Friday, November 1, 2013

Do You Have A Kindle?

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Or at least the Kindle app on a device of some kind?  If so, then go download 10 People Every Christian Should Know. Today (November 1, 2013) it is shown as FREE. That’s a good thing – and I hope you won’t miss out.

I downloaded and the first person I read about was worth the whole book – Matthew Henry. I’ve used his Commentary on the Whole Bible, free with my e-Sword and from Olive Tree, only $.99 from Amazon for the Kindle, too. The only book that makes better reading, in my opinion, is the Bible itself.

Somehow, since I had not yet learned better, I thought Matthew Henry was a 19th century writer. I should have checked my sources much, much earlier! I had to back date that by two centuries! Matthew was born in 1662 and died  in 1714. He lived through a tumultuous time in British history, his life impacted by his father’s (Philip Henry) ministry and England’s civil war.

His is the first chapter in this book and begins with a quote:
“Suitable to everybody, instructive to all” is the way Charles Spurgeon described what is probably the best-known commentary on the Bible written in the English language
I’ve referred to this book often – one example back in January of this year:
I enjoy reading Matthew Henry’s commentary after I’ve read a verse. Though generations have passed, we often see the same message.  I was looking up Lamentations 3:23 after seeing it applied in another’s comments, wanting to see it in context.
Back in 2010, I wrote of why some men were “sad, you see,” and quoted Matthew Henry:
... Sadducees were much of the genius of the Epicureans; they denied the resurrection, they said, There is no future state, no life after this; that, when the body dies, the soul is annihilated, and dies with it; that there is no state of rewards or punishments in the other world; no judgment to come in heaven or hell. They maintained, that, except God, there is not spirit, nothing but matter and motion. They would not own the divine inspiration of the prophets, nor any revelation from heaven.
I think one reason I like his work is that it is very explanatory, yet personal. He is factual in his descriptions, yet we know his views on the subject.

I haven’t read the next chapter in this book of ten we should know, but this one chapter is worthwhile. Then, get The Complete Commentary on The Whole Bible. My suggestion is that you get it free along with e-Sword.

Why? Well, that goes back to one of my favorite-I-use-it-every-other-day verses:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

How better does it get with a Bible in one hand and a commentary in the other? Well, unless you have someone with you to discuss the fine points. That truly is a blessing!

1 comment:

  1. Matthew Henry is my very favorite commentator. Some find him hard to digest - not me! I use his commentary as a reference more often than anyone else's.

    ReplyDelete

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