Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry is to the present day considered one of the greatest resources for commentary on Scripture. He was born on October 18, 1662, in Shropshire, near the border of Wales. Although his family had little income, Henry's father valued education and sent his son to study at Islington. From Henry moved on to legal studies at Gray's Inn, London. Henry found, however, that his true interest was in theology. He began lay preaching, and was officially ordained in 1687, the same year that he wed Katherine Hardware. An energetic man, Henry had a busy ministry; not only did he have his own large congregation to shepherd, he also preached at local churches, visited prisoners, and wrote extensively. It is in his writings that Henry has left a lasting impression on the church. His works Exposition of the Old and New Testaments and the six-volume Complete Commentary are still in print and praised for their practical exegesis of Scripture. He also authored some miscellaneous works on prayer and Christian living. Henry died on June 22, 1714, of apoplexy, leaving behind him his second wife and ten children.