WHAT is man?' It is a Bible question echoing the longing of humanity thru the ages. Neither science nor philosophy has answered it. Science knows man as so many chemical elements combined into an organized, living, thinking animal. It knows no more. Philosophy, perverted by tradition, differing among its various schools of thought, gives no satisfactory reply. The old heathen inscription said to be over the door of the Delphic temple, "Know thyself," is yet, and forever will be, unrealized as long as man seeks for that knowledge within himself. Left to himself or sought within the limits of his own research or understanding, the quest is fruitless, the oracle is dumb.
The question can receive satisfactory answer only when we come to the oracles of the word of God, and listen to the revelations of Him who created man. Forever astray shall he go in his search who ignores God and the Scriptures of truth. Apart from that man is but the higher step in a series of which the polyp or mullusk in mud is the first, or he is an immortal soul winging its way thru countless metamorphoses up or down in the scale of living till thru countless weary efforts the poor thing arrives to the blessedness (?) of nirvana, or ego extinction.
Men have discussed moral philosophy thruout the ages, but how has man been helped by it? The moral nature and faculties of man have been analyzed and his conduct marked out, its limits determined, but what better is he? Vice and crime and sin in every form and manifestation hold sway, and betterment of conduct and morals has not kept pace with enlightenment. How much better to come with simple faith to the word of God, and admit the truth of the revelation which the ages have so abundantly demonstrated! Listen:
"O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jer. 10:23.
"The heart is deceitful above all things; and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?"
The thought is clearly implied that man of himself can not know it. Yet we are not left in doubt. The prophet continues: "I, Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." Jer. 17:9, 10.
The mental and moral in man, all that pertains to character—the only thing of worth in man—are known only to God; and from God must we learn the lesson. It is a perversion of truth, echoed in Pope's lines:
"Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man."
Not so does the word of God put it. Listen to the words of earth's greatest Teacher: "And this is life eternal, that they should know Thee the only true God, and Him whom Thou didst send, even Jesus Christ." John 17:3. The value of knowledge is measured by results, by what it brings. The value of the knowledge of man apart from God has resulted in nothing.
The value of knowledge of God issues in a life that parallels the existence of Deity. And in the knowledge of God and His will can we find the knowledge of ourselves,—physically, mentally, morally, spiritually. We therefore commend the reader to the partial study of man found in our Bible-reading department. And all that is not there given may be found in the word of God.