View source for Matthew Henry

{{Short description|British Nonconformist minister and author (1662-1714)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix   = [[The Reverend]]
| name               = Matthew Henry
| image              = Matthew Henry Portrait 1707.png
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1662|10|18|df=y}}
| birth_place        = [[Flintshire]], [[Wales]]
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1714|6|22|1662|10|18|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[Nantwich]], [[Cheshire]]
| education          = [[Gray's Inn]]
| notable_works      = ''Exposition of the Old and New Testaments''
| spouse             = Kathrine Hardware (1687–1689), Mary Warburton (1690-)
| children           = 9
| mother             = Kathrine Matthews
| father             = [[Philip Henry]]
}}

'''Matthew Henry''' (18 October 1662{{snds}}22 June 1714) was a British [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|Nonconformist]] and   [[Presbyterian minister]] and author who was born in [[Wales]] but spent much of his life in [[England]]. He is best known for the six-volume biblical commentary ''Exposition of the Old and New Testaments''.

== Life ==
Matthew Henry was the second son born to Philip and Kathrine Henry. He was born prematurely at his mother's family estate, Broad Oak, a farmhouse [[Welsh Marches|on the borders]] of [[Flintshire]] and [[Shropshire]].<ref name="Bickerton" /><ref name="Waugh" /> He was [[Infant baptism|baptized]] the next day by the local parish [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]]. His father, [[Philip Henry]], a [[Church of England]] cleric, had just been [[Great Ejection|ejected]] under the [[Act of Uniformity 1662]]. As a young child, he was frequently afflicted with fevers.<ref name="Tong" /> Unlike most of those who had been ejected, Philip Henry possessed some private means, and was able to provide his son a good education. Henry's sister was diarist [[Sarah Savage]].<ref name="CrawfordGowing2000" /><ref name="EB1911" />

=== Early life ===
By the age of nine, Henry was able to write Latin and read part of the Greek New Testament.<ref name="Chapman" /> He was tutored in grammar by William Turner in 1668 who was temporarily staying at Broad Oak.<ref name="Tong" /> His father provided much of Henry's early education at home. Henry practiced writing by copying his father's sermons and as a child he exhibited a natural public speaking ability. In 1680, at eighteen, his father sent him to a school in [[Islington]], London to be tutored by the Nonconformist minister [[Thomas Doolittle]].<ref name="Chapman" /> Henry later transferred to [[Gray's Inn]], in the heart of the capital, to study [[Lawyer|law]]. While at Gray's Inn, he also studied French and literature.<ref name="Chapman" /> He soon gave up his legal studies for [[theology]].<ref name="EB1911" /> Henry was invited by his friend George Illidge, to give his first sermon to a congregation at [[Nantwich]]. Having been well received he returned to speak two more times that summer.<ref name="Chapman" />

==== Chester ====
In 1686, he was offered an invitation by a local Nonconformist minister to move to [[Chester]], [[Cheshire]] and establish a congregation. He was initially hesitant to accept, not willing to take away members from an already established minister but upon Harvey's insistence he accepted. Henry was ordained on 9 May 1687 by a group of six Nonconformist ministers. He presented a paper written in Latin as part of his ordination. He then became minister of a new [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] congregation at Chester.<ref name="EB1911" /><ref name="Chapman" /> The congregation grew under his leadership and in 1699 he oversaw the construction of a new building.<ref name="Bickerton" /> While in Chester, Henry founded the Presbyterian Chapel in Trinity Street.<ref name="pubsc" /> After becoming established in Chester, he began to travel around to nearby cities speaking. He became a member of the local Chester union of ministers. Henry said of living in Chester "I cannot think of leaving Chester, until Chester leaves me."<ref name="Chapman" />
[[File:Matthew Henry Summer Home - 1858.png|thumb|Matthew Henry Summer Home - Chester]]
After moving to Chester, he married Kathrine Hardware on 19 July 1687, after her mother initially objected to the marriage.<ref name="Tong" /> Kathrine Hardware's parents then moved to Chester and Henry and his wife lived with them. Shortly after the birth of their first child, Kathrine died of [[smallpox]] on 14 February 1689, at age 25.<ref name="Bickerton" /> He named the infant Kathrine after the mother, but the child died 15 months later.<ref name="bio" /> He continued to live with the Hardwares after the death of his wife and continued his ministerial duties.<ref name="Bickerton" />

