Upon the answers which thinkers give to the question "What is Man?" depend on the answers they give to every other question--hence the importance of this matter in the world's life and future.
Much that is current in theological discussion centers in the same inquiry. It is evident that the Christian must know what the Bible says: and Dr. Ryder Smith is supremely qualified to expound the Bible teaching. The author finds that the Doctrine of Man is implied rather than stated in Holy Writ: he has made it his task to draw out the doctrine, largely by examining the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek terms. He has included a treatment of the Septuagint, because the New Testament usually starts with the Septuagintal use. There is special treatment of the important phrase "The Image of God, " so frequently encountered in current theological discussion. this is the more advantageous because, Dr. Ryder Smith maintains, the usage has changed since the days of the Bible writers.
There are chapters on "What ought a man to be?" as well as on "What is a man?"-- and to the writer the former question is the more important. This book, which seeks to put in its right perspective the whole question of the Biblical doctrine of Man, will take its place as the classical and fundamental treatment of this doctrine.