He is a first-rate scholar and theologian, who wrote with an attentive eye to detail, history, typology, and a pastor's heart for practical application.
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The great British Reformed Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon, when asked what commentary he would select if could have only one, responded that, since he had read Matthew Henry's expositions so thoroughly, he would pick Poole. Praise doesn't come much higher than that endorsement. While you can easily find Poole for free through various biblical study software programs, I have loved having the volumes in print as well. Matthew Poole has put together a marvelous work.
He separates the verses and the individual phrases within the verses to make his comments easy to follow and ideal for quick reference. The print is small, so there's a great deal of information on each page. Poole does a good job of referencing some of the other verses that pertain to a passage's particular subject matter. And the language is actually somewhat easy to read when compared with some of the other older commentaries. One of the things I am especially pleased with is that, in some cases, he gives various interpretations of a word's meaning or sometimes even the whole point that is intended.
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It's not that he's swaying in his understanding. It seems to be a simple acknowledgement of uncertainty. So instead of guessing, as some do, he communicates the different perspectives. And often he will let the reader know to which interpretation he leans. The only drawback is his comments sometimes lack enough detail. Anyone like me, who not only wants to know what it means but why, better be prepared to do the research if this is important.
Poole doesn't always explain how he arrived at a particular understanding and he doesn't give a great deal of historical data either. But in researching these things myself, I generally find Poole to be on target with what I'm able to conclude. In my opinion, either Matthew Poole or Matthew Henry is the first commentary set a student should consider, depending on preference. Both cover the whole Bible. Both are very handsome sets of books unless you purchase the Matthew Henry commentary in one book.
And most importantly both are the scholarly works of men who have a passion for God's word. However, I slightly favor Poole's comments simply because they're an easier read. See all 11 reviews. What other items do customers buy after viewing this item? There's a problem loading this menu right now.
Learn more about Amazon Prime. Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime. Get to Know Us. English Choose a language for shopping. Explore the Home Gift Guide. Amazon Music Stream millions of songs. They called his name. Zacharias, whence we may observe the ancient usage of giving to children the names of their fathers and kindred.
Zacharias was dumb as yet, they therefore made signs to him; he by writing declareth that his name was. John, that is, he was so named already by the angel, therefore there was to be no further dispute about it. The friends marvel at the consent of both the parents in the case, declining all the names of their kindred. The angel, Luke 1: By fear here is to be understood an awe and religions reverence of God, caused by these miraculous operations. Fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles, Acts 2: These sayings, rhmata tauta; it is a Hebraism; these doings, or matters, or things, were published throughout all the parts of Judea adjacent to the city where Zacharias dwelt, Luke 1: And those serious people that heard them pondered on them, considering the work of the Lord, and did think that this child would prove no ordinary person.
And the hand of the Lord was with him. By the hand of the Lord is meant, the power of the Lord, his providence, love, favour: The hand of the Lord oft signifieth the power, help, and assistance of the Lord, 1 Chronicles The hand of the Lord upon a person sometimes signifieth the Spirit of prophecy, Ezekiel 1: We must not think that Zacharias was before this time destitute of the Holy Ghost, we heard the contrary before, Luke 1: This is made good by the next words, which tell us he.
In this prophecy there is both predictions of what should come to pass concerning John and concerning Christ, and also applications of what was before spoken of them by the prophets; and it is observed by some, that it is an epitome of all those ancient prophecies, and that there is in it a compendium of the whole doctrine of the gospel. God is not the God of Israel only, but of all the nations of the earth also; but he is peculiarly called.
The Works Of Matthew Poole, Annotations Upon The Holy Bible, Puritan Fathers
Zacharias pronounces God blessed, and desires that he may be blessed, that is, honoured, and celebrated, and spoken well of, for that he had. And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us. An horn of salvation signifies a mighty, powerful salvation, by a metaphor taken from beasts, which much exert their power by their horns. In the house of his servant David.