He was introduced to Mary Warburton, a relative of Mrs. Hardware. On 8 July 1690, he married Mary Warburton in Chester. His second child, Elizabeth was born on 2 April 1691, and died in infancy in July 1692. A third child, born in 1693, died three weeks after birth.<ref name="Bickerton" /><ref name="descendants" />

At age 26 in 1688, the number of speaking engagements started to impact his health. He was frequently subject to fevers. A letter from his father instructed him "....in your earnestness [when speaking], keep the reins upon it."<ref name="Bickerton118" /> His impassioned speaking style was well-received by his listeners and contributed to his growing popularity.<ref name="Dunton" /> On occasion, he could move his audience to tears.<ref name="Bickerton118" /> He became a popular speaker and received constant invitations to speak and give lectures. He traveled almost weekly to different cities to speak.

He spent significant amounts of time studying and writing his sermons and lectures in advance. Henry preferred to use an [[Expository preaching|expository speaking]] style. For each speaking engagement, he would employ different base texts to expand upon his general topic. His approach to teaching was "Choose for your pulpit subjects the plainest, and most needful truths; and endeavor to make them plainer."<ref name="Bickerton118" /> When writing, he would remain close to the literal interpretation of biblical passages. These writings would later form the basis on which he developed his commentary.

Between the years of 1687–1712, Matthew Henry continued to live in Chester. In 1694, Esther Henry was born to Matthew Henry and his wife. Esther lived to adulthood.<ref name="descendants" /> On 24 June 1697 his daughter Ann was born. This child also died in infancy in 1698 in a local [[measles]] outbreak. Henry was very saddened at her death. Ann was his fourth child to have died in infancy. Matthew Henry and his wife Mary had their first son in 1700 and named him Philip, who later in life took his mother's name, Warburton.<ref name="descendants" /> Another child, Elizabeth, was born in 1701.<ref name="descendants" /> In August 1703, he had another daughter; this one he named Sarah after his older sister.<ref name="Tong" /><ref name="descendants" /> Two more children were born who survived to adulthood: Theodosia in 1708 and Mary in 1711.<ref name="descendants" />

=== Journey to London ===
In 1698, Henry traveled to London to speak for the first time since moving to Chester. On the trip to London, he made speaking stops in [[Nantwich]], [[Newcastle-under-Lyme|Newcastle]], [[Lichfield]] and other towns on the way.<ref name="Bickerton70" /> Towards the end of this time period, he was frequently invited to speak in London where he eventually moved. He traveled to London again to speak in 1704 and this time Mary accompanied him. Up until this time, his health had been quite good despite the pace at which he worked. In August 1704 he [[Syncope (medicine)|fainted]] while he was speaking but quickly resumed speaking. The next two days he traveled to Nantwich and then to [[Haslington]]. Upon his return to Chester, he was bedridden with a fever for three weeks.

=== Hackney ===
He moved again in 1712 to [[Mare Street]], [[Hackney, London|Hackney]] after accepting an invitation to take over the ministry of the Hackney congregation. He began work there on 18 May 1712 with a congregation of less than one hundred members. He would also travel to [[Wapping]], [[Rotherhithe]] and other surrounding areas and give evening lectures before returning to the duties of the Hackney congregation. Henry also began giving [[Catechesis|catechetical]] lectures in London.<ref name="Bickerton" /> His ''Exposition of the Old and New Testaments'' was nearing the publication stage and was a contributing motive to the move to Hackney, close to the publisher.<ref name="Christian" /> In 1713, his health began declining after a return visit to Chester.

