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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1721)
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2><B>P R E F A C E.</B></FONT>
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<P>
A<FONT SIZE=-1>FTER</FONT>
much expectation, and many enquiries, the last volume of the late
reverend Mr. Henry's Exposition now appears in the world. The common
disadvantages that attend posthumous productions will doubtless be
discerned in this; but we hope, though there are diversities of gifts,
there will be found to be the same spirit. Some of the relations and
hearers of that excellent person have been at the pains of transcribing
the notes they took in short-hand of this part of the holy scripture,
when expounded by him in his family or in the congregation; they have
furnished us with very good materials for the finishing of this great
work, and we doubt not but that the ministers who have been concerned
in it have made that use of those assistances which may entitle this
composure to the honour of Mr. Henry's name; and, if so, they can very
willingly conceal their own.</P>
<P>
The New Testament may be very properly divided into two parts, the one
<I>historical</I> the other <I>epistolary.</I> It is the exposition of
the latter we now recommend, and shall offer some thoughts on the
epistolary way of writing in general, and then proceed to observe the
divine authority of these epistles, together with the style, matter,
method, and design of them, leaving what might be said concerning the
several inspired penmen to the prefaces appertaining to the particular
epistles.</P>
<P>
As to the epistolary way of writing, it may be sufficient to observe
that it has usually three properties:--It may in some things be more
<I>difficult</I> to be understood, but then it is very
<I>profitable,</I> and very <I>pleasant;</I> these will be found to be
the properties of these sacred letters. We shall meet with things not
easy to be understood, especially in some parts of them, where we
cannot so well discover the particular occasions on which they were
written or the questions or matters of fact to which they refer; but
this is abundantly compensated by the profit which will accrue to those
that read them with due attention. They will find the strongest
reasoning, the most moving expostulations, and warm and pressing
exhortations, mixed with seasonable cautions and reproofs, which are
all admirably fitted to impress the mind with suitable sentiments and
affections. And how much solid pleasure and delight must this afford to
persons of a serious and religious spirit, especially when they wisely
and faithfully apply to themselves what they find to suit their case!
Thus they will appear to be as truly written to them as if their names
were superscribed on them. It is natural for us to be very much pleased
in perusing a wise and kind letter, full of instruction and comfort,
sent to us by an absent friend: how then should we prize this part of
holy scripture, when we consider herein that our God and Saviour has
written these letters <I>to us,</I> in which we have the great things
of his law and gospel, the things that belong to our peace! By these
means not only the holy apostles, <I>being dead, yet speak,</I> but the
Lord of the prophets and apostles continues to speak and write to us;
and while we read them with proper affections, and follow them with
suitable petitions and thanksgivings, a blessed correspondence and
intercourse will be kept up between heaven and us, while we are yet
sojourners in the earth.</P>
<P>
But it is the divine inspiration and authority of these epistles we are
especially concerned to know; and it is of the last importance that in
this our minds be fully established. And we have strong and clear
evidence that these epistles were written by the apostles of our Lord
Jesus, and that they (like the prophets of the Old Testament) spoke and
wrote <I>as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.</I> These epistles have
in all ages of the church been received by Christians as a part of
those holy scriptures that are <I>given by inspiration of God, and are
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for
instruction in righteousness, and are able to make us wise to salvation
through faith which is in Jesus Christ;</I> they are part of that
perpetual universal rule of faith and life which contains doctrines and
revelations we are bound to believe with a divine faith, as coming from
the God of truth, and duties to be practised by us in obedience to the
will of God, <I>acknowledging that the things written therein are the
commandments of God,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+14:37">1 Cor. xiv. 37</A>.
And, for the same reasons that lead us to acknowledge the other parts
of the Bible to be the word of God, we must own these to be so too. If
there is good reason (as indeed there is) to believe that the books of
Moses were written by inspiration of God, there is the same reason to
believe that the writings of the prophets were also from God, because
the law and the prophets speak the same things, and such things as none
but the Holy Ghost could teach; and, if we must with a divine faith
believe the Old Testament to be a revelation from God, we cannot with
any good reason question the divine authority of the New, when we
consider how exactly the histories of the one agree with the prophecies
of the other, and how the dark types and shadows of the law are
illustrated and accomplished in the gospel. Nor can any person who
pretends to believe the divine authority of the historical part of the
New Testament, containing the Gospels and the Acts, with good reason
question the equal authority of the epistolary part; for the
subject-matter of all these epistles, as well as of the sermons of the
apostles, is the <I>word of God</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+10:17,1Th+2:13,Col+1:25">Rom. x. 17;
1 Thess. ii. 13; Col. i. 25</A>),
and the <I>gospel of God</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+15:16,2Co+11:7">Rom. xv. 16; 2 Cor. xi. 7</A>),
and the <I>gospel of Christ</I>,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+2:12">2 Cor. ii. 12</A>.
