Henry:

Q. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, became man; and so was and continues to be; God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever.

1. Did mankind need a Redeemer? Yes: for by our iniquities we had sold ourselves, Isa. 50:1. Did the elect themselves need a Redeemer? Yes: for we ourselves also were sometimes disobedient, Tit. 3:3. Would there have been a Redeemer if Adam had not sinned? No: for they that be whole need not a physician, Matt. 9:12. Could an angel have been our Redeemer? No: for his angels he charged with folly, Job 4:18.

2. Is Jesus Christ the Redeemer? Yes: there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ, Jesus, 1 Tim 2:5. Is he the only Redeemer? Yes: for there I is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, Acts 4:12. Is he a universal Redeemer? Yes: he gave himself a ransom for all, 1 Tim. 2:6. Did he die to purchase a general offer? Yes: the Son of man was lifted up, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, Jonh3:14,15. Is all the world the better for Christ’s mediation? Yes: for by him all things consist, Col. 1:7. Is it long [fault?] of Christ then that so many perish? No: I would have gathered you, and you would not, Matt. 23:37.

3. Is Christ in a special manner the Redeemer of God’s elect? Yes: I lay down my life for the sheep, John 10:15. Was their salvation particularly designed in Christ’s undertaking? Yes: Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him, John 17:2. Was their sanctification particularly designed? Yes: For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified, John 19:19. Is all mankind redeemed from among devils? Yes: for none must say as they did, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God, Matt. 8:29. But are the elect redeemed from among men? Yes: these were redeemed from among men, Rev. 14:4.

4. Is the Redeemer LORD? Yes: every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, Phil. 2:11. Is he Jesus a Savior? Yes: thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins, Matt. 1:21. Is he Christ anointed? Yes: for God, even thy God, as anointed thee, Heb 1:9. Is he Emmanuel? Yes: They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted, is, God with us, Matt. 1:29.

Matthew Henry, “Scripture Catechism in the Method of the Assembly’s,” in The Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. Matthew Henry, V.D.M. (London: Joseph Ogle Robinson, 1830), 878. [Bracketed insert mine, some spelling modernized; and underlining mine.]

[Notes: Interestingly, in an American edition of Henry’s Catechism, the critical question, “Is he a universal Redeemer? Yes: he gave himself a ransom for all,” was deleted. The justification for this deletion, from the preface, was:

In this edition, the typographical errors, found in the London Edition, are carefully corrected. The Shorter Catechism,” which Mr. Henry, in this work, has beautifully illustrated in the language of scripture, is here presented, in the very words of the Westminster Divines. This is here mentioned, inasmuch as, in the London Edition of this work, there are to be found some few deviations from the language employed by the Westminster Divines, though none of them are such as to affect the sentiment. Of the illustrative questions and answers contained in the London Edition, one only is, in this edition, omitted. This is done, under an impression which is believed to be well founded, that the question and answer here alluded to, was never written by Mr. Henry; but was, in some unaccountable way, interpolated into the London Edition of this work. If inquiry be made into the ground of this supposition, the reply to such inquiry must be, that the question and answer here referred to, considered in connexion, exhibit a palpable misapplication of a text of scripture, and convey an erroneous sentiment, which is flatly contradicted, in other parts of Mr. Henry’s published works. Colin McIver, ed., The Westminster Assembly’s Shorter Catechism, With which is incorporated “A Scripture Catechism in the Method of the Assembly’s; by the Rev. Matthew Henry, V.D.M” (Princeton, N.J.: Published by Franklin Merrill, 1846), [ii; The American Editor’s Preface]

Unhelpfully, the editor fails references any other statements in Henry’s works to prove this alleged contradiction. Indeed, the question is identical in sentiment to the comment on 1 Tim 2:4-6 in the Henry commentary, which, though not written by Henry himself, should have had some evidential value for this editor. What is more, the following questions are only explicable in the light of the critical question.  The suggestion that the question was just somehow inserted by an unaccountable someone is just amazing. It is nothing more than the paradigm adjusting the facts, rather than the facts being allowed to adjust the paradigm.]