Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The Jonathan Edwards Note-Taking System (And the Free App Built For It)
Jonathan Edwards used a 300-year-old note-taking method that's still one of the best systems for serious Bible study — Pastor Matthew Everhart calls it the greatest note-taking system in the world, and in this video I walk through it with a modern twist: how to digitize it using a free app built specifically around Edwards' "Miscellanies" method.
In this video: the 5 essential tools you need (physical Bible, archival pen, color tabs, colored pencils, notebook), the 4 steps to execute the system (observe, capture, note, expand), and why digitizing your notes makes them exponentially more useful — searchable, cross-referenced, backed up, and accessible across devices.
Want the app?
Head to excavatingthetext.com to find it. It's completely free to use — when it asks for a donation, give what you'd like, or continue for free.
Stick around to the end of the video — there's a reward in it for you.
Tools I use:
Archival pen: amazon.com/dp/B08BZVW9F2?tag=bsar07-20
Bible highlighter (Zebrite): amazon.com/dp/B003VAO6GK?tag=bsar07-20
Notebook: amzn.to/4xSqcjt
Voice recorder (Plaud): amazon.com/dp/B0FYQ4Y2ZZ?tag=bsar07-20
Got questions about the system or the app? Drop them in the comments — I'll get to as many as I can.
To see the best video on the original edition. See Matthew Everhard’s : youtu.be/fqq-4-LiFVs?is=eNim2Qy7J6N9WZNM
The Jonathan Edwards Note-Taking System (And the Free App Built For It)
Jonathan Edwards used a 300-year-old note-taking method that's still one of the best systems for serious Bible study — Pastor Matthew Everhart calls it the greatest note-taking system in the world, and in this video I walk through it with a modern twist: how to digitize it using a free app built specifically around Edwards' "Miscellanies" method.
In this video: the 5 essential tools you need (physical Bible, archival pen, color tabs, colored pencils, notebook), the 4 steps to execute the system (observe, capture, note, expand), and why digitizing your notes makes them exponentially more useful — searchable, cross-referenced, backed up, and accessible across devices.
Want the app?
Head to excavatingthetext.com to find it. It's completely free to use — when it asks for a donation, give what you'd like, or continue for free.
Stick around to the end of the video — there's a reward in it for you.
Tools I use:
Archival pen: amazon.com/dp/B08BZVW9F2?tag=bsar07-20
Bible highlighter (Zebrite): amazon.com/dp/B003VAO6GK?tag=bsar07-20
Notebook: amzn.to/4xSqcjt
Voice recorder (Plaud): amazon.com/dp/B0FYQ4Y2ZZ?tag=bsar07-20
Got questions about the system or the app? Drop them in the comments — I'll get to as many as I can.
To see the best video on the original edition. See Matthew Everhard’s : youtu.be/fqq-4-LiFVs?is=eNim2Qy7J6N9WZNM