We <I>are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner-stone;</I> and, as Moses wrote of
Christ, so did all the prophets, for the Spirit of Christ in them did
testify of him. And the apostles confirmed what Christ himself began to
teach, <I>God also bearing them witness with signs, and wonders, and
divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his
will,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+2:3,4">Heb. ii. 3, 4</A>.
The manifestation of God in the flesh, and the things <I>he began both
to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up,</I> together
with his sufferings unto death, and his resurrection (which things are
declared to us, and are firmly to be believed, and strictly regarded by
us), do give us an ample account of the way of life and salvation by
Jesus Christ; but still it was the will of our blessed Lord that his
apostles should not only publish his gospel to all the world, but also
that, after his resurrection, they should declare some things more
plainly concerning him than he thought fit to do while he was here on
earth, for which end he promised to send his Holy Spirit <I>to teach
them all things, to bring all things to their remembrance which he had
spoken unto them,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+14:26">John xiv. 26</A>.
For he told them
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+16:12,13">John xvi. 12, 13</A>),
<I>I have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now;
but when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall lead you into all
truth, and shall show you things to come.</I> Accordingly we find there
was a wonderful effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles (who in
these epistles are called the <I>servants, ambassadors, and
ministers</I> of Christ, <I>and stewards of the mysteries of God</I>),
under whose infallible guidance they preached the gospel, and declared
the whole counsel of God, and that with amazing courage and success,
Satan every where falling down before them like lightning from heaven.
That in preaching the gospel they were under the influence of the
infallible Spirit is undeniable, from the miraculous gifts and powers
they received for their work, particularly that gift of tongues so
necessary for the publication of the gospel throughout the world to
nations of different languages; nor must we omit that mighty power that
accompanied the word preached, bringing multitudes to the obedience of
faith, notwithstanding all opposition from earth and hell, and the
potent lusts in the hearts of those who were <I>turned from idols to
serve the living God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he
raised from the dead, even Jesus, that delivered us from the wrath to
come.</I> Now that they were under the same mighty influence in writing
these epistles as in preaching cannot be denied. Such infallible
assistance seems to be as needful at least to direct their writing as
their preaching, considering that these epistles were written to keep
in memory those things that had been delivered by word of mouth
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Pe+1:15">2 Pet. i. 15</A>),
and to rectify the mistakes that might arise about some expressions
that had been used in preaching
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Th+2:2">2 Thess. ii. 2</A>),
and were to remain as a standing rule and record to which believers
were to appeal, for defending the truth and discovering error, and a
proper means to transmit the truths of the gospel to posterity, even to
the end of time. Besides, the writers of these epistles have declared
that what they wrote was from God: now they must know whether they had
the special assistance of the divine Spirit or no, in their writing as
well as preaching; and they in all things appear to have been men of
such probity that they would not dare to say they had the Spirit of God
when they had it not, or if they so much as doubted whether they had it
or not; yea, they are careful, when they speak their own private
opinion, or only under some common influence, to tell the world that
not the <I>Lord,</I> but <I>they,</I> spoke those things, but that in
the rest it was not they but the Lord,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+7:10,12">1 Cor. vii. 10, 12</A>,
&c. And the apostle Paul makes the acknowledgment of this their
inspiration to be a test to try those that pretended to be prophets or
spiritual: <I>Let them</I> (says he) <I>acknowledge that the things I
write unto you are the commandments of the Lord,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+14:37">1 Cor. xiv. 37</A>.
And the apostle Peter gives this as the reason of his writing, that
those he wrote to <I>might after his decease have those things always
in remembrance</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Pe+1:15">2 Pet. i. 15</A>),
which afterwards he calls <I>the commandment of the apostles of the
Lord</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Pe+3:1,2"><I>ch.</I> iii. 1, 2</A>),
and so of the Lord himself. And the apostles John declareth
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Jo+4:6">1 John iv. 6</A>),
<I>We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God
heareth not us; by this we know the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of
error.</I></P>
<P>
As to the style of these epistles, though it be necessary we should
believe a divine influence superintending the several writers of them,
yet it is not easy to explain the manner of it, nor to determine
whether and in what particulars the words they wrote were dictated to
them by the Holy Spirit, as mere <I>amanuenses,</I> or how far their
own memories, and reasoning faculties, and other natural or acquired
endowments, were employed under the inspection of the Spirit. We must
believe that these holy men spoke and wrote <I>as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost,</I> that he put them on and assisted them in this work.
