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Ecclesiastes 7-12
Chapter 7
v. 3 - The teacher continues in a mode that seems crazy to us. He holds that sorrow is better than laughter. Sorrow is better because laughter doesn’t cause us to examine life in the way we need to.
v. 4-5 - These verses point out that fools pursue pleasure and song, while the wise seek to understand life.
v. 6 - But wait, all of this too is meaningless.
v. 7-12 - These verses speak traditional wisdom ideas.
v. 12 - The idea that wisdom preserves the life of the one who has it seems quite meaningless given the words of the last chapter.
v. 15 - The teacher comes back to this theme: all of this is meaningless. Being righteous is no guarantee of a good or long life. In this section we again are in the world of “I”. The teacher tells us how disillusioned he is with life under the sun.
v. 16 - The very things God says bring life are now seen as dangerous. One needs to be moderate in their pursuit of godly things.
v. 17 - In words that contradict each other, that cause us to be confused about how life should be done the teacher just throws out all kinds of thought. Many of his thoughts are not only random but contradict each other.
v. 19-23 - We hear what seems to be wise statements, but the teacher ends by pointing that from the world of my wisdom all he ends up with is confused.
v. 22-23 - While the teacher’s wisdom doesn’t help him understand this wisdom, God’s wisdom plays powerfully here both in terms of a willingness to forgive and in the self awareness that we speak in ways that need to be forgiven as well.
v. 25-29 - In this section the teacher looking at things from his wisdom’s perspective on women. It is important to catch the theme of one man (who is righteous) among a thousand women who are not. Since Solomon has a 1000 wives it seems to be an attack on the bickering and struggles of his harem. The words seem to be the teacher bragging about being upright, even while surrounded by 1000 wives who are not. What is ironic is that the teacher’s pursuit of wisdom apart from God shows that he is not upright.
v. 26 - Could this verse refer to the fact that women in his harem demand that they be treated like wives in the context of Genesis 1 where the two are to become one flesh and cleave to one another. The teacher, rather than following the wisdom of God for marriage, sees all of these women as troublesome. The idea that they are not upright might in fact show the teacher’s lack of understanding of what makes for true right-eousness in relationships. Perhaps if her saw things from God’s wisdom perspective he would say with Judah in Genesis 38, “She is more righteous than I.”
v. 29 - In a moment of clarity the teacher tells us that no matter what evil flows it comes not from God who made us good, but from ourselves.
Chapter 8
v. 1-9 - One of the keys to understanding this section is to read verse 9 first. These are the observations of the teacher as he looks at the world under the sun. It seems whenever one views the world from this perspective that despair overtakes hope. Words of how the powerful, especially rulers, can do as they wish. What they wish is often to the detriment of those they rule. The wisdom when one lives under the sun is to make sure you do what the king wants so you save your own skin. As such it makes no sense to be a prophet or a man like Obed who defied King Ahab and protected many prophets. Since the teacher lives in the world of “I” where all others are strangers, it makes perfect sense to save your- self. The words of Jesus who lives in the world of God militate against this, “I have not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.”
v. 7-8 - You never know the results of the choices you make. You never know if things will work out so the king will reward you or put you to death, for kings are fickle and do whatever pleases them.
v. 10 - Why do wicked leaders/kings get to be buried in a place of honor? This makes no sense says the teacher. Indeed, when we look at the book of Kings and Chronicles the truth is many wicked kings were not buried in places of honor. The reality is not as one sided as the teacher would make it. The wicked are buried in the city only when people are living under the sun, rather than living God’s righteous path.
v. 11 - If people were just punished faster fewer people would commit crimes.
v. 11-14 - The teacher first holds that the ways of justice for both the righteous and the wicked are meaningless. He statement that it will go well with those who fear God fades when he points out the righteous, in fact, often get what the wicked deserve.
v. 15 - The teacher comes to the same conclusion as the author about eating and drinking, but here it is a final word of desperation verses the authors picture of eating and drinking as being a good gift of God. Putting it another way, since life makes no sense and justice is not to be found and we don’t know if we are going to be crushed tomorrow the best we can do is to enjoy today.
v. 16-17 - The teacher holds that life is so confusing that we can’t really know God’s work and purpose in history. While it is true that it can be hard to see how all things work together, the broad strokes of God’s plan not only can be discerned by the wise, but God tells us that he reveals his plans to those who fear him (Psalm 25.14).
