Context Is Everything

Empowering faith communities through deep biblical understanding and accessible scholarship.

Why This Project Exists – A Personal Note

Project Context began with something deeply personal. I've always needed context in order to make sense of things. Without it, I feel anchorless—uncertain about which choices to make or how to move forward. Years ago, I took a strengths assessment, and one of my top strengths was Context: the drive to understand what came before so I can clearly see the present.

When it comes to the Bible, this strength has shaped my journey of faith. Scripture isn't meant to be read in isolation. To truly hear what the authors were saying, we must step into their world: their audience, culture, literary patterns, and the stories that shaped them. Without this, we risk misreading or missing the richness of what they were communicating.

Over the years, I've read widely—books, articles, commentaries—and found incredible insights. Yet no single resource brought together all the pieces needed to see the full landscape. That's what inspired me to create Project Context: a place to collect and organize the different components that help us understand the biblical story more fully.

🙏 A Special Debt of Gratitude

I owe much to the Bible Project. Their videos, podcasts, classroom, and articles expanded my understanding and showed me how literary design, theology, and ancient worldviews fit together. Their generosity in making this material accessible has been inspiring, and much of what shaped Project Context comes from the insights I gained through their work.

Personal Conviction: At the heart of this project is a simple belief: when we immerse ourselves in the context of Scripture, we gain a fuller picture of God's story—and that clarity helps us live more faithfully in response.

– Henry Rivera, Founder

Our Mission

Project Context exists to provide comprehensive biblical resources at multiple depths, empowering you to engage Scripture according to your needs and time. We help people see the fuller picture of God's story, so that faith can grow in both understanding and practice.

Specifically, we exist to help people:

Our Approach: These resources aren't meant to substitute your own research or reading—they're designed to enhance it. Our goal is to provide the integrated context you need in a reasonable time investment, giving you a strong foundation that equips you for deeper exploration and faithful living.

What's Inside Every Study

So many great studies have been done on Scripture—rich commentaries, detailed lexicons, insightful ANE handbooks, profound biblical theology. Each offers invaluable perspective. This project attempts to intentionally integrate all these dimensions into one place. Rather than gathering insights from multiple resources, you'll find textual analysis, cultural context, literary patterns, and theological connections woven together in each study.

Core Components (Every Study)

📖 Textual & Literary

  • Overview: Identity, etymology, role, theological significance
  • Narrative Journey: Timeline with Hebrew/Greek terms at key moments
  • Literary Context: Position in book, patterns, character function, techniques

🌍 Historical & Cultural

  • ANE Context: Ancient Near Eastern parallels
  • Biblical Distinctives: How Scripture counters cultural norms
  • Covenant Context: Treaty/alliance frameworks (when applicable)

✨ Theological Connections

  • Major Themes: Core theological concepts explored
  • Biblical Theology: Creation-Fall-Redemption patterns
  • Messianic Trajectory: How this advances Christ's story
  • OT/NT Intertextuality: Cross-biblical connections

💡 Practical Engagement

  • Application: Personal and community relevance
  • Study Questions: Discussion starters for groups
  • Bibliography: Full academic sources for deeper research

Enhancement Components (When Applicable)

📐 Chiastic Structures 🔤 Hebrew/Greek Wordplay 🌿 Eden Connections 📜 Second Temple Literature 🎵 Songs & Poetry

📋 Example: Abraham's Profile

Name Transformation: אַבְרָם → אַבְרָהָם — divine breath (ה) transforms "exalted father" to "father of multitudes"
Literary Bookends: "Lekh lekha" appears only twice in Scripture (Gen 12:1, 22:2), framing the journey from leaving to offering
Chiastic Center: Abraham cycle centers on Gen 17 covenant transformation, with parallel episodes showing character growth
ANE Revolution: God alone passes between pieces (Gen 15), reversing standard treaty patterns where vassals bear obligations
Messianic Thread: "In your seed all nations blessed" (Gen 12:3) connects through Gal 3:16 to Christ as the singular Seed

⏱️ Flexible Time Investment

  • Quick orientation: 7-10 minutes (overview pages)
  • Focused exploration: 15-25 minutes (specific dimensions like narrative or literary analysis)
  • Comprehensive study: 45-90 minutes (major characters with multi-page profiles)
  • Academic depth: Full bibliographies for extended research
Comprehensive Integration: Each study brings together textual analysis, cultural context, literary patterns, and theological connections—giving you the complete picture in one organized, accessible resource. Engage at your own pace and depth.

Who This Serves

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For Educators

Comprehensive teaching resources with scholarly depth, ready for classroom or pulpit use.

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For Students

Accessible entry points into serious biblical study, with clear explanations of complex concepts.

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For Communities

Discussion guides and group resources that foster meaningful conversation and spiritual growth.

✅ Freely Shareable
✅ Globally Accessible
✅ Continuously Updated

Join the Journey

This project is more than a resource library—it's an invitation to see Scripture with fresh eyes. Whether you're preparing a sermon, leading a study, or deepening your personal faith, these resources are here to serve you and your community.

My hope is that Project Context helps you see the fuller picture of God's story, so that faith can grow in both understanding and practice.

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