Ecclesiastes

“When the student is ready the teacher will appear.” attributed to Tao Te Ching, Buddha Siddhartha Guatama, and the Theosophists. The theory is that the teacher is always there but is drawn to appear when the student is ready to receive the whole truth. **Abraham**, **Moses**, and **Jesus** were all seeking to teach the people The Way of God and His righteousness.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes or Hebrew: קֹהֶלֶת‎, qōheleṯ, Kuf Hey Lamed Tav) is one of 24 books of the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible. It is among the canonical Wisdom Books in the Old Testament.

“The Words of Qoheleth, the Son of David, King in Jerusalem,” suggest that the author is identified as Solomon. The title Ecclesiastes is a Latin transliteration of the Greek translation of the Hebrew Kohelet which means "Gatherer", but traditionally translated as "Teacher" or "Preacher"), the pseudonym used by the author of the book.

Gather in faith

Understanding the letters in Hebrew tells us the word suggests that we are to gather in faith.

The book dates from c.450–180 BC and is from the Middle Eastern tradition of the mythical autobiography, in which a character, describing himself as a king, relates his experiences and draws lessons from them, often self-critical. The author, introducing himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem" (i.e., Solomon) discusses the meaning of life and the best way to live. He proclaims all the actions of man to be inherently evel, meaning "vain" or "futile".

Meaning

Ecclesiastes teaches that life is uncontrollable where good hard things happen to the good and the bad, to the wise and the foolish.

How do we live well under these circumstances?

Any attempt to try and control our lives with our own wisdom is pointless. But life itself is not.

Ecclesiastes provides instruction on how to live meaningfully, purposefully and joyfully within the theocratic design of creation.

It is not our wisdom or desire but that of God's will at the center of our life, work and endeavor, by patiently accepting one's divinely appointed lot in life, and by reverently trusting in and obeying the Creator.

Outline

Introduction (1:1-11)

a. Introduction to The Teacher (1:1)

b. Everything is Futile (1:2-11)

2. The Teacher’s Investigation (1:12-6:12)

a. With Wisdom Comes Sorrow (1:12-18)

b. The Futility of Pleasure (2:1-11)

c. The Wise and the Foolish (2:12-17)

d. The Futility of Labor and Reward (2:18-6:12)

i. The Futility of Work (2:18-26)

ii. To Everything There Is a Season (3:1-8)

iii. God’s Works Remain Forever (3:9-15)

iv. From Dust to Dust (3:16-22)

v. The Evil of Oppression (4:1-12)

vi. The Futility of Power (4:13-16)

vii. Approaching God with Awe (5:1-7)

viii. The Futility of Wealth (5:8-20)

ix. The Futility of Life (6:1-12)

3. The Teacher’s Conclusions (7:1-12:14)

a. The Value of Wisdom (7:1-14)

b. The Limits of Human Wisdom (7:15-29)

c. The Wise Man and the King (8:1-17)

i. Obey the King (8:1-9)

ii. Fear God (8:10-13)

iii. God’s Ways Are Mysterious (8:14-17)

d. Life Is Fleeting (9:1-11:10)

i. Death Comes to Good and Bad (9:1-6)

ii. Enjoy Your Portion in This Life (9:7-12)

iii. Wisdom Is Better than Strength (9:13-18)

iv. Wisdom and Folly (10:1-20)

v. Cast Your Bread upon the Waters (11:1-6)

vi. Enjoy Your years (11:7-10)

e. Final Conclusions (12:1-14)

i. Remember Your Creator (12:1-8)

ii. The Whole Duty of Man (12:9-14)

Influence in culture

Ecclesiastes has had a deep influence on Western literature. It contains several phrases that have resonated in British and American culture, and was quoted by Abraham Lincoln addressing Congress in 1862. American novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote: "[O]f all I have ever seen or learned, that book seems to me the noblest, the wisest, and the most powerful expression of man's life upon this earth—and also the highest flower of poetry, eloquence, and truth. I am not given to dogmatic judgments in the matter of literary creation, but if I had to make one I could say that Ecclesiastes is the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound."

All is vanity if we are those who vow to make the sacrifice of fools.

In our study on Exodus we show that the “actual” corvée system under Solomon was a return to the bondage of Egypt. This again is why Christ condemned the Pharisees because their Corban, meaning sacrifice made the word of God to none effect because it was the sacrifice of fools.

Ecclesiastes | Ecclesiastes 1 | Ecclesiastes 2 | Ecclesiastes 3 | Ecclesiastes 4 | Ecclesiastes 5 | Ecclesiastes 6 | Ecclesiastes 7 | Ecclesiastes 8 | Ecclesiastes 9 | Ecclesiastes 10 | Ecclesiastes 11 | Ecclesiastes 12

Preceded by: Proverbs - Followed by: Song of Songs

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Ecclesiastes

Contents

Ecclesiastes

Gather in faith

Meaning

Outline

Influence in culture

Footnotes

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Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes

Gather in faith

Meaning

Outline

Influence in culture

Footnotes

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