diff --git a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java
index 338b18dad3e..15797db806d 100644
--- a/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java
+++ b/spring-expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2023 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2024 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 package org.springframework.expression.spel;
 
 import java.util.ArrayDeque;
-import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Deque;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -74,9 +73,9 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 	// For example:
 	// #list1.?[#list2.contains(#this)]
 	// On entering the selection we enter a new scope, and #this is now the
-	// element from list1
+	// element from list1.
 	@Nullable
-	private ArrayDeque<TypedValue> scopeRootObjects;
+	private Deque<TypedValue> scopeRootObjects;
 
 
 	public ExpressionState(EvaluationContext context) {
@@ -112,18 +111,12 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 	}
 
 	public void pushActiveContextObject(TypedValue obj) {
-		if (this.contextObjects == null) {
-			this.contextObjects = new ArrayDeque<>();
-		}
-		this.contextObjects.push(obj);
+		initContextObjects().push(obj);
 	}
 
 	public void popActiveContextObject() {
-		if (this.contextObjects == null) {
-			this.contextObjects = new ArrayDeque<>();
-		}
 		try {
-			this.contextObjects.pop();
+			initContextObjects().pop();
 		}
 		catch (NoSuchElementException ex) {
 			throw new IllegalStateException("Cannot pop active context object: stack is empty");
@@ -168,6 +161,14 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 		this.relatedContext.setVariable(name, value);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Look up a named global variable in the evaluation context.
+	 * @param name the name of the variable to look up
+	 * @return a {@link TypedValue} containing the value of the variable, or
+	 * {@link TypedValue#NULL} if the variable does not exist
+	 * @see #assignVariable(String, Supplier)
+	 * @see #setVariable(String, Object)
+	 */
 	public TypedValue lookupVariable(String name) {
 		Object value = this.relatedContext.lookupVariable(name);
 		return (value != null ? new TypedValue(value) : TypedValue.NULL);
@@ -181,6 +182,10 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 		return this.relatedContext.getTypeLocator().findType(type);
 	}
 
+	public TypeConverter getTypeConverter() {
+		return this.relatedContext.getTypeConverter();
+	}
+
 	public Object convertValue(Object value, TypeDescriptor targetTypeDescriptor) throws EvaluationException {
 		Object result = this.relatedContext.getTypeConverter().convertValue(
 				value, TypeDescriptor.forObject(value), targetTypeDescriptor);
@@ -190,10 +195,6 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 		return result;
 	}
 
-	public TypeConverter getTypeConverter() {
-		return this.relatedContext.getTypeConverter();
-	}
-
 	@Nullable
 	public Object convertValue(TypedValue value, TypeDescriptor targetTypeDescriptor) throws EvaluationException {
 		Object val = value.getValue();
@@ -201,33 +202,61 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 				val, TypeDescriptor.forObject(val), targetTypeDescriptor);
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * A new scope is entered when a function is invoked.
+	/**
+	 * Enter a new scope with a new {@linkplain #getActiveContextObject() root
+	 * context object} and a new local variable scope.
 	 */
-	public void enterScope(@Nullable Map<String, Object> argMap) {
-		initVariableScopes().push(new VariableScope(argMap));
-		initScopeRootObjects().push(getActiveContextObject());
-	}
-
 	public void enterScope() {
-		initVariableScopes().push(new VariableScope(Collections.emptyMap()));
+		initVariableScopes().push(new VariableScope());
 		initScopeRootObjects().push(getActiveContextObject());
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Enter a new scope with a new {@linkplain #getActiveContextObject() root
+	 * context object} and a new local variable scope containing the supplied
+	 * name/value pair.
+	 * @param name the name of the local variable
+	 * @param value the value of the local variable
+	 */
 	public void enterScope(String name, Object value) {
 		initVariableScopes().push(new VariableScope(name, value));
 		initScopeRootObjects().push(getActiveContextObject());
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Enter a new scope with a new {@linkplain #getActiveContextObject() root
+	 * context object} and a new local variable scope containing the supplied
+	 * name/value pairs.
+	 * @param variables a map containing name/value pairs for local variables
+	 */
+	public void enterScope(@Nullable Map<String, Object> variables) {
+		initVariableScopes().push(new VariableScope(variables));
+		initScopeRootObjects().push(getActiveContextObject());
+	}
+
 	public void exitScope() {
 		initVariableScopes().pop();
 		initScopeRootObjects().pop();
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Set a local variable with the given name to the supplied value within the
+	 * current scope.
+	 * <p>If a local variable with the given name already exists, it will be
+	 * overwritten.
+	 * @param name the name of the local variable
+	 * @param value the value of the local variable
+	 */
 	public void setLocalVariable(String name, Object value) {
 		initVariableScopes().element().setVariable(name, value);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Look up the value of the local variable with the given name.
+	 * @param name the name of the local variable
+	 * @return the value of the local variable, or {@code null} if the variable
+	 * does not exist in the current scope
+	 */
 	@Nullable
 	public Object lookupLocalVariable(String name) {
 		for (VariableScope scope : initVariableScopes()) {
@@ -238,13 +267,11 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 		return null;
 	}
 
