Selman suggests that Wiseman's "basic thesis" regarding the Old Testament was that "the Bible makes most sense when it is interpreted in the light of its own Near Eastern cultural context."
Selman menunjukkan bahwa "dasar skripsi" Wiseman mengenai Perjanjian Lama adalah "Alkitab paling masuk akal sewaktu ditafsirkan dengan sendirinya dalam terang konteks budaya Timur Dekat."