©1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Study Notes
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:1 The words. The matters of the book are the crucial issues for Solomon's faith. They resemble the subject matter of Ps. 39 and 49. the Preacher. The title of one who gathers the assembly together for instruction. See Introduction: Title.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:2 Vanity of vanities. Solomon's way of saying "the greatest vanity." Cf. the discussion of "vanity" in Introduction: Interpretive Challenges.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:3 gain. Advantage to or gain from one's labor. A very important and repeated word for Solomon (cf. 3:19; 5:9, 11, 16; 6:7, 11; 7:11– 12; 10:10). Solomon looks at the fleeting moments of life and the seemingly small gain for man's activity under the sun. The only lasting efforts are those designed to accomplish God's purposes for eternity. toil. Work is not just one's livelihood, but all of man's activity in life. under the sun. The phrase appears about 30 times to describe daily life.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:4–7 These pictures from God's creation illustrate and underscore the futile repetition of human activity.
The "Vanities" of Ecclesiastes
The "Vanities" of Ecclesiastes (1:2; 12:8) 1. Human wisdom 2:14–16 2. Human effort 2:18–23 3. Human achievement 2:26 4. