Methodology
Methodology explains how a passage is interpreted and compared with competing readings. Standards for tone, disclosure, quotation, and correction appear separately in the Editorial Policy.
Literary and Historical Context
Each study begins with the paragraph, argument, genre, speaker, audience, and purpose of the biblical book. A verse is then compared with nearby passages and the wider witness of Scripture without assuming that every occurrence of a theological term carries the same systematic meaning.
Comparing Competing Readings
The strongest Reformed reading is stated before the response. Each reading is asked to explain the wording, context, major objections, and its fit with other relevant passages. A position is not rejected merely because another reading is possible; the article explains why one reading better accounts for the evidence.
Observation and Inference
Observation identifies what the passage states: words, grammar, relationships, commands, promises, and argument. Inference identifies the theological conclusion drawn from those observations. Both matter, but an article should mark when a conclusion depends on a wider cumulative case rather than wording found in the passage itself.
Source Hierarchy
- Scripture is the final authority for doctrine and the primary evidence in each study.
- Confessions and primary theologians establish what a tradition officially or historically claims.
- Commentaries and scholarly studies help with language, context, and competing interpretations.
- Representative advocates and critics help present each theological case in recognizable terms.
Original Languages
Greek or Hebrew may clarify a grammatical or lexical question, but a word’s possible meanings do not decide the interpretation by themselves. Claims about a term should be read within its sentence, literary setting, and reputable lexical or commentary evidence. Technical language should be explained in ordinary English.
From One Passage to a Cumulative Case
A focused study may establish one narrow point without settling an entire doctrine. Cornerstone studies gather the relevant passages, strongest objections, and positive alternative reading. This keeps a single verse from carrying more weight than its context allows.