. Interestingly enough, many of the scripture references are directly out of the Jewish Tanakh, and so are the sources. I found this book very enlightening. It teaches about different Jewish holidays that before reading this, I was not aware of; didn't know completely what they were. It also gave a great interpretation of how the laws of Judaism still apply to Christians today, and the idea that Christianity does not supersede Israel, and that God's promises to Israel live forever.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about where Christianity started. Truly, I agree with the author when he says that the animosity needs to stop, and that a difference of opinion shouldn't be the end of a relationship, really; because the truth is, theologically speaking, the two religions are related, as Christianity sprang from Judaism and has separated from it over the years. Again, a great read. It was very rewarding, and I give it five stars.
I found this book truly eye-opening in many ways. One, is it really shows (I believe) where Christianity started, and the changes that have happened in the church over the years, and how far away we have gotten from where Christianity started. The author made a pretty good point when he said that the truth is Christianity started out as a movement within Judaism. He does go as far as to point out that Jesus -- not as the Messiah, but as a man -- lived as a Jew the whole of his life. Interestingly enough, many of the scripture references are directly out of the Jewish Tanakh, and so are the sources. I found this book very enlightening. It teaches about different Jewish holidays that before reading this, I was not aware of; didn't know completely what they were. It also gave a great interpretation of how the laws of Judaism still apply to Christians today, and the idea that Christianity does not supersede Israel, and that God's promises to Israel live forever.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about where Christianity started. Truly, I agree with the author when he says that the animosity needs to stop, and that a difference of opinion shouldn't be the end of a relationship, really; because the truth is, theologically speaking, the two religions are related, as Christianity sprang from Judaism and has separated from it over the years. Again, a great read. It was very rewarding, and I give it five stars.
January 4, 2025
Loved Wilson’s first book but thought it was much more concise than this one which seemed a lot more scattered. Still just as valuable to read for the Christian though.
May 16, 2017
This is the sort of book that could have gone very well or very badly, and so I read it with some concern and even mild trepidation. Much to my relief and enjoyment I found this to be an excellent book about a difficult subject, handled with a great deal of aplomb. In fact, this is an author who appears, at least based on my own reading of the book, to have similar views about such matters as the meaning of Holy Days [1], the importance of the Sabbath and biblical food laws [2], the contrast between tidy Greek thinking and multilayered Hebraic thinking [3], and the complicated relationship between biblical Christianity and Judaism [4]. All of these are subjects I think about and write about fairly often. While at first I had some misgivings about the high praise the author gave to rabbinic writings and the oral Torah, the author appears to be using this research largely in order to gain a context of Jesus Christ and the early church within late Second Temple Judaism, rather than as a way to bring legalism into Christian circles. Needless to say, I found this to be a relief.
In terms of its contents, this book is a demanding read. I found it to be immensely enjoyable, one of the best books I have read in quite a while, but this is a book that would likely be a stiff challenge for most readers who are not familiar with Hebrew theological terms or the history of Christian polemical writing against Judaism and against the laws of God. The first part of the book looks at theological sources and methods, examining some pitfalls and stepping-stones in theology, the theological quest for our Hebraic heritage, and the foundational sources for Hebraic thought. The second part of the book looks at the people of God by looking at who joins whom in conversion, the importance of Abraham as the first "Jew," and how we think theologically about Abraham. The third part of the book looks at God and His ways, starting from a look at the God of Israel, the reputation of Yahweh in His world, and the image of God and the idols of humanity. The fourth part of the book examines our obedience as part of a life of worship, the importance of repentance and prayer, and Israel's struggle with God. The fifth part of the book looks into the future in debunking supersessionist thinking and encouraging a lifelong study of scripture. Each chapter ends with a lengthy series of questions, each of which would be good for an entire blog or series of blog posts, making this a book that offers a lot to think about and reflect on.
I happened to read a library copy of this book, and so I will have to turn it back in fairly soon. I think highly enough of this book, though, to recommend it as a resource, and to add it to my list of books to look to acquire for a reasonable price to add as a reference material and source of blog posts in my own library. Any book that is worth looking for space for given my rather severe limitations on book store space is a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend. To be sure, not everyone will be able to get a lot out of this book, and some people may find the author's warm praise of Hebrew thinkers and Hebrew thought to be a bit off-putting, but for those who thoughtfully struggle with the issues of how those believers in Christ can seek to live in obedience to God's laws and God's ways and give proper respect and honor and consideration to what is written in the Hebrew scriptures, this book is a Godsend. I cannot praise it enough.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
[2] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...
[3] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
[4] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
In terms of its contents, this book is a demanding read. I found it to be immensely enjoyable, one of the best books I have read in quite a while, but this is a book that would likely be a stiff challenge for most readers who are not familiar with Hebrew theological terms or the history of Christian polemical writing against Judaism and against the laws of God. The first part of the book looks at theological sources and methods, examining some pitfalls and stepping-stones in theology, the theological quest for our Hebraic heritage, and the foundational sources for Hebraic thought. The second part of the book looks at the people of God by looking at who joins whom in conversion, the importance of Abraham as the first "Jew," and how we think theologically about Abraham. The third part of the book looks at God and His ways, starting from a look at the God of Israel, the reputation of Yahweh in His world, and the image of God and the idols of humanity. The fourth part of the book examines our obedience as part of a life of worship, the importance of repentance and prayer, and Israel's struggle with God. The fifth part of the book looks into the future in debunking supersessionist thinking and encouraging a lifelong study of scripture. Each chapter ends with a lengthy series of questions, each of which would be good for an entire blog or series of blog posts, making this a book that offers a lot to think about and reflect on.