It is very probable that sometimes he not only suggested the very
thoughts in their minds, but put words into their mouths, and always
infallibly guided them into all truth, both when they expounded the
scriptures of the Old Testament and when they gave rules for our faith
and practice in the gospel church state. And yet perhaps it may be
allowed, without any diminution to the authority of these epistles,
that the penmen of them made some use of their own reasoning powers and
different endowments in their manner of writing, as well as of their
different sorts of chirography; and that by this we are to account for
that difference of style which has been observed between the writings
of Paul, who was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and those of Peter
and John, who were fishermen. The like difference may be discerned
between the style of the prophet Isaiah, who was educated in a court,
and that of Amos, who was one of the herdsmen of Tekoa. However, the
best way to understand these scriptures aright is not to criticise too
nicely upon the words and phrases, but to attend carefully to the drift
and design of these inspired writers in them.</P>
<P>
The <I>subject-matter</I> of these epistles is entirely conformable to
the rest of the scriptures. In them we find frequent reference to some
passages of the Old Testament, and explanations of them: in the epistle
to the Hebrews we have the best exposition of the Levitical law. Indeed
the New Testament refers to, and in a manner builds upon, the Old,
showing the accomplishment of all the ancient promises and prophecies
concerning the Messiah, and explains all the antiquated types and
<I>shadows of the good things that were then to come.</I> But, besides
these references to the preceding part of holy writ, in some of these
epistles there are contained prophecies, either wholly new or at least
more largely and plainly revealed, as that in the <I>Revelation</I>
concerning the rise, reign, and fall of antichrist, of which great
apostasy we have some account in
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Th+2:3,4">2 Thess. ii. 3, 4</A>,
and in
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:1-3">1 Tim. iv. 1-3</A>.
And in these epistles we have several of the great doctrines of the
gospel more fully discussed than elsewhere, particularly the doctrine
of original sin, of the sin that dwells in the regenerate, and of
justification by the righteousness of Christ, of the abolishing of the
Jewish rites and ceremonies, of the true nature and design of the seals
of the new covenant, the obligations they bring us under, and their
perpetual use in the Christian church.</P>
<P>
The general method of these epistles is such as best serves the end or
design of them, which is indeed the end of the whole
scripture--practical godliness, out of a principle of divine love, a
good conscience, and faith unfeigned. Accordingly most of the epistles
begin with the great doctrines of the gospel, the articles of the
Christian faith, which, when received, work by love, purify the
conscience, and produce evangelical obedience; and, after these
principles have been laid down, practical conclusions are drawn and
urged from them. In taking this method there is a regard paid to the
nature and faculties of the soul of man (where the understanding is to
lead the way, the will, affections, and executive powers, to follow
after), and to the nature of religion in general, which is a reasonable
service. We are not to be determined by superstitious fancies, nor by
blind passions, but by a sound judgment and good understanding in the
mind and will of God. By this we are taught how necessary it is that
faith and practice, truth and holiness, be joined together, that the
performance of moral duties will never be acceptable to God, nor
available to our own salvation, without the belief of the truth, since
those who make shipwreck of the faith seldom maintain a good
conscience, and the most solemn profession of the faith will never save
those that <I>hold the truth in unrighteousness.</I></P>
<P>
The particular occasions upon which these epistles were written do not
so evidently appear in them all as in some. The first to the
Corinthians seems to have taken its rise from the unhappy divisions
that so early rose in the churches of Christ, through the emulation of
the ministers and personal affections of the people; but it does not
confine itself to that subject. That to the Galatians seems directed
chiefly against those judaizing teachers that went about to draw the
Gentile converts away from the simplicity of the gospel in doctrine and
worship. The epistle to the Hebrews is manifestly calculated to wean
the converted Jews from those Mosaical rites and ceremonies for which
they retained too great a fondness, and to reconcile them to the
abolition of that economy. Those epistles that are directed to
particular persons more evidently carry their design in them, which he
that runs may read. But this is certain, none of these epistles are of
private interpretation. Most of the psalms and of the prophecies of the
Old Testament were penned or pronounced on particular occasions, and
yet they are of standing and universal use, and very instructive even
to us upon whom the ends of the world have come. And so are those
epistles that seem to have been most limited in the rise and occasion
of them. There will always be need enough to warn Christians against
uncharitable divisions, against corrupting the faith and worship of the
gospel; and, whenever the case is the same, these epistles are as
certainly directed to such churches and persons as if they had been
inscribed to them.</P>
<P>
These general observations, we suppose, may be sufficient to introduce
the reader into the book itself; let us now take a short view of the
whole work, of which this posthumous piece is the conclusion. It is now
about fourteen years since the first part of this exposition of the
Bible was made public. In five years' time the Old Testament was
finished in four volumes. The first volume of the New Testament was
longer in hand; for though the ever-memorable author was always fully
employed in the ordinary work of his ministry, yet those last years of
his life, in which he drew up the exposition upon the historical part
of the New Testament, were less at his own command than any other had
been. His removal to Hackney, his almost continual preaching from day
to day, his journeys to Chester, and the necessity of more frequent
visits to his friends in and about London, together with a gradual
sensible decay of health, will more than excuse the three years' time
that passed before that was finished. And under such difficulties none
but a man of his holy zeal, unwearied industry, and great sagacity,
could have gone through such a service in that space of time. He lived
not to see that volume published, though left by him ready for the
press. The church of God was suddenly deprived of one of the most
useful ministers of the age. We have been gathering up the fragments of
those feasts with which he used to entertain his family and friends, in
his delightful work of opening the scriptures. What remains is that we
recommend the whole of this work to the acceptance and blessing of our
God and Saviour, to whose honour and interest it was from the first
directed and devoted. We need not be very solicitous about the
acceptance it may meet with in the world: what has been before
published has been received and read with great pleasure and advantage
by the most serious experienced Christians in Great Britain and
Ireland; and the many loud calls there have been for the publishing of
this supplement, and reprinting the whole, leave us no room to doubt
but that it will meet with a hearty welcome. Though it must be
acknowledged that we live in an age which by feeding upon ashes and the
wind, has very much lost the relish of every thing that is spiritual
and evangelical, yet we persuade ourselves there will still be found
many who, <I>by reason of use, have, their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.</I> Those that may think the expository notes too
long, especially for family worship, may easily relieve themselves,
either by reading a less part of the chapter at one time, or by
abridging the annotations, and perusing the rest when they have more
leisure; for, though it must be owned they are somewhat copious, yet we
are persuaded that those who peruse them seriously will find nothing in
them superfluous or impertinent; and, if any where some things in the
comment do not seem to flow so naturally and necessarily from the text,
we believe when they are well considered and compared it will appear
they come under the analogy and general reason of the subject, and
truly belong to it. If there be any that think this exposition of the
Bible is too plain and familiar, that it wants the beauties of oratory
and the strength of criticism, we only wish that they will read it over
again with due attention, and we are pretty confident they will find
the style natural, clear, and comprehensive; and we think they will
hardly be able to produce one valuable criticism out of the most
learned commentators but they will have it in this exposition, though
couched in plain terms, and not brought in as of a critical nature. No
man was more happy than Mr. Henry in that useful talent of making dark
things plain, while too many, that value themselves upon their
criticising faculty, affect rather to make plain things dark.</P>
<P>
But we leave this great and good work to speak for itself, and doubt
not but it will grow in its use and esteem, and will, through the
blessing of God, help to revive and promote family religion and
scriptural knowledge, and support the credit of scripture commentaries,
though couched in human expressions. These have been always accounted
the great treasures of the church, and when done with judgment, have
been so far from lessening the authority of the Bible that they have
greatly promoted its honour and usefulness.</P>
<P>
The following are the ministers by whom the Exposition on the
Epistolary writings, and the Revelation, was completed, as given by J.
B. Williams, Esq., LL.D.,F.S.A., in his <I>Memoirs of the Life,
Character, and Writings, of the Rev. Matthew Henry,</I> 8vo. p.
308.</P>
<CENTER>
<TABLE BORDER=0>
<TR><TD>Romans</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. [afterwards Dr.] John Evans.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>1 Corinthians</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. Simon Browne.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>2 Corinthians</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. Daniel Mayo.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Galatians</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. Joshua Bayes.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Ephesians</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. Samuel Rosewell.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Philippians</TD>
<TD ROWSPAN=2> <FONT SIZE=+3>}</FONT></TD>
<TD ROWSPAN=2>Mr. [afterwards Dr.] William Harris.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Colossians</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>1 Thessalonians</TD>
<TD ROWSPAN=2> <FONT SIZE=+3>}</FONT></TD>
<TD ROWSPAN=2>Mr. Daniel Mayo.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>2 Thessalonians</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>1 Timothy</TD>
<TD ROWSPAN=2> <FONT SIZE=+3>}</FONT></TD>
<TD ROWSPAN=2>Mr. Benjamin Andrews Atkinson.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>2 Timothy</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Titus</TD>
<TD ROWSPAN=2> <FONT SIZE=+3>}</FONT></TD>
<TD ROWSPAN=2>Mr. Jeremiah Smith.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Philemon</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Hebrews</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. William Tong.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>James</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Dr. S. Wright.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>1 Peter</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. Zec. Merrill.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>2 Peter</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. Joseph Hill.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>1, 2, and 3 John</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. John Reynolds, of Shrewsbury.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Jude</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. John Billingsley.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD>Revelation</TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Mr. William Tong.</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
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