Field Tool 1

The Five Circles of Context

Understand the whole to understand the part.

No passage stands alone. Every verse is part of a larger paragraph, a larger book, and the larger story of God’s redemptive plan.

Work from the outside in. Each circle shapes the meaning of the next.

The Five Circles of Context Five nested circles labeled The Bible, The Testament, The Book, The Paragraph, and The Passage. 1 THE BIBLE 2 THE TESTAMENT 3 THE BOOK 4 THE PARAGRAPH 5 THE PASSAGE

How to Use This Tool

  1. Start with the outer circle.
  2. Ask the questions and write what you learn.
  3. Let each circle inform the next.
  4. Move to the passage with greater clarity.
  5. Return to the outer circles as needed.

Remember

A truth taken out of context becomes a pretext.

Good exegesis honors the whole so we can understand the part.