I happened to read a library copy of this book, and so I will have to turn it back in fairly soon. I think highly enough of this book, though, to recommend it as a resource, and to add it to my list of books to look to acquire for a reasonable price to add as a reference material and source of blog posts in my own library. Any book that is worth looking for space for given my rather severe limitations on book store space is a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend. To be sure, not everyone will be able to get a lot out of this book, and some people may find the author's warm praise of Hebrew thinkers and Hebrew thought to be a bit off-putting, but for those who thoughtfully struggle with the issues of how those believers in Christ can seek to live in obedience to God's laws and God's ways and give proper respect and honor and consideration to what is written in the Hebrew scriptures, this book is a Godsend. I cannot praise it enough.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
[2] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...
[3] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
[4] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
December 8, 2021
This book, like its predecessor, offered some amazing basic insights on the Hebraic Heritage of Christianity. Such statements as, "In Judaism, study always leads to the pragmatic step of the outward; it is never stuck in the theoretical or contemplative world of the inward. A distinguishing mark of Judaism is “its focus on the social order as the medium for serving God, the community as the area of responsibility", reveals the non-academic readability and easy to understand concepts that make up this profoundly deep and intricate, yet organically functional heritage and spiritual heartbeat of Christianity. Furthermore, the word study's offered perspective into the thinking of the God-fearing believer and, thus, offers the gentile God-fearing believer the ability to say "One of the basic issues of theology is the question of how we know God. Judaism answered that question by teaching that one meets God and communes with him when studying Torah." And as a result Isaelites both spiritual and national alike "In study of the Torah, ...return to Sinai and replicate the encounter and make it their own.”
This book offered a compelling approach to the intimate and personal experience of God as not an isolated one but as found in community. In which we all become guardians as a kingdom of Priests to study, do and teach the word of God to preserve community and experience the pleasure of God by fearing him (Psalm 147:10-11)
I cannot recommend this book enough, nor its counterpart Our Father Abraham.
This book offered a compelling approach to the intimate and personal experience of God as not an isolated one but as found in community. In which we all become guardians as a kingdom of Priests to study, do and teach the word of God to preserve community and experience the pleasure of God by fearing him (Psalm 147:10-11)
I cannot recommend this book enough, nor its counterpart Our Father Abraham.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2017
I have to admit upfront that I was predisposed to love this book. In September of 1984, as a college Freshman at Gordon College, I started my very first college class at 8:00 AM – Introduction to the Old Testament with Dr. Marvin Wilson. The man and his approach to the First Testament had a significant impact on me and my life. Although I was a Psychology major, I was able to take one another course with Dr, Wilson, Modern Jewish Culture. Through these courses, I gained an appreciation for the Jewish scriptures and the Jewish mind.
While reading Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage, I could hear Dr. Wilson’s voice. The section that resonated with me the most was section IV covering approaching God through worship, prayer, repentance, and struggle. These themes have practical implications for my life. Understanding Hebraic worship as involving all of life, from the most prominent event to the smallest of tasks allows me to see God in everything. As I was reading the section, I remembered back to when Dr. Wilson taught his class the prayer in Hebrew that Orthodox Jews say before using the restroom. I do not remember the specific words, but I do remember the message that all of life is worship.
While reading Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage, I could hear Dr. Wilson’s voice. The section that resonated with me the most was section IV covering approaching God through worship, prayer, repentance, and struggle. These themes have practical implications for my life. Understanding Hebraic worship as involving all of life, from the most prominent event to the smallest of tasks allows me to see God in everything. As I was reading the section, I remembered back to when Dr. Wilson taught his class the prayer in Hebrew that Orthodox Jews say before using the restroom. I do not remember the specific words, but I do remember the message that all of life is worship.
September 28, 2019
The value of sincere converstion
The reason for the five stars is based on the value I received from this book each chapter opened up new avenues of understanding. The Jewish Bible offers so much as long as you are willing to apply yourself Mr Wilson reveals the techniques used by Rabbis to gain wisdom from the Scriptures and to acquire the knowledge to ask probing questions. I would recommend this to all who want to expand their horizons.
The reason for the five stars is based on the value I received from this book each chapter opened up new avenues of understanding. The Jewish Bible offers so much as long as you are willing to apply yourself Mr Wilson reveals the techniques used by Rabbis to gain wisdom from the Scriptures and to acquire the knowledge to ask probing questions. I would recommend this to all who want to expand their horizons.
October 1, 2019
This book explores the unfortunate separation of Christianity from its Jewish roots and some of the tragic consequences of that divorce. A solid exploration on the topic, especially for those new to the topic. I didn’t find it nearly as insightful as “Our Father Abraham” which was a groundbreaking book for me but it’s still a book that I would recommend the western church chew on and allow it to provoke serious questions about how to bridge the gap.
March 28, 2020
This is the follow up book to Our Father Abraham, which was the first book I read from my 2017 post-Israel trip. It is a wealth of knowledge and information regarding the Hebraic roots of Christianity. It is impossible to discern the Scriptures without exploring the context of the culture they came from. I highly recommend reading Our Father Abraham initially, and then going on to this one afterwards.
Read
October 18, 2022Not what I was looking for, but perfectly fine. Skimmed.
May 13, 2015
Shares with readers that Christians started as jews first. As Christians, we should acknowledge and try to understand and learn from our Hebraic Heritage of Christ and the bible.
Read
July 8, 2015A superb sequel to Our Father Abraham and a must-read for all Christians
December 15, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage" by Wilson. He has good insights and pulls you in directions you did not realize you wanted to go.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews