The Structural Principles of the Bible – F. E. Marsh

This book is part of Ritchie’s ‘Classic Reprint Series’ and is sub-titled How to study the Word of God. The author demonstrates that there is a unity and divine design to the sixty-six books of the Bible, a discernable ‘structure’ to its relevant parts and basic ‘principles’ that govern its interpretation. Viewing the Bible as a living organism, he uses the various members of the human body as a model for identifying the leading themes of God’s word.

There are twelve chapters with such headings as: ‘The body of a united organism’; ‘The heart of a loving purpose’; ‘The feet of a progressive movement’, and ‘The eyes of a prophetic outlook’. But don’t be deterred by the unusual chapter titles, this book contains a wealth of helpful instruction. Attention is given to a wide breadth of subjects such as: ‘The unity of the Bible’; ‘The Offerings’; ‘Divine Names’; ‘Sixty laws of interpretation’, e.g., the law of first mention, of typology, of recompense; ‘Twenty words on prayer’; ‘Prophetic days’; ‘Prepositions of the Holy Spirit’ illustrated with a chart; as well as many suggestive outlines of individual Bible books and themes. There is so much in this book it is impossible to adequately convey in the confines of a review every avenue of study that is explored, but sufficient to say that it is a ‘Classic’ worthy of its ‘Reprint’ and one that cannot but profit all who read or refer to it.

[Our thanks to Richard Catchpole, South Norwood, England, for this review]