Masterclasses

Mr Benner's Masterclasses

In past years, I had the privilege of traveling across the country, lecturing and teaching at seminars, conferences, and various congregations. It was an incredible experience to meet so many of you and to share the insights and research I’ve gathered over the years.

I absolutely love teaching, but over time, I began to realize that while people were receiving little nuggets of truth here and there, many were walking away without any lasting change in their beliefs or Bible interpretation. The truth was, I wasn’t helping people build a solid foundation for them to progressively learn and deepen their understanding of the Bible.

With this in mind, I created the Excavating the Bible website along with a series of masterclasses with the express goal of providing that foundation—so that you’re not just collecting knowledge, but developing the ability to read and interpret the Bible with clarity, confidence, and from the correct perspective. These masterclasses are designed to bring you through the Bible Reader to Bible Translator process, equipping you step by step to engage the text as it was originally understood.

To assist you in your journey from Bible Reader to Translator, Mr. Benner’s virtual office is open every Thursday (5:00 to 5:30 pm Central Time) to all Premium Members. Bring your questions and Mr. Benner will help you personally.

$130 or 3 monthly payments of $45

Bundle: Mr. Benner's Masterclasses

Bundle
22 Products

For one low price, get all 22 of Mr. Benner’s masterclasses—full of practical teaching, step-by-step guidance, and tools to help you study and understand the Bible more deeply.

Bible Reader Level

Cultivating an awareness of the need to understand the Bible from within its correct context.

Bible Reader Masterclasses

Free

Masterclass #01: The Culture and Philosophy of the Bible

Course
26 Lessons

The nomadic lifestyle of the Hebrews, including their dependence on natural resources and tent dwelling, shaped their concrete language. Unlike modern Western thought, which relies on abstract concepts, the Hebrew language is rooted in the five senses. Recognizing these cultural differences can lead to a more accurate and insightful interpretation of the Bible.

Free

Masterclass #02: The Nature and Character of God

Course
23 Lessons

A unique understanding of God is revealed by exploring the ancient culture and philosophy behind the Bible. Gain a richer perspective of God, his names and his attributes that have been hidden for centuries behind institutional dogma and doctrine.

Free

Masterclass #03: About Bible Translations

Course
29 Lessons

The Bible is a big business, with millions of copies sold annually, making accuracy in translation crucial. However, the inherent complexities and challenges of Bible translation can result in errors, mistranslations and misunderstandings. The King James Version (KJV), while popular, is not exempt from errors and is influenced by the translator's interpretations.

Free

Masterclass #04: Biblical History

Course
13 Lessons

The Bible has a long and complicated history that is revealed through archaeology, linguistics and religious traditions. This masterclass begins with the history and transmission of the Bible itself. Then we will examine other, ancient non-Biblical writings such as those found in Ebla and Ugarit, and how they help in Biblical studies.

Free

Masterclass #05: About the Hebrew Bible

Course
14 Lessons

Examining the Masoretic Hebrew Texts, Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient manuscripts related to the Hebrew Bible as well as proofs for the historicity of the Hebrew Bible.

Free

Masterclass #06: Introduction to the Hebrew Alphabet

Course
21 Lessons

An introduction to the Hebrew alphabet and language with a close examination of each Hebrew letter and its origins, meanings and evolution through the ages.

Free

Masterclass #07: Introduction to the Hebrew Language of the Bible

Course
15 Lessons

Examining the Ancient Hebrew language and its relationship to the Hebrews’ philosophy and culture. We will also be looking into Hebrew names and words, their roots and their meanings.

Bible Student Level

Learning what resources are available, and how to use them properly, to accomplish the task of proper Biblical interpretation.

Bible Student Masterclasses

$10

Masterclass #08: Hebrew Word Studies

Course
25 Lessons

When we study the words of the Bible, our goal is to learn the meaning of these words from a Hebraic perspective, which will help with proper Biblical interpretation. Included are some word studies that will demonstrate the necessity of studying Hebrew words from a Hebraic perspective.

$10

Masterclass #09: Hebrew Inscriptions

Course
9 Lessons

This masterclass will examine numerous discoveries of ancient inscriptions, including the Phoenician sarcophagus, Mesha Stele, Siloam Inscription, Tel Dan Stele, and various ostraca and tablets, that illuminate the development of the Hebrew alphabet and language, revealing connections between Phoenician, Moabite, Ammonite, and Aramaic scripts, as well as the use of Paleo-Hebrew even during the Babylonian captivity.

