create-study - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: create-study description: Produce a 2pp handout and detailed leader's notes from an existing exegetical research file. Accepts a passage ref, topic name, or file path. Usage: /create-study <passage|topic|path> [output-dir]

Create-Study Skill — Handout + Leader's Notes

Transform a completed exegetical research file into two teaching deliverables:

Handout — ~900–1200 words, easily digestible, designed to prompt deeper study.
Leader's notes — bullet-dense, essentially line-by-line through the basis text, with a fuller overview and discussion-leader cues.

This skill does not perform fresh exegesis. Every claim in the outputs must trace back to the source research file. If the source omits something the study would need, note the gap rather than invent content.

Usage: /create-study <passage|topic|path> [output-dir]

Examples:

/create-study HAG 02:20-23
/create-study Gold
/create-study content/Topics/Chroma/Gold.md
/create-study HAG 01:1-11 studies/winter-2026

Step 0 — Resolve the input to a source file

Parse the argument. Try these patterns in order:

Passage reference — matches ^[1-3]?[A-Z]{2,3}\s+\d{1,3}:\S+$ (e.g. HAG 02:20-23, MRK 08:31-9:1, 1SA 17:1-58, PSA 023:1-6).
- Resolve to content/Books/<TESTAMENT>/<BOOK_CODE>/<CHAPTER>/<BOOK_CODE>_<CHAPTER>_<VERSES>.md.
- Use the OT/NT split from the book-code table below.
- Chapter is zero-padded to match the existing tree (2 digits for most books; 3 digits for Psalms).
Existing file path — argument contains / or \ or ends in .md, and the file exists. Use directly.
Topic name — anything else. Try in order:
- content/Topics/<arg>.md
- Glob content/Topics/**/<arg>.md and take the first hit.

If no file is found after all branches, halt with a clear error message. Do not fabricate content.

Step 1 — Read the source research file in full

Read the resolved file end-to-end. This is the sole basis for both outputs.

Identify these sections in the source (they may not all be present):

Scripture block (the > **1** ... blockquote)
## Historical & Cultural Analysis
## Linguistic Analysis
## Literary Analysis
## Theological Analysis
## Hermeneutic
## Application

Note the title (first H1), and for passages, identify each verse (or for topics, each major section).

Step 2 — Generate the leader's notes (do this FIRST)

Leader's notes are the superset; the handout is a distillation. Generating in this order keeps the two documents consistent.

Filename: <source-basename>_leader.md (e.g. HAG_01_1-11.md → HAG_01_1-11_leader.md).

Structure (top-level sections separated by ---):

# Leader's Notes — {source title without the leading "Exegetical Analysis of"}

## Verses

{reproduce the scripture blockquote from the source unchanged}

---

## Overview

{bullet-dense, ~300–500 words}

---

## Info

### v.1
- {bullet}
- {bullet}

### v.2
- {bullet}
...

---

## Discussion

### Observation
1. {question}
   - **Leader's note:** {direction + key text/principle}
...

### Interpretation
...

### Application
...

Overview section (300–500 words, mostly bullets):

Setting — date, place, audience (from Historical & Cultural)
Author / speaker and immediate context within the book (from Literary)
Genre and literary frame (from Literary)
Big idea — one sentence
Supporting movements — 2–4 bullets

Info section — go line-by-line:

For passages: one ### v.N subsection per verse in the passage. For each verse, 4–8 short bullets pulling from across the source: key original-language terms, historical/cultural notes, literary observations, theological weight, cross-references. Keep bullets scannable — half a line each where possible.
For topics: replace ### v.N with ### {Subsection Heading} mirroring the source's major sections.

Discussion section — 8–12 total questions, grouped:

Observation (3–4) — what the text says
Interpretation (3–4) — what it means
Application (3–4) — what it asks of us; pull from the source's ## Application
Under each numbered question, one **Leader's note:** bullet summarizing the expected direction of discussion and the key text/principle to surface.

Step 3 — Generate the handout

Target 900–1200 words total. Same four sections as leader's notes, much terser, no leader cues.

Filename: <source-basename>_handout.md (e.g. HAG_01_1-11.md → HAG_01_1-11_handout.md).

Structure:

# {source title} — Study Handout

## Verses

{same scripture blockquote as leader's notes}

---

## Overview

{120–200 words tight prose}

**Big idea:** {one sentence}

---

## Info

### v.1
- {bullet}
- {bullet}
...

---

## Discussion

1. {question}
2. {question}
...

Overview — ~120–200 words. Tight prose paragraph(s) orienting the reader, ending with a **Big idea:** line.

Info — ~400–600 words total. Terse bullets per verse/unit; prefer 2–4 bullets per verse over 6–8. Designed to prompt deeper study, not exhaust the source.

Discussion — 5–7 open-ended questions only (no leader notes), mixing observation / interpretation / application. Suitable for a small group cold.

Length discipline: the handout MUST stay within ~1200 words. If the source is unusually rich, prune rather than overflow.

Step 4 — Write both files

Default output directory: studies/ at the project root.

If the user passed a second argument, use that as the output directory instead.

Create the output directory if it does not exist.

Write both files. Report the two paths and a one-line summary (word count) for each.

Do not modify TODO.md — that file tracks research, not studies.

Formatting (carry from CLAUDE.md)

Original-language terms: **term** (Hebrew/Greek/Aramaic: script, *transliteration*)
Biblical citations: Book Chapter:Verses
Verse refs inside the target passage: (v.1), (vv.1-5)
Top-level sections: ##; subsections: ###
Separators: --- between each ## section
Tone: clear, confessional/evangelical, no narrow tradition; scholar addressing motivated amateurs

Book Code → Testament + Full Name

OT books (TESTAMENT = OT): GEN Genesis · EXO Exodus · LEV Leviticus · NUM Numbers · DEU Deuteronomy · JOS Joshua · JDG Judges · RUT Ruth · 1SA 1 Samuel · 2SA 2 Samuel · 1KI 1 Kings · 2KI 2 Kings · 1CH 1 Chronicles · 2CH 2 Chronicles · EZR Ezra · NEH Nehemiah · EST Esther · JOB Job · PSA Psalms · PRO Proverbs · ECC Ecclesiastes · SNG Song of Solomon · ISA Isaiah · JER Jeremiah · LAM Lamentations · EZK Ezekiel · DAN Daniel · HOS Hosea · JOL Joel · AMO Amos · OBA Obadiah · JON Jonah · MIC Micah · NAH Nahum · HAB Habakkuk · ZEP Zephaniah · HAG Haggai · ZEC Zechariah · MAL Malachi

NT books (TESTAMENT = NT): MAT Matthew · MRK Mark · LUK Luke · JHN John · ACT Acts · ROM Romans · 1CO 1 Corinthians · 2CO 2 Corinthians · GAL Galatians · EPH Ephesians · PHP Philippians · COL Colossians · 1TH 1 Thessalonians · 2TH 2 Thessalonians · 1TI 1 Timothy · 2TI 2 Timothy · TIT Titus · PHM Philemon · HEB Hebrews · JAS James · 1PE 1 Peter · 2PE 2 Peter · 1JN 1 John · 2JN 2 John · 3JN 3 John · JUD Jude · REV Revelation

Psalms use 3-digit chapter padding (001–150). All other books use 2-digit chapter padding.