This agreeth to the prophecy, Jeremiah God is said to have raised up this horn of salvation in the house of David. The house of David was now down, lapsed and decayed. God promises to raise up to the Israelites a mighty salvation from the house of David. This was fulfilled in Christ. As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began. All the prophets, or many of them at least, prophesied of Christ as the Son of David, and of a great salvation to be raised up to Israel from his house. This was that which God had told them by his prophets, that a mighty salvation should arise to them out of the house of David, by which they should be saved from their enemies.
By which enemies the generality of the Jews understood their temporal enemies, made of flesh and blood. But Zacharias, speaking by the Spirit of prophecy, must needs have a truer notion of it, as it signifies our spiritual enemies. God first gave Abraham his word, Genesis The apostle, to the Hebrews, saith, Hebrews 6: The latter part of his prophecy respecteth John the Baptist, the new born son of this priest and heavenly prophet.
Zacharias here foretells what came to pass about thirty years after, for it cannot be thought that John began his ministry before the sacerdotal age, especially considering Christ did not begin sooner, Luke 3: Thou shalt be called the prophet; that may either signify, thou shalt be a prophet, as Matthew 5: Both were true in John.
He was a prophet, though not that Prophet, John 1: For thou shalt go before his face to prepare his ways. This was according to the prophecy, Isaiah See Poole on " Matthew 3: To preach the doctrine of repentance to men, that they may obtain remission of sins. But it seems more natural, To teach people that the only way by which they can attain salvation, is not by any righteousness of their own, but by obtaining the free pardon and remission of their sins by Christ and his righteousness, Psalms For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, Romans 1: In the Greek it is, through the bowels of mercy.
An ordinary expression, and very natural, to signify great and deep compassion, Genesis Whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us, anatolh ex uqouv. Some think that the Greek word answereth the Hebrew word, translated the Branch, Jeremiah Those texts manifestly relate to Christ, who is called there the Branch. Others think it rather answereth the Hebrew word dwa we translate it a great light. Others think it should be translated the East. So they say Christ is called Zechariah 3: Be it the Branch, or the Light, or Dayspring, or the East, it is certain Christ is meant, who is called the Sun of righteousness, Malachi 4: That God might be just in the remission of our sins, he sent Christ to visit us, and in our nature to die for us.
Men were in the darkness of sin and ignorance, dead in trespasses and sins, at war and enmity with God; Christ came to give them the light of gospel revelations, the light of spiritual comfort and salvation, to purchase peace, and to direct them how to walk that they might have peace with God, and at last enter into peace. This he did to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles: He saith, the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit. He did not only grow in his bodily dimensions, but in the endowments of his mind.
And was in the deserts, that is, in places very thinly inhabited, some will have this to have been the deserts of Ziph and Maon ,. Copyright Statement These files are public domain. Text Courtesy of BibleSupport. Lexicon Search Greek Hebrew Aramaic. Before Christ Edersheim Flavius Josephus more. The Quotation Archive Add a Quotation. Tozer Charles Spurgeon Voice of the Lord more. Finding the new version too difficult to understand?
Verse 2 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 3 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 4 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 5 The Holy Ghost, for infinitely wise reasons, giveth us here an account both of the time when John the Baptist was born, and also of his parentage. It was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, that is, he who was the son of Antipater: This Zacharias was of the course of Abia. They also walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Verse 7 Amongst all earthly blessings, there is nothing we more desire than children, in whom we have a kind of perpetuity, living in our species and in our posterity when we are dead in nature.
Both Zacharias and Elisabeth were now well stricken in years. Verse 9 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 10 We are told, that the order of the Jewish daily service was this: There were constantly there, 1. The rest of the priests of the same course. Verse 11 Though we translate it appeared, yet in the Greek it is, there was seen of him.