v. 1-6 - These verses point out that death comes to all no matter if they are righteous or unrighteous.
v. 1 - “Hate” means to be detested, opposed, and despised by another. When you are hated the person who hates you wants no relationship or contact with you. The teacher holds that a person never knows if love or hate is going to be their fate. On the most important level, however, the teacher is wrong. In Proverbs 8.17 we are told that Wisdom loves those who love her. In Romans 8 Paul writes that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Because the teacher looks at all things from “under the sun” he misses the most important loves that will be a constant in the life of the believer.
v. 2-3 - The common destiny that overtakes all is death. However, the reality that we all die does not mean we have a common destiny. Those who live above the sun know that their destiny is to live in the presence of God and finally to live on the new earth, where God is their God, and they are his people. This is a significantly different--and hopeful--destiny than that of which the teacher speaks.
v. 4 - Life is better than death says the teacher. It is an odd comment since not so long before he has said it is better to be stillborn than to bear a certain kind of life. In contrast to this idea that life is better than death we find in the book of Maccabees people who believe that being faithful is more important than life. In Hebrews 12:32-25, Paul tells us that to live is Christ and to die is gain.
v. 5 - When life is lived “under the sun” then death also is “under the sun” in other words “without meaning”. God, on the other hand, tells us that when we die and stand before him that he will bring rewards for a life well lived. The book of Revelation says, Rev.14:13 "Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
v. 6 - This verse is particularly interesting since it says the dead no longer have any part in life that is not connected to God. Considering that such a life is meaningless this in not such a bad deal.
v. 7-10 -The teacher again comes to the conclusion that since life is basically meaningless that one might as well eat, drink, and be merry--for tomorrow we die.
v. 7 - The teacher tells us that God approves of this lifestyle of “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you die”. This giving of God’s approval may be the teacher’s attempt to bless a worthless lifestyle. The reality is that God does not approve this lifestyle. Rather, he approves a lifestyle where we enjoy the good things of life with a grateful heart and where whatever we do, we do it for his glory. Paul writes in 1Cor. 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
v. 8 - White garments and head anointed with oil symbolizes a good life.
v. 9-10 - The proper response to these statements is,”Why?” If life is meaningless then why enjoy life or more properly, how can you enjoy life when it all just ends in a black hole. The only thing that would seem to make the teacher tell us these things is because they make for a more stable society--something the king needs. These words may be very self-serving.
v. 11 - While there is truth in the words of the teacher, it is also generally true that those who live fully in the ways of wisdom have a better life than those who do not. It seems the teacher misses this.
v. 12 - We don’t know the time of our death.
v. 13-18 - While war, like all things, is meaningless if you are going to win it is better to be smart than strong.
v. 15 - The teacher echoes words that flow from the very beginning of the book: no one remembers the small or great who have died.
v. 18 - “one sinner” From a king’s perspective all it takes is one person who tells the enemy how to defeat their opposition and all the wisdom in the world crashes and a city is destroyed. We find several times in the Bible where an inhcrets to an attacking army and so the city is defeated.
v. 1-20 - This chapter follows the pattern of traditional wisdom literature. It shows us the life of the wise and the life of the fool. In this case it makes no comment on whether life is meaningless or not. It is possible that the author is speaking here showing the foolishness of the teacher by contrasting wisdom with all the teacher has been saying. If so, this is a moment of powerful irony. The author is speaking the very kind of proverbs that the teacher, Solomon, spoke in the book of Proverbs.
v. 1 - You can lose your reputation in an instant.
v. 2 - The left has been a picture in most societies of going the wrong way. It is worth noting that those who are actually left-handed in the Bible are shown as skillful (Judges 3.15; 20.16).
v. 3 - Even when he is walking a fool shows himself to be a fool.
v. 4 - Don’t run if a ruler is angry with you. Staying at your post shows you are person of integrity and can be trusted. (assuming the leader is not a fool).
v. 5-7 - Improper role reversals. There is an order that should be followed. This wisdom vexes those from democratic societies.
v. 8-11 - We are taken into the world of work. in all areas of work wisdom or skill is important to do your job well.
