Here is an exegetical workflow a group of students at Moody Theological Seminary constructed for weekly sermon preparation that uses a lot of Logos resources

1st 5 Hours

1. THE ZONE: Tremble before the Word of God. Treasure and love God’s Word.

2. Familiarize Yourself With The Text (Big Picture AND Details)

            a. Big Picture: Read the context of the “focus passage.”

i. Start with the near context on both sides of the “focus passage.” This step prevents obvious misinterpretation resulting from isolating a passage from its context (=pretext).

            ii. Then read the entire book that the “focus passage” occurs in, noting prominent themes throughout.

            b. Details: Read the “focus passage” in light of the context it fits into.

c. It is helpful to do this reading aloud. This gives the opportunity to take in the text with an additional sense (hearing). This is particularly helpful if you read the text in the Greek: It enables the expositor to more concretely sense alliteration and any significant sound-impact of certain words such as πτωχὴ.

3. THE ZONE: Identify and own presuppositions, preunderstanding and prejudices.

            a. Record a brief summary statement of your preunderstanding of the book.

            b. Record a brief summary statement of your preunderstanding of the “focus passage.”

c. It may be helpful at this point to diagram the text in English. This will expose what you believe is important in the text at this point in the exegetical method. It is likely (if not desirable) that your understanding about this passage will change throughout this process. This will help to demonstrate that.

d. Dialogue with other Christians about your current understanding of this text, and how it fits into the greater context. Incorporate valuable input from the community of faith.

4. Establish The Text (Details)

            Certify, in detail, any ambiguities or textual disagreements that affect this passage.

Using the NET Bible online is the most up-to-date source for this step (LOGOS has the NET Bible Notes, but they are not updated as frequently as the website).  Research the “tc” notes in the NET Bible.

5. Literary Typing (Big Picture)

To gain the big picture of the types of genres employed in the passage. The LOGOS Passage Guide provides the Mackie Literary Genre Coding of the New Testament.

6. Compare Parallel Bible Versions (Details)

To gain detailed insight into how various Bible committees have differed in translating he passage. This process will highlight areas where scholars have struggled in translating a passage as demonstrated by their using different glosses.  Observe areas of agreement and disagreement between versions. Where all agree, it is exegetically safe to “pound the pulpit.”  Where there is disagreement, it may be wise to “pad” the pulpit.

 The LOGOS Passage Analysis, Version River Tool provides a verse-by-verse running “river” depicting the agreement/disagreement of selected Bible versions.

The LOGOS Text Comparison Tool places the text of selected version side-by-side in an        interlinear fashion and highlights any differences between the translations.

When using either of these tools, be sure to make apple-to-apple comparison regarding translation methods.

-Formal Equivalents (ESV, NASB95, KJV, HCSB)

-Functional Equivalents (NIV, NLT, NET)

-Historical (RSV, NRSV)

7. Compare Pericopes (Big Picture)

To gain the big picture of how various Bible versions have broken down the passage.  Consider not pounding the pulpit in areas of little consensus about the thought flow and breaks in it.

The LOGOS Passage Analysis, Compare Pericopes Tool provides a visual depiction of the varying paragraph breaks of selected Bible versions.

8.  Verbs (BIG PICTURE) and Conjunctions (DETAILS)

            a. Verbs (BIG PICTURE)

            Using a Visual Filter, analyze and chart the verbs in the unit according to a) tense/form/aspect; b) mood; c) voice; and d) person. Based upon Cynthia Long Westfall’s “Methodology for Locating Prominence” and the idea of “planes of discourse,” identify markedness, focus, and prominence. Consult Campbell for verbal aspect analysis.

            b. Conjunctions (DETAILS)

Using a Visual Filter, analyze and chart the conjunctions in the unit according to different levels of discontinuity. Consult Runge for markedness, focus and prominence in conjunctions on the discourse level.

9. THE ZONE

a. Record a new summary statement capturing your current understanding of the “focus passage.”

b. At this stage, enough spiritual input has been gleaned to tremble before the Word of God and the God of the Word to take break to submit devotionally to Lord what has been studied thus far. Contextualization, as participation, may be broad, loose, even technically inaccurate at this stage, as long as there is involvement with the text.  Devotional thoughts relevant to the passage should be developing, and best if expressed in community.  Make a LOGOS clipping of the devotional for later reference.