Verse 12 We are naturally affrighted at sudden and unusual things, but especially at any Divine appearances, whether God himself takes a shape, or authorizes an angel to do it. Verse 13 Although the great God useth so to show himself to the best of his own people, as to imprint upon them a sacred awe of his majesty, yet he never suffereth the souls of his people to sink under those apprehensions. The first words the angel saith to Zacharias are, Fear not, Zacharias. I am no bad messenger to thee, but a good messenger from God, to tell thee thy prayer is heard. But of what prayer the angel here speaketh is a little further question, for it follows, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son.
Verse 14 None ought to have so mean thoughts of these words of the angel, as to think that they are only expressive of that affection which commonly discovereth itself in us when God giveth us sons, especially after a long barrenness, but of a further joy and gladness his parents should have upon a spiritual account, afterwards expressed. We have a natural ambition to be great, but it is only to be great in the sight of men; thence one man coveteth riches, another honours and reputation; but the true greatness is to be great in the sight of the Lord, who doth certainly judge with the truest and most infallible judgment.
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Verse 16 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 17 God was last spoken of, he must therefore be the him mentioned here, before whom John the Baptist was to go, according to the prophecy, Malachi 4: Thus he made ready a people prepared for the Lord. Verse 18 The words are much the same with those of Abraham, Genesis He addeth, that stand in the presence of God. Verse 20 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 22 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 23 See Poole on " Luke 1: In the mean time she did not conceal herself from God, but said, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, ascribing it all to the power of God, who keepeth the key of the womb in his hand, and maketh the fruit of it his reward.
Verse 25 See Poole on " Luke 1: The angel came to the virgin, who is here described by her name, Mary, and her relation, she was espoused to one Joseph, who is said to be of the house of David.
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Verse 27 See Poole on " Luke 1: Thou that art highly favoured, kecaritwmenh; the word comes originally from cariv, which signifieth in Scripture two things: Hence the verb, a participle from which the word here used is, may signify, two things; either: Thou hast received grace or favour from God, or, 2. Thou that art full of gracious habits.
Verse 29 It seemeth that she did not only hear a voice, and saw an ordinary appearance, but the appearance of the angel was attended with some manifestation of the glory of God, which affected her, and made her wonder what the meaning of this should be, that God should send an angel to her, and with such a kind of salutation. Verse 30 This expounds those words, thou that art highly favoured, Luke 1: The angel further goes on describing him, saying, He shall be great.
Verse 32 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 33 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 34 There are some would excuse Mary in this reply, and tell us these words spake in her no doubt that the things spoken by the angel should not come to pass, only admiration, or a desire to be further acquainted which way God would effect such a wonder of providence. The next words, seeing I know not a man, seem to import that she understood the angel of the present or past time, that she had already conceived, or should immediately conceive, against which she objects her not having any carnal knowledge of any man.
Verse 35 The Holy Ghost who is also called here the power of the Highest shall come upon thee; it is a phrase which signifieth a special and peculiar influence of the Holy Spirit: He shalt be called so, not that he was not so by eternal generation, of which the angel here speaks not , but the Word, the eternal Son of God, which was in the beginning, being thus made flesh, and personally united to thy flesh, the whole person shall be called the Son of God. Verse 37 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 38 Once have I spoken, saith Job, Job Verse 40 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 41 The motion of the child in the womb of the mother after her time of quickening is past, and the more than ordinary motion of it upon some extraordinary cause of joy, is no unusual thing with women in those circumstances; but doubtless as this motion was more than ordinary, so it had a more than ordinary cause, being caused from the Holy Spirit of God, and so the best interpreters judge: Verse 42 Elisabeth useth the same words to Mary which the angel had used for her, Luke 1: Verse 43 Elisabeth in these words acknowledgeth both the incarnation of Christ, and the union of the Divine and human nature in the one person of the Mediator; she acknowledgeth Christ her Lord, and Mary to be his mother.
Verse 45 Some will have this given as a reason why Elisabeth pronounced her blessed, because she believed that what God had said should have its effect; as, Luke Verse 47 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 48 Our translators have here rightly translated tapeinwsin, low estate. Verse 49 That which is observable both in this verse, and in this whole song, is how the blessed virgin attributes all to God, and ascribes nothing to herself, or any merits of her own, much like unto her father David.