-	private Deque<VariableScope> initVariableScopes() {
-		if (this.variableScopes == null) {
-			this.variableScopes = new ArrayDeque<>();
-			// top-level empty variable scope
-			this.variableScopes.add(new VariableScope());
+	private Deque<TypedValue> initContextObjects() {
+		if (this.contextObjects == null) {
+			this.contextObjects = new ArrayDeque<>();
 		}
-		return this.variableScopes;
+		return this.contextObjects;
 	}
 
 	private Deque<TypedValue> initScopeRootObjects() {
@@ -254,6 +281,15 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 		return this.scopeRootObjects;
 	}
 
+	private Deque<VariableScope> initVariableScopes() {
+		if (this.variableScopes == null) {
+			this.variableScopes = new ArrayDeque<>();
+			// top-level empty variable scope
+			this.variableScopes.add(new VariableScope());
+		}
+		return this.variableScopes;
+	}
+
 	public TypedValue operate(Operation op, @Nullable Object left, @Nullable Object right) throws EvaluationException {
 		OperatorOverloader overloader = this.relatedContext.getOperatorOverloader();
 		if (overloader.overridesOperation(op, left, right)) {
@@ -281,40 +317,40 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 
 
 	/**
-	 * A new scope is entered when a function is called and it is used to hold the
-	 * parameters to the function call. If the names of the parameters clash with
-	 * those in a higher level scope, those in the higher level scope will not be
-	 * accessible whilst the function is executing. When the function returns,
-	 * the scope is exited.
+	 * A new local variable scope is entered when a new expression scope is
+	 * entered and exited when the corresponding expression scope is exited.
+	 *
+	 * <p>If variable names clash with those in a higher level scope, those in
+	 * the higher level scope will not be accessible within the current scope.
 	 */
 	private static class VariableScope {
 
-		private final Map<String, Object> vars = new HashMap<>();
+		private final Map<String, Object> variables = new HashMap<>();
 
-		public VariableScope() {
+		VariableScope() {
 		}
 
-		public VariableScope(@Nullable Map<String, Object> arguments) {
-			if (arguments != null) {
-				this.vars.putAll(arguments);
-			}
+		VariableScope(String name, Object value) {
+			this.variables.put(name, value);
 		}
 
-		public VariableScope(String name, Object value) {
-			this.vars.put(name, value);
+		VariableScope(@Nullable Map<String, Object> variables) {
+			if (variables != null) {
+				this.variables.putAll(variables);
+			}
 		}
 
 		@Nullable
-		public Object lookupVariable(String name) {
-			return this.vars.get(name);
+		Object lookupVariable(String name) {
+			return this.variables.get(name);
 		}
 
-		public void setVariable(String name, Object value) {
-			this.vars.put(name,value);
+		void setVariable(String name, Object value) {
+			this.variables.put(name,value);
 		}
 
-		public boolean definesVariable(String name) {
-			return this.vars.containsKey(name);
+		boolean definesVariable(String name) {
+			return this.variables.containsKey(name);
 		}
 	}