$10

Masterclass #10: Biblical Poetry

Course
20 Lessons

Biblical Hebrew poetry often employs parallelism, where ideas are expressed in two or more ways, and chiasmus, where ideas are mirrored, and uses concrete language to convey abstract concepts, requiring an understanding of both literary devices and the cultural context for proper interpretation.

$10

Masterclass #11: The Mechanical Translation

Course
31 Lessons

This masterclass will detail the principles and methods of a mechanical translation of the Hebrew Bible, which emphasizes a literal, word-for-word approach, aiming for consistency and minimizing translator bias while providing tools for deeper study into the original Hebraic meanings.

$10

Masterclass #12: The Language of the New Testament Period

Course
11 Lessons

This masterclass will present a case for the New Testament having a Hebrew origin, arguing that it was written by Jews speaking and writing Hebrew, for Jews who also spoke and read Hebrew, and that the Greek texts are translations that often lose the nuances of the original Hebrew.

Bible Interpreter Level

Applying the research skills that have been learned in order to read the Bible from the context of its original culture and language.

Bible Interpreter Masterclasses

$10

Masterclass #13: How to Properly Study and Interpret the Bible

Course
27 Lessons

Instead of simply reading the Bible, we need to ingest it. When each word in a passage is studied from within its original cultural and linguistic context, the passage will come to life in a way never seen before. Mr. Benner offers valuable insights and suggestions on how to properly interpret the Bible, helping readers gain a richer and more accurate understanding of its teachings.

$10

Masterclass #14: Interpreting Biblical Passages

Course
27 Lessons

The unfortunate truth is that Bible translators do more than just translate, they interpret the text for you. In other words, they chose how you are going to interpret it. If, on the other hand, you want to interpret the Bible for yourself, you are going to have to do some excavating.

$10

Masterclass #15: How to Define Hebrew Words

Course
20 Lessons

This masterclass will explore how to define Hebrew words from a Hebraic perspective by examining their root meanings, cultural contexts, morphology, parallels, and concrete rather than abstract applications, while also looking at the impact of translation choices, including the influence of Greek thought, and how English translations can obscure the original meanings.

$10

Masterclass #16: Defining Hebrew Words

Course
27 Lessons

This masterclass will provide an in-depth look at the Hebrew language and culture, exploring the concrete meanings of words like amen, grace, spirit, angel, king, one, father, righteousness, savior, jealous, hallelujah, fringes, and wisdom.

$10

Masterclass #17: New Testament Interpretation

Course
19 Lessons

This section will explore the life and teachings of Yeshua (Jesus) within their historical and cultural context, examining his relationship with Judaism, his teaching methods, the meaning of his words and actions, and how the New Testament reflects and builds upon the Hebrew scriptures and traditions. Also examined are the teachings of Paul and the importance of understanding them from within the context of Judaism.

Bible Translator Level

Going beyond the English translations and learning how to read the Bible for yourself in its original language.

Bible Translator Masterclasses

$10

Masterclass #18: Learn the Hebrew Alphabet

Course
36 Lessons

This masterclass will provide a detailed overview of the Hebrew alphabet, including the historical development of each letter from its ancient pictographic form to its modern script, along with the meanings, sounds, and examples of usage in words and biblical texts, as well as basic Hebrew grammar and vocabulary with vowel pointing, prefixes, and suffixes, and examples of how they combine to form words and sentences.

$10

Masterclass #19: Hebrew Root Words

Course
26 Lessons

This masterclass will explore ancient Hebrew words by examining their parent roots (two-letter combinations), child roots (formed by adding consonant/vowels), and adopted roots (three-consonant roots), explaining how these roots and their related words are derived, and how their meanings are connected through pictographic letters, and how these concepts can provide a deeper understanding of the Hebrew language.

$10

Masterclass #20: Hebrew Nouns, Verbs and Names

Course
30 Lessons

This masterclass will explore Hebrew language, focusing on the meaning of names, nouns, and verbs, including how verb tense, mood, and voice affect interpretation, and how to use tools to analyze biblical texts.

$10

Masterclass #21: Hebrew Prefixes, Suffixes, Adj., etc.

Course
21 Lessons

If you've learned to interpret and translate Hebrew verbs and nouns, you're ready for the next step. First, you will learn, in detail, the prefixes and suffixes that are attached to verbs and nouns and second, you will learn about adjectives, adverbs, preposition, conjunctions and much more.

$10

Masterclass #22: Translating Biblical Passages

Course
24 Lessons

If you have mastered the Hebrew alphabet and have a basic understanding of Hebrew vocabulary, you are ready to begin translating the Bible for yourself. Keep in mind that this is a process and at the beginning your translating will be slow, but over time you will find yourself building a vocabulary of Hebrew words and able to recognize many of them on sight.