Matthew Delaney teaches out of an overflow of passion, believing that Hebrew can bring
real change to the lives and perspectives of his students. Hebrew unlocks a world
of people and ideas, both ancient and modern, for students to engage with. Matthew
believes that God is far bigger than any one person, culture, or language can fully
express. The Hebrew language and the Hebrew speaking cultures throughout the ages
contain great insights about humanity, the world, and God that Matthew shares in his
teaching. One notable example is that approximately 75 percent of the Bible was originally
written in Hebrew that is very similar to Hebrew as it is spoken today.
Being very practical, Matthew infuses his classes with insights that are valuable
to students regardless of their future vocation. Matthew begins every week of class
with an engaging discussion about how Hebrew words and Hebrew speaking cultures express
something unique about God, the world, and humanity. Oftentimes, the discussion is
directly connected to reading a portion of the Hebrew Scriptures in the Bible.
For Matthew, Hebrew goes beyond being an academic exercise as he uses the language
practically on a daily basis to read the Hebrew Bible, gain insight from ancient and
modern Hebrew sources, and connect with Israelis living all around the world. This
is such a great passion for Matthew that he cannot help but share it with others.
His expertise has been recognized by others. Pastors and public speakers seek out
Matthew for his insights on the Hebrew Scriptures and elements of Hebrew culture when
preparing messages.
Matthew has advanced knowledge of Biblical, Mishnaic, and Modern Hebrew. He was introduced
to Modern Hebrew through his undergraduate studies at ORU. He went on to study at
an Ulpan (full immersion Hebrew language program) at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
in Israel. He then studied Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew at the graduate level. With
an understanding of the history and development of Hebrew throughout different eras,
Matthew brings insight relevant to everything from reading the Bible in Hebrew to
connecting with Israelis and everything in between.
Having learned Hebrew as a second language, Matthew understands what it is like to
learn Hebrew from scratch. He is excellent at guiding students through the journey
of learning Hebrew and is patient with students through the process.
While Matthew enjoys Hebrew, what he loves most is seeing students grow in their relationship
with Jesus and encouraging them in the process of discovering, developing, and using
their God-given gifts for the Kingdom of God.