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Canon & Liturgy

Hermeneutics Desk

Rightly dividing the Word of Truth

A quiet workspace for studying scripture with the historical-grammatical method. Draw from the Church Fathers, Reformation exegetes, and modern scholarship.

"Littera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria,
Theologicalis quid agas, quo tendas anagogia." Augustine of Dacia, 13th century

The Exegetical Method

The historical-grammatical approach to reading Scripture, focused on original context and authorial intent.

Step 1

Literal

What the text says. The historical and grammatical meaning in its original context. Who wrote it, to whom, and why.

Step 1I

Contextual

How this passage connects to the broader biblical narrative and historical context. Interpreting Scripture with Scripture.

Step 1II

Theological

What principle is being taught. The timeless theological truth the original author intended to convey.

Step 1V

Practical

How we apply it today. Bringing the historical truth into the present life of the believer.

Exegesis Workspace

Paste a passage below and begin your analysis. Or ask the AI companion to guide your study.

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)

Key Principles

Guarding sound interpretation with time-tested principles.

Context is King

Every verse sits within a paragraph, book, testament, and canon. Never read a verse without its neighbors.

Scripture Interprets Scripture

The clearer passages illuminate the more difficult ones. The whole counsel of God holds together in harmony.

Genre Matters

Poetry, prophecy, epistle, narrative, and apocalypse each have their own interpretive rules. Read each as it was written.

Authorial Intent

What did the human author, inspired by the Spirit, intend to communicate to the original audience? Start there.

Christocentric Reading

All Scripture points to Christ. The Old Testament anticipates Him; the New Testament reveals Him. Read with this lens.

Prayerful Dependence

The Spirit who inspired the text illuminates it. Begin every study with prayer, asking the Author to guide your understanding.

Original Language Tools

Available with Ministry membership. Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek.

Interlinear

Word-by-word alignment of Greek/Hebrew with English, showing morphology and parsing.

ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος
In beginning was the Word

Strong's Concordance

Trace every word back to its root with exhaustive numbering and definitions.

G3056: λόγος (logos)
word, discourse, reason, the Divine Word

Lexical Analysis

Semantic range, cognates, LXX usage, and patristic citations for every lemma.

Semantic domain: Communication
NT occurrences: 330 (illustrative)
LXX: ~1,450

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Ministry plan includes full interlinear, Strong's, and lexical analysis.