A John Wesley Moment: Linguist

By Dave Hanson
 
John Wesley spoke eight languages. His father urged him to study ancient languages in preparation for pastoral ministry. Of course, he knew English. For Biblical studies he learned Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke). Latin, he learned because “everybody” who was educated learned Latin. French was the language of scholars. German, he learned so he could communicate with the Moravians and Salsburgers in Georgia. And because there was a group of Spanish Jews in Savannah, he learned Spanish. This has been a John Wesley Moment.
 
The Rev. Dave Hanson is a retired pastor and John Wesley scholar.