Bible Commentaries
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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
The Ascension
THE ASCENSION. Here is, 1. Christ welcomed into the upper world (Mark 16:19): After the Lord had spoken what he had to say to his disciples, he went up into heaven, in a cloud; which we have a particular account of (Act…
The Evangelist's Preface
THE EVANGELIST'S PREFACE. Complimental prefaces and dedications, the language of flattery and the food and fuel of pride, are justly condemned by the wise and good; but it doth not therefore follow, that such as are use…
The Appearance of an Angel to Zacharias; The Birth of John Foretold; The Unbelief of Zacharias
THE APPEARANCE OF AN ANGEL TO ZACHARIAS; THE BIRTH OF JOHN FORETOLD; THE UNBELIEF OF ZACHARIAS. The two preceding evangelists had agreed to begin the gospel with the baptism of John and his ministry, which commenced abo…
The Birth of Christ Foretold
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST FORETOLD. We have here notice given us of all that it was fit we should know concerning the incarnation and conception of our blessed Saviour, six months after the conception of John. The same angel,…
The Interview of Mary and Elisabeth; The Song of Mary
THE INTERVIEW OF MARY AND ELISABETH; THE SONG OF MARY. We have here an interview between the two happy mothers, Elisabeth and Mary: the angel, by intimating to Mary the favour bestowed on her cousin Elisabeth (Luke 1:36…
The Birth of John the Baptist
THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. In these verses, we have, I. The birth of John Baptist, Luke 1:57. Though he was conceived in the womb by miracle, he continued in the womb according to the ordinary course of nature (so d…
The Song of Zacharias
THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS. We have here the song wherewith Zacharias praised God when his mouth was opened; in it he is said to prophesy (Luke 1:67), and so he did in the strictest sense of prophesying; for he foretold thin…
The Birth of Christ
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. The fulness of time was now come, when God would send forth his Son, made of a woman, and made under the law; and it was foretold that he should be born at Bethlehem. Now here we have an account of…
Angels Appear to the Shepherds; Visit of the Shepherds to Christ
ANGELS APPEAR TO THE SHEPHERDS; VISIT OF THE SHEPHERDS TO CHRIST. The meanest circumstances of Christ's humiliation were all along attended with some discoveries of his glory, to balance them, and take off the offence o…
Christ Presented in the Temple
CHRIST PRESENTED IN THE TEMPLE. Our Lord Jesus, being made of a woman, was made under the law, Galatians 4:4. He was not only, as the son of a daughter of Adam, made under the law of nature, but as the son of a daughter…
Christ and Simeon in the Temple; Anna in the Temple
CHRIST AND SIMEON IN THE TEMPLE; ANNA IN THE TEMPLE. Even when he humbles himself, still Christ has honour done him to balance the offence of it. That we might not be stumbled at the meanness of his birth, angels then d…
Christ Sitting with the Doctors
CHRIST SITTING WITH THE DOCTORS. We have here the only passage of story recorded concerning our blessed Saviour, from his infancy to the day of his showing to Israel at twenty-nine years old, and therefore we are concer…
Ministry of John the Baptist
MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. John's baptism introducing a new dispensation, it was requisite that we should have a particular account of it. Glorious things were said of John, what a distinguished favourite of Heaven h…
Imprisonment of John the Baptist
IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. We are now drawing near to the appearance of our Lord Jesus publicly; the Sun will not be long after the morning-star. We are here told, I. How the people took occasion, from the minist…
The Genealogy of Christ
THE GENEALOGY OF CHRIST. The evangelist mentioned John's imprisonment before Christ's being baptized, though it was nearly a year after it, because he would finish the story of John's ministry, and then introduce that o…
The Temptation in the Wilderness
THE TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. The last words of the foregoing chapter, that Jesus was the Son of Adam, bespeak him to be the seed of the woman; being so, we have here, according to the promise, breaking the serpent'…
Christ in the Synagogue of Nazareth; Christ Driven from Nazareth
CHRIST IN THE SYNAGOGUE OF NAZARETH; CHRIST DRIVEN FROM NAZARETH. After Christ had vanquished the evil spirit, he made it appear how much he was under the influence of the good Spirit; and, having defended himself again…
The Expulsion of a Demon; Christ's Departure from Capernaum
THE EXPULSION OF A DEMON; CHRIST'S DEPARTURE FROM CAPERNAUM. When Christ was expelled Nazareth, he came to Capernaum, another city of Galilee. The account we have in these verses of his preaching and miracles there we h…
The Call of Peter, James, and John
THE CALL OF PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN. This passage of story fell, in order of time, before the two miracles we had in the close of the foregoing chapter, and is the same with that which was more briefly related by Matthew…
A Leper Cleansed
A LEPER CLEANSED. Here is, I. The cleansing of a leper, Luke 5:12-14. This narrative we had both in Matthew and Mark. It is here said to have been in a certain city (Luke 5:12); it was in Capernaum, but the evangelist w…
Cure of a Paralytic
CURE OF A PARALYTIC. Here is, I. A general account of Christ's preaching and miracles, Luke 5:17. 1. He was teaching on a certain day, not on the sabbath day, then he would have said so, but on a week-day; six days shal…
The Call of Matthew; Watchfulness Inculcated
THE CALL OF MATTHEW; WATCHFULNESS INCULCATED. All this, except the last verse, we had before in Matthew and Mark; it is not the story of any miracle in nature wrought by our Lord Jesus, but it is an account of some of t…
Works of Mercy Suited to the Sabbath
WORKS OF MERCY SUITED TO THE SABBATH. These two passages of story we had both in Matthew and Mark, and they were there laid together (Matthew 12:1), because, though happening at some distance of time from each other, bo…
The Twelve Apostles Chosen
THE TWELVE APOSTLES CHOSEN. In these verses, we have our Lord Jesus in secret, in his family, and in public; and in all three acting like himself. I. In secret we have him praying to God, Luke 6:12. This evangelist take…