Matthew Poole

Excerpts from Matthew Poole’s commentary on Genesis.

Matthew Poole was Born at York, England, in 1624, and educated at Emmanuel College, in Cambridge. He became minister of St. Michael-le-Quernes, London, in 1648, and devoted himself to the Presbyterian cause. However, he was ejected from his charge because he was considered a nonconformist, after publishing a treatise on the value of preaching by non-ordained individuals.

From ‘the argument’ of his commentary

“This book is called Genesis, i.e. generation, or birth, giving an account of passages during 2300 years and upwards, viz. from the creation of all things, to the death of Joseph. In which history Moses, by Divine inspiration, treats of the creation of the world, with all the parts and uses in it, and of it, but chiefly of man, who alone was made after God’s image; where he lays down God’s concessions and prohibitions to him; and man’s transgression, together with the woeful effects., and the remedy of them in the promise of a Saviour …”

On verse 5

“It is acknowledged by all, that the evening and the morning are not here to be understood according to our common usage, but are put by a synecdoche each of them for one whole part of the natural day. But because it may be doubted which part each of them signifies, some understand by evening, the foregoing day; and by the morning, the foregoing night; and so the natural day begins with the morning of the light, as it did with the ancient Chaldeans. Others by evening understand the first night or darkness which was upon the face of the earth, ver.2, which probably continued for the space of about twelve hours, the beginning whereof might fitly be called evening; and by morning the succeeding light or day, which may reasonably be supposed to continue the other twelve hours, or thereabouts. And this seems the truer opinions 1. Because the darkness was before the light, as the evening is put before the morning, ver. 5 and 8, and afterwards. 2. Because this best agrees both with the vulgar and with the Scripture use of the terms of evening and morning. 3. Because the Jews, who had the best opportunity of knowing the mind of God in this matter by Moses and begun both their common and sacred days as is confessed, and may be gathered from Lev 23:32.
‘Were the first day’; did constitute or make up the first day; ‘day’ being taken largely for the natural day, consisting of 24 hours: these were the parts of the first day: and the like is to be understood of the succeeding days. Moreover, God, who could have made all things at once, was pleased to divide his work into six days, partly to give us occasion more distinctly and seriously to consider Gods’ works, and principally to lay the foundation for the weekly Sabbath, as is clearly intimated, Gen 2:2, 3, Exod 20:9-11 [also Augustine's view--Eric]."

On Gen 2:17
“With a threefold death. 1. Spiritual, by the guilt and power of sin; at that instant thou shalt be dead in trespasses and sins, Eph 2:1. 2. Temporal, or the death of the body, which shall then begin in thee, by decays, infirmities, terrors, dangers, and other harbingers of death. 3. Eternal, which shall immediately succeed the other".