And holy is his name: Verse 50 Having celebrated God for his glory and majesty, she here celebrates him for his mercy, which extends to all, but especially is showed to such as fear him. Verse 52 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 53 In this sentence the holy virgin celebrates the equity of God in the government of the world, proportioning men in some degrees one to another, that the rapacious qualities of some might not gain all to them, while, others have nothing.
The notion of hungry, speaketh persons in want, and craving a supply. The notion of rich, signifieth persons that are full. The word which we here translate hath holpen, signifieth he hath sustained, or as it were lifted up with his hand, his servant Israel, or his child Israel. Verse 55 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 56 It is most probable that she staid with her until she was brought to bed, not leaving her just at the time of her travail, but she staid not long after, but went home: Verse 58 See Poole on " Luke 1: They called his name Zacharias, whence we may observe the ancient usage of giving to children the names of their fathers and kindred.
Verse 60 See Poole on " Luke 1: Verse 61 See Poole on " Luke 1: Unto all the people, i.
Overview - English Annotations on the Holy Bible
The flood, or, the river , to wit, Euphrates , as all agree; so called by way of eminency. They served other gods, i. I took your father; I apprehended him by my grace, and snatched him out of that idolatrous and wicked place, and took him into acquaintance and covenant with myself, which was the highest honour and happiness he was capable of. Led him throughout all the land of Canaan, i. Multiplied his seed, i. Gave him Isaac, by my special power and grace, to be the heir of my covenant, and all my promises, and the seed in or by which all nations were to be blessed, Genesis I gave unto Esau Mount Seir to possess it, that he might leave Canaan entire to his brother Jacob and his posterity, Genesis Jacob and his children went down into Egypt, where they long lived in grievous bondage; which God having delivered us from, I shall now pass it over.
According to that which I did, i. He speaketh this to the elders, Joshua Balak did never fight against Israel, Jude And the old lawyers note,. I would not hearken unto Balaam, who hereby appears to have desired of God leave to curse Israel; and therefore it is not strange that God, who permitted him simply to go, was highly angry with him for going with so wicked an intent, Numbers Out of his hand, i. In the names of these nations he seems to comprise all their wars, which being so fresh in their memory, he thought it needless particularly to mention.
See Poole " Exodus Not with thy sword, nor with thy bow; for though thou didst fight with them, and prevail against them in battle, yet this was not because thou hadst more force or courage than they; but because by my hornet, which I sent like a harbinger before thee, I had both broken their spirits, and greatly diminished their numbers, and particularly cut off those giants or others who were like to give time most trouble and difficulty; whence it comes to pass that we read of so few giants in that land,.
Cities which you built not. See Poole " Joshua In sincerity and in truth; either these two expressions note the same thing; or sincerity is opposed to the mixture of false gods with the true, as it here follows, or of a false and corrupt worship of God with that which God appointeth; and truth is opposed to dissimulation and falseness, and instability of heart.
Put away the gods; whereby it appears, that although Joshua had doubtless prevented and purged out all public and manifest idolatry, yet there were some of them who practised it in their private houses and retirements. Your fathers, Terah, and Nahor, and Abraham , as Joshua On the other side of the flood, and in Egypt: Under these particulars no doubt he comprehends all other false gods, which were served by the nations amongst whom they were, as appears from Joshua Choose you this day whom ye will serve: See such manner of speeches in Ruth 1: But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord; but know this, if you should all be so base and brutish, as to prefer senseless and impotent idols before the true and living God, it is my firm purpose, that I will, and my children and servants as far as I can influence them shall, be constant and faithful to the Lord.
Ye cannot serve the Lord: He is a jealous God; he will not endure a co-rival or partner in his worship; you cannot serve him and idols together, as you will be inclined and tempted to do. He will turn, i.