Ecclesiastes

The title of this book comes from ekklesiastes, the Greek translation of the Hebrew word qoheleth, meaning teacher.

Authorship

The author, although not mentioned by name, is usually understood to be King Solomon, David’s son (1:1), king over Israel in Jerusalem (1:12). Solo­mon was famous for his great wisdom (1:16), various projects (2:4-9) and love of women (7:26-28) (cf. 1 Kings 4,5,10). Who could be better qualified than Solomon to recount lessons from such a wide range of experiences?

His circumstances permitted a life filled with unparalleled opportunity for both extravagant and godly living (1 Kings 10:7). If there were any prospect of gaining some enduring satisfaction from this temporal life, then Solomon would have been the one to have gained it. None of us can ever expect to have the broad range of experiences in life that he did. We can thus profit from reading the lessons he learned.

Familiar phrases

Some portions of Ecclesiastes are very familiar. Several verses are frequently quoted as important first-principle proof texts concerning the mortality of the soul (3:18-22; 9:5-6,10; 12:7). The passage which begins, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,” is often memorized for a public or Sunday school recitation. Even friends with little Bible knowledge have heard parts of chapter three, “To every thing there is a season…” (3:1-8) in the words of a popular song.

These familiar verses are, however, only highlights of the teacher’s inspired message. There is much more that pertains to living which only a thorough reading will reveal.

Two major themes

Two themes emerge in the book -­despair and hope. The events of life can be looked upon as mere “vanity and vexation of spirit” (1:14) or they can be viewed as being “given to…men to be exercised in it” (3:10). The remedy to vexation can be found in the second view. As the apostle Paul says, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:11).

Readers who fail to notice the second viewpoint will likely find the entire book negative and depressing. They will miss the hopeful theme, seeing only the more gloomy aspects of their life mirrored in Ecclesiastes.

Although the “preacher” (1:1) instructs his students of the utter hopelessness of a life that ignores the Creator, he also points out the outstanding advantage that living a God-centered life provides. Surely God never intended for man to leave Him out of the picture.

Vanity

The book begins on a discouraging note: “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun?” (1:2,3).

Throughout the remainder of the book, “vanity” and “under the sun” recurfrequently and serve to connect one topic to another. It is therefore helpful to know their meaning.

The word “vanity” (Heb. hebel -vapor/breath) is translated “meaningless” (MV) or “useless” (TEV) in other versions. It is often used of man’s various futile efforts to find enduring satisfaction using a Godless approach to life.

In chapter one, the preacher draws attention to the endless cycles of nature (generations, sun, wind, rivers) and concludes that “there is no new thing under the sun” (1:9). “There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after” (1:11). The inspired James echoes a similar thought, “…for what is your life? It is even a vapor, that ap­peareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). This is the transient quality of life “under the sun.”

Under the sun

The phrase “under the sun” is found only in Ecclesiastes and pertains to earthly activity performed for its own sake (i.e. without taking God into account).

Evidently many such activities captivated the preacher’s attention and some of them are recounted: a search for wisdom (1:13), madness and folly (1:17), mirth and pleasure (2:1), wine (2:3), works and possessions (2:4-11). All failed to provide Solomon lasting satisfaction and he was disappointed as one experience after another left him feeling unfulfilled. God gave Solomon wisdom and unparalleled opportunity, yet, after much research, he concluded there was little to be happy about “under the sun.”

Jesus sums up such a life this way, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26). Yet the scriptures, speaking of Jesus’ own life, prophesied, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:11). Satisfaction does not come from self-indulgence but from giving oneself for the sake of others. The contrast in benefits and purpose between these two ways of living is enormous.

Who’s better off?

Many of the preacher’s disappointments resulted from the fact that, when each activity was evaluated, there was no clear difference between those who strove for a goal and those who did not. “For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool” (Eccl. 2:16).

Looking at activities from this viewpoint is perplexing, says the preacher: “There is a vanity which is done upon earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity” (8:14).

If there is any satisfaction to be gained from the things under the sun, it will only come if we enjoy the daily effort and the daily basics of life. “My heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor…There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor” (2:10,24).

The failure of temporal accomplishments to provide satisfaction can be to our eternal good if we remember the conclusion of the whole matter, “Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (12:13).