=== Death ===
In 1713, he began suffering from frequent attacks of [[nephritis]]. He continued to maintain his frequent speaking engagements and work on his commentary.  On 21 June 1714 Henry was on a speaking tour around Chester and was returning to Hackney. While en route, he was thrown off his horse but denied injury and insisted on making it to Nantwich where he was scheduled to speak. His traveling companions noted a lack of energy. That evening he could no longer travel and stopped at the [[Queen's Aid House]] in Nantwich. On 22 June 1714, he went to be with his God, having died of [[apoplexy]].<ref name="Bickerton" /><ref name="EB1911" /><ref name="Christian" />

== Literary work ==
[[File:Matthew Henrys commentaries.png|thumb|The Biblical commentaries written by Matthew Henry]]
Henry's well-known six-volume ''Exposition of the Old and New Testaments'' (1708{{nsndns}}10) or ''Complete Commentary'' provides an exhaustive paragraph-by-paragraph (or section-by-section) study of the Bible, covering the whole of the [[Old Testament]], and the Gospels and Acts in the [[New Testament]]. Thirteen other non-conformist ministers finished the sixth volume of Romans through Revelation after Henry's death, partly based on notes taken by Henry's hearers. The entire Commentary was re-edited by [[George Burder]] and John Hughes in 1811.<ref name="EB1911" /><ref name="bio" />

Henry's commentaries are primarily [[theological]], dealing with the scripture text as presented, with his prime intention being explanation for practical and devotional purposes, giving a theological commentary on each chapter of Scripture.<ref name="Herzog" /> <!--- NOTE: the following sentence is hidden because it is incomprehensible: It was long considered sensible and stylish with its best as a devotional.<ref name="Herzog" /><ref name="blueletter" /> --->Henry recommended [[Matthew Poole]]'s ''[[Synopsis Criticorum]]'' for a more technical analysis.<ref name="Herzog" />

Henry's Commentary identifies the "[[man of sin]]", the focus of latter day apostasy, and the [[Antichrist]] as the papacy in his interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The commentary lists three "blasphemous titles" which it states have been attached to the "bishops of Rome."<ref name="exposition" /><ref name="Commentary" /> This [[anti-papist]] passage in the Commentary was not directly authored by Henry, but occurs in the sixth volume on Romans to Revelation, completed posthumously by his 13 friends.

Famous evangelical Protestant preachers used and heartily commended the work, such as [[George Whitefield]] and [[Charles Spurgeon]], with Whitefield reading it through four times{{snds}}the last time on his knees.<ref name="Herzog" /> Spurgeon stated, "Every minister ought to read it entirely and carefully through once at least."<ref name="Haddon" /> [[John Wesley]] published an abbreviated edition of the Commentary and wrote of Henry:
<blockquote>He is allowed by all competent judges, to have been a person of strong understanding, of various learning, of solid piety, and much experience in the ways of God. And his exposition is generally clear and intelligible, the thoughts being expressed in plain words: It is also found, agreeable to the tenor of scripture, and to the analogy of faith. It is frequently full, giving a sufficient explication of the passages which require explaining. It is in many parts deep, penetrating farther into the inspired writings than most other comments do. It does not entertain us with vain speculations, but is practical throughout: and usually spiritual too teaching us how to worship God, not in form only, but in spirit and in truth.<ref name="Wesley" /> </blockquote>
Several abbreviated editions of the Commentary were published in the twentieth century; more recently, Martin H. Manser edited ''The New Matthew Henry Commentary: The Classic Work with Updated Language''.