2nd 5 Hours

10. Sentence Diagramming (DETAILS)

Diagramming the passage in the Greek solidifies details of the clauses and the arrangement of the thought flow. Best done in community where we can consider how others may view the passage. The LOGOS Sentence Diagramming Tool with Text Flow allows this text to be arranged so as to show connections and breaks.  Keeping one verb to a line and a separate line for each conjunction is helpful.

11. Clause Order Analysis (DETAILS)

 To gain detailed insight into any significance of the order of the author’s clauses.

a. Level 1: Lexham High Definition NT (Runge)

            With the premise that “choice implies meaning,” Runge’s tool indicates special uses of               language by highlighting them with graphic indicators in the text.

b. Level 2: Lexham Clausal Outline (Deppe)

Deppe provides an outline of the text and identifies the type of clause/sentence for each line. Deppe’s Clausal Outline gives a jump-start to exegesis by providing a helpful framework to the Greek text.  In a quick reference, one can see the structure of the passage and follow the thought flow.  Beware the outlines are not         inspired and when possible, it should be referenced after personal outlining to prevent losing what might have been otherwise personally discovered through individual exegesis.  Note that Deppe’s outline does not separate conjunctions on a separate line.

c. Level 3: Open Text (Porter)

Syntactical analysis of the Greek text at the word, group, and clause levels.

d. Level 4: Cascadia Syntax Graphs of the NT (Asia Bible Society)

Cascadia provides a more highly detailed computer-analyzed tree analysis of the text. Based on a computer-readable Greek grammar, this tool has the greatest potential for ongoing updating.

12. Historical Context/Social Scientific Criticism (BIG PICTURE)

To gain big picture of what others can offer regarding the socio-historical issues in the passage.

Best single source is the IVP Bible Background, but the Holman Bible Handbook, or good commentaries (be very critical and selective) can offer helpful information.

Also, the LOGOS Passage Guide provide these tools:

            - Biblical People

            - Biblical Places

            - Biblical timelines, weights and measures, as appropriate

13. THE ZONE

At this stage, spiritual discernment about the text should deepen and simple truths should be evident.  Pause to rejoice in newly found treasure; share in community.  Vocalize not how you are capturing the text, but how the text is capturing you. A teaching outline can be produced at this stage.  Further study and reflection in the last five hours will produce the sermon.

It is important to note throughout the process how your study has effected your initial understanding of the “focus passage.” Has your impression of the text changed? How? Why? So what?!

3rd 5 Hours

It is important to note at this point that the DETAILS and the BIG PICTURE are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they are informing and forming each other. This is why we jump back and forth between them in the exegetical method.

14. Clausal Analysis (BIG PICTURE)

To gain big picture insights into the clausal structure based on large sections of the passage, syntax, and grammar. Use LOGOS Lexham Discourse Greek NT (Runge).

15 Word Analysis (DETAILS)

Consideration of definitions, glosses, and semantic domain with respect to nouns and verbs (BDAG; Louw-Nida), paying special attention to the author’s use of these words throughout their body of work.

16. Application

Possible & impossible

Plausible & implausible

Probable & improbable

→ NECESSARY

18. THE ZONE

At this final stage, the text is spiritually forming us.  We reflect, exercise faith, prayer, and meditation.  We tremble before the Word of God, as it changes us by the Holy Spirit. We are now ready to prepare and deliver a sermon.

Handbook to New Testament Exegesis by Craig Bloomberg and his assistant Jennifer.  It is on sale through March Madness.  I'm liking what I'm seeing so far.  It deals with the "Exegetical Method" and gives you a lot of examples to illustrate how to use the method.  It promises to be very helpful!

DAL

Here is a visual representation of the process that doesn't seem quite so technical.

DAL said:

Handbook to New Testament Exegesis by Craig Bloomberg and his assistant Jennifer.

Jennifer the assistant's full name is Jennifer Foutz Markley.

DAL said:

Thanks Yasmin for providing Jen's full name :-D

You're welcome, DAL :-)

David:  That's FABULOUS!  Thanks for sharing.

mab said:

My favorite is the New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

'https://www.logos.com/product/1214/the-new-treasury-of-scripture-knowledge 

Scripture is still the best commentary on itself. This reference is often packaged with other works but it's really priceless. 

[Y]

Thanks David for sharing this workflow.