A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

CHRISTIAN HISTORY • Anglican priest; founder of Methodism

John Wesley

1703–1791

John Wesley was an Anglican priest, evangelist and organizer whose preaching and societies became the Methodist movement. Together with his brother Charles and many lay preachers, Wesley helped lead the eighteenth-century evangelical revival in Britain.

Wesley traveled extensively, preached outdoors and developed disciplined small-group structures for spiritual growth and care. His theology emphasized God’s grace, conversion, assurance, holy living and the possibility of deep growth in love.

His Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and later biblical notes were written for ordinary readers. They are concise, pastoral and often reflect Wesley’s characteristic theological emphases rather than attempting exhaustive philological commentary.

Including Wesley alongside Calvin and other interpreters is deliberate: a serious historical library should expose readers to major Christian traditions and let them compare reasoning against Scripture.

Works in this library

John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible
Compact explanatory notes prepared for ordinary readers, reflecting Wesley’s pastoral and theological concerns.