== Quotations ==
Perhaps his best-known quotation is about the relationship between men and women, from the story of the creation of Eve, in the [[Book of Genesis]]:<blockquote>The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.<ref name="genesis2commentary" /></blockquote>
The quote is inspired by the words of [[Peter Lombard]] in his book ''[[Sentences]]'':<blockquote>She {Eve} was formed not from just any part of his body {Adam’s body}, but from his side, so that it should be shown that she was created for the partnership of love, lest, if perhaps she had been made from his head, she should be perceived as set over man in domination; or if from his feet, as if subject to him in servitude. Therefore, since she was made neither to dominate, nor to serve the man, but as his partner, she had to be produced neither from his head, nor from his feet, but from his side, so that he would know that she was to be placed beside himself.<ref>Peter Lombard, Libri Quatuor Sententiarum {Sentences}, Bk. 2, Distinction 18, Ch. 2</ref></blockquote>

== Bibliography ==
* [[iarchive:miscellaneouswo02henrgoog|The Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. Matthew Henry: Containing in Addition to Those Heretofore Published]] (1833)
* ''[[iarchive:anaccountlifean00henrgoog|An Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Philip Henry]]'' (1712)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/Communicant_s_Companion.html?id=8o_NjwEACAAJ The Communicant's Companion]'' (1828)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/Directions_for_daily_communion_with_God.html?id=f-0CAAAAQAAJ Directions for Daily Communion with God]'' (1866)
*''[[iarchive:a587258300henruoft/page/n8|A Method for Prayer]]'' (1834)
* [https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Scripture_catechism_in_the_Method_of_t.html?id=FHARnQEACAAJ ''A Scripture-catechism, in the Method of the Assemblies''] (1714)
* ''[https://archive.org/details/miscellaneouswo02henrgoog The Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. Matthew Henry]'' (1830)
* ''[[iarchive:discourseonmeekn00henr|A Discourse on Meekness and Quietness of Spirit]]'' (1836)
*[[iarchive:pleasantnessare00henrgoog/page/n7/mode/2up|The Pleasantness of a Religious Life]] (1714)

== See also ==
* [[Philip Henry]]
* [[Sarah Savage]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="Bickerton">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2OReAAAAcAAJ|title=Memoirs of the life, character, and writings of the Rev. Matthew Henry|last=WILLIAMS|first=Sir John Bickerton|date=1828|publisher=B. J. Holdsworth|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="Bickerton118">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2OReAAAAcAAJ|title=Memoirs of the life, character, and writings of the Rev. Matthew Henry|last=WILLIAMS|first=Sir John Bickerton|date=1828|publisher=B. J. Holdsworth|pages=118–120|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="Bickerton70">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2OReAAAAcAAJ&q=ordained|title=Memoirs of the life, character, and writings of the Rev. Matthew Henry|last=WILLIAMS|first=Sir John Bickerton|date=1828|publisher=B. J. Holdsworth|pages=70–72|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bhenry2.html|title=Matthew Henry Minister and Bible commentator|work=Christian Biography Resources|publisher=Wholesome words|access-date=2011-09-19}}</ref>

<ref name="Chapman">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/matthewhenryhis00goog|title=Matthew Henry, his life and times|last=Chapman|first=Charles|date=1859|publisher=A. Hall, Virtue & Company|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="Christian">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bCcsfFR1BSsC|title=Christian Biography|date=1832|publisher=R.T.S.|volume=5|pages=50–70|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="Commentary">Henry, Matthew. (1991). ''Matthew Henry's commentary''. v.6 (New Modern ed.) Peabody, Mass. : Hendrickson Publishers. p. 643. {{ISBN|9781598564358}}</ref>

<ref name="CrawfordGowing2000">{{cite book|last1=Crawford|first1=Patricia M.|author-link=Patricia Marcia Crawford |last2=Gowing|first2=Laura|title=Women's Worlds in Seventeenth-century England|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xWQf7sIyTnAC&pg=PA170|year=2000|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-415-15637-0|pages=170–171}}</ref>