v. 12 - True wisdom is revealed in words. A wise person has words of grace that are truly helpful and attractive. A fool is eaten alive by what comes out of his mouth.
v. 15 - A fool can see no reason for his labor and so it wears him out (a wise person knows his work is for the Lord, so while he may be worn out it is with a sense of joy for he has followed God’s call). The second part of this verse pushes the ways of the fool to the limit saying that a fool can’t even find the most obvious thing: a village along the road.
v. 16 - Nations need mature leaders. A servant (NIV) is better translated child. Princes who eat in the morning are those who can’t stay up late because they are not old enough.
v. 17 - It is good to have leaders who have self control and who do things for the right reasons.
v. 19 - Eccl. 10:19 Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. ESV The ESV gives us a triplet of bread, wine, and money with its literal interpretation. Bread, wine and money have the flavor of “eat, drink, and be merry” lifestyle that the teacher has encouraged. This proverb may be a mocking of that lifestyle. How crazy to believe, with the teacher, that life is about bread, wine, and money. Paul in the book of Romans tell us, 5.17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
v. 20 - Be careful what you say about your leaders, it may get back to them and you will suffer for it.
Chapter 11
v. 1-7 - continues teaching wisdom for life. We find no comments on meaninglessness, instead we find a call to persevere in the face of uncertainty.
v. 1-2 - To cast your bread upon the waters is a call to make an investment. The investment may be in a business venture or in caring for the poor. Such investments stave off our own time of disaster. If we have cared for the poor, the care will be returned. If we have wisely invested our resources then in times of difficulty we will have enough.
v. 3-4 - If we constantly worry about what it doing to happen we will neither sow nor reap.
v. 5 - God’s ways are mysterious but as he gives life to the child so we can trust him for our own life.
v. 6 - Give good effort to all the work God has called you to for you don’t know what is going to bear fruit.
v. 7 - The joy of light, of long summer days instead of the darkness
v. 8-10 - Just as hope has entered the picture the teacher comes roaring back battling the author’s wisdom. The teacher again declares that everything is vanity. He also warns that while God may not bring joy in this meaningless existence that pursuing the “joy” of our eyes will be judged by God. For the teacher God both keeps us from a life of joy and meaning and then condemns us when we pursue what little joy this life can give.
Chapter 12
v. 1 - The author will give us three things that we need to have if life is going to have meaning. The first is that we remember our creator. Instead of looking at life from the perspective of “under the sun”, we need to look at the world through the eyes of God. We also need to remember our creator in the sense that he is Creator and we are creatures. As creatures we need to remember our place.
v. 2-7 -The author reminds us of our creatureliness by giving a powerful and uncomfortable picture of aging.
v. 3 - “grinders” are teeth, the older you get, the fewer you have.
v. 4 - the loss of hearing
v. 5 - Unlike the dead being forgotten we find the dead are mourned for
v. 7 - God is the giver of life.
v. 8 - In contrast to this picture of remembering our creator the author mockingly quotes the teacher who proclaims all is meaningless. The vivid contrast between a Creator God who takes our spirit to himself and the teacher who insists all is meaningless is poignant. One wishes to shake the teacher and call him to hope.
v. 9-10 - These words are dripping with irony. We know from reading the book that the teacher is anything but wise, that he failed at his task miserably. We can hear these words spoken with a mocking voice.
v. 11 - The wise are those who see the world through God’s eyes. The one Shepherd is God himself. As we read in Proverbs, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” God is the source and giver of wisdom.
v. 12 - While these words are favorites of kids in school, their real attack is on the teacher of Ecclesiastes. He has written much and the result is weariness and despair. It is the wisdom of the Shepherd that we need to study deeply, not the wisdom of the teacher. But notice, the author does have us study that wisdom to contrast it with the wisdom of God.
v. 13 - The other two things we need to have a life of meaning are a fear of God and a heart that keeps his commandments. To fear God means to hold him reverence (deep respect and admiration) and awe (to be amazed by him, to wonder at his greatness and beauty, and to tremble when we think of him).
v. 14 - The author reminds us that God takes seriously all that we do. Since this book has looked at meaning in life from gardens to architecture to pleasure to government how we pursue these things will be called into judgment. The words are also a last warning to the teacher who has gotten all of these things wrong.
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