Who Was John Gill?

John Gill was a Baptist pastor, theologian and scholar from England. Gill was born November 23, 1697 in Kettering, Northamptonshire and attended Kettering Grammar School where he mastered the Latin classics and learned Greek by age 11. He continued self-study in everything from logic to Hebrew, his love for the latter remaining throughout his life.

At the age of about 12, Gill heard a sermon from his pastor, William Wallis, on the text, "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9). The message stayed with Gill and eventually led to his conversion. It was not until seven years later when he was 18 that he made a public profession of faith.

He began his pastoral work as an intern assisting John Davis at Higham Ferrers in 1718 at age 21.

He became pastor of the Strict Baptist church at Goat Yard Chapel, Horsleydown, Southwark in 1719. He remained as the pastor for 51 years.

In 1757 his congregation needed larger premises and they moved to a Carter Lane, St. Olave’s Street, Southwark. This Baptist church would later become the New Park Street Chapel and then the Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon.

During Gill's ministry, the church strongly supported the open air preaching of George Whitefield at nearby Kennington Common.

John Gill passed away on October 14, 1771 and his "Exposition of the Bible" remains as one of the most used bible exposition books in the world today.

Source: Based on a Wikipedia article

John Gill portrait by George Vertue