<ref name="descendants">{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/descendantsofphi00lond|title=The descendants of Philip Henry, M.A. : incumbent of Worthenbury in the county of Flint, who was ejected therefrom by the Act of Uniformity in 1662|date=1844|publisher=London : Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.|others=Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center|pages=2–3}}</ref>

<ref name="Dunton">{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/lifeanderrorsjo01duntgoog|title=The Life and Errors of John Dunton, Citizen of London: With the Lives and Characters of More ...|last=Dunton|first=John|date=1818|publisher=J. Nichols|others=University of Michigan|pages=376|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|wstitle=Henry, Matthew|inline=1}}</ref>

<ref name="Haddon">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/commentpastors00spuruoft|title=Commenting & Commentaries|last=Spurgeon|first=Charles Haddon|date=1876|publisher=Passmore & Alabaster|pages=[https://archive.org/details/commentpastors00spuruoft/page/3 3]|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="Herzog">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KKbNAAAAMAAJ|title=The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge: Embracing Biblical, Historical, Doctrinal, and Practical Theology and Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Biography from the Earliest Times to the Present Day|last1=Herzog|first1=Johann Jakob|last2=Hauck|first2=Albert|last3=Jackson|first3=Samuel Macauley|last4=Sherman|first4=Charles Colebrook|last5=Gilmore|first5=George William|date=1909|publisher=Funk and Wagnalls Company|volume=5|pages=229|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="pubsc">{{Citation | last1 = Morris| first1 = Edward| last2 = Roberts| first2 = Emma| year = 2012 | title = Public Sculpture of Cheshire and Merseyside (excluding Liverpool)| volume = 15| series = Public Sculpture of Britain | location = Liverpool| publisher = Liverpool University Press| pages = 66–67| isbn = 978-1-84631-492-6}}</ref>

<ref name="Tong">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E2xjAAAAcAAJ|title=An account of the Life and Death of Matthew Henry, preacher of the Gospel at Hackney, ... chiefly collected out of his own papers, etc|last=Tong|first=William|year=1716|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="Waugh">{{Cite web|url=https://www.presbyteriansofthepast.com/2019/04/01/matthew-henry-1662-1714/|title=Matthew Henry, 1662–1714|last=Waugh|first=Barry|date=2019-04-01|website=Presbyterians of the Past|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref>

<ref name="Wesley">{{Cite web|url=http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/john-wesleys-notes-on-the-bible/preface-to-the-old-testament-notes/|title=Preface to the Old Testament Notes|last=Wesley|first=John|date=25 April 1765|website=wesley.nnu.edu|access-date=2019-08-03}}</ref>

<ref name="exposition">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=997-vZRjr34C|title=An Exposition of the Old and New Testament|last=Henry|first=Matthew|publisher=Henry G. Bohn|year=1853|pages=539|language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="genesis2commentary">{{Cite web|url=https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/genesis/2.html|title=Genesis 2 Commentary - Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)|website=Bible Study Tools|access-date=2019-09-24}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
{{wikisource|works=or}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-concise/ Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible]
* [http://www.studylight.org/com/mhc-com/ Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible]
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Matthew Henry |sopt=t}}
* {{Librivox author |id=5793}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZlTAw2GgUjMJ0sGVPX1l3F8SL1jAtKYc Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (public domain audiobooks with text) YouTube Playlist.]
{{Portal bar|Biography|Books|England|Religion|United Kingdom|Wales}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Matthew}}
[[Category:1662 births]]
[[Category:1714 deaths]]
[[Category:17th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:17th-century English theologians]]
[[Category:17th-century English Presbyterian ministers]]
[[Category:Bible commentators]]
[[Category:English evangelists]]
[[Category:English male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Clergy from Chester]]
[[Category:Writers from Chester]]
[[Category:People from Flintshire]]
[[Category:People from London]]
[[Category:Presbyterian writers]]
[[Category:Welsh evangelists]]
[[Category:Welsh Presbyterian ministers]]
[[Category:18th-century British Presbyterian ministers]]