New Matthew Henry Commentary

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Description

For nearly 300 years, Christians have consulted the rich insights and brilliant reflections of Presbyterian minister Matthew Henry's commentary on the Bible. Updating the language of the original while retaining its beauty and reliable content, The New Matthew Henry Commentary renders this classic work more accessible than ever.

This 1992 Christian Book Award Winner (ECPA) contains the wealth of exposition, metaphors, analogies, and illustrations that have set Matthew Henry's Commentary apart as one of the enduring legacies of faith---and presents them in the language of today. Passage by passage, its prayerful, penetrating reflections and rich insights into the very heart of God's Word are sure to challenge and inspire you.

Ideal for personal devotions, Bible studies, and lesson and sermon preparations, The New Matthew Henry Commentary will enable you to rediscover this classic work---or discover it for the first time. Forever fresh and never failing to render new pearls of wisdom, this beloved text is one that you will reach for often to obtain deeper understanding of and appreciation for the Scriptures.

From the Preface

Matthew Henry wrote his commentary about three hundred years ago; he began writing in November 1704, and the first volume was first published in 1708. Before he died at the age of 52 in 1714, he had completed up to and including Acts. After his death, the New Testament letters and Revelation were prepared by thirteen Nonconformist ministers.

This work has had a significant influence on many ministers and individual Christians in the last three hundred years. Thus, when the publishers of Zondervan approached me in 2002 about editing a version in contemporary English, I immediately felt humbled at the sheer privilege of the task. The work itself was immense; the original text contained over eight million words, and on average, Matthew Henry's comments take up more than 200 words on every verse of the Bible.

My remit was to update the wording of the original to clear, contemporary, natural-sounding English, so that it reads as a modern, practical, and devotional commentary on the KJV. I had to make the original more readable and understandable to present-day generations and future generations. This meant, for example, shortening his lengthy sentences and updating the author's language.

I have sought to ensure that this commentary will have the same impact on contemporary readers that Matthew Henry had on his original readers in terms of clarity of expression. Where his text was clear but awkward by today's standards, I have edited his text. On other occasions, when his original text was unclear, I have provided a thought-for-thought recasting of his original sense. I have had to ask myself many times day after day for six years, “If Matthew Henry were here today, how would he have expressed this?”

I have not, generally speaking, sought to update the scholarship on which the text was originally based: in many cases, he draws out points that are timeless. In a few places, I have added an editor's note on Matthew Henry's text such as the following at Ge 7:11 — 12: “[Ed. note: Many Christians today use significantly longer dates.]” Matthew Henry was, as is understandable, a person of his time; therefore, on occasion, I have softened his stance toward, for example, the Roman Catholic church.

...The task has been humbling. As I have attempted to present Matthew Henry's text in contemporary English, I have realized I have been standing on the shoulders of a giant, and inwardly at least, I have also knelt alongside this giant in adoration of the Lamb.

Martin Manser (Editor)

About the Author(s)

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) was a Presbyterian minister in England who began his commentary on the Bible in 1704. He completed his work up to the end of Acts before his death. Afterward, his ministerial friends completed the work from Henry's notes and writings.

About the Editor(s)

Martin Manser has compiled and edited Bible reference material and English-language dictionaries for nearly thirty years. He lives in Aylesbury, England. He and his wife have two children.

Martin provides some behind-the-scenes information on the challenges and decisions he had to make in updating this text in this article (links to PDF).

System Requirements

Installed size (unless otherwise indicated): Approximately 10.625 MB. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Requires iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad running latest version of iOS. Download size: 10.625 MB. Android Requires Android OS 4.4 or later. Download size: 10.625 MB. Windows Phone Requires Windows Phone 7.5 or later. Download size: 10.625 MB. Windows Store Requires Windows 8, 10, 11 or later. Download size: 10.625 MB. Windows Desktop Requires Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 or later. Download size: 8.125 MB. Mac OS Requires macOS 10.13 or later. Download size: 10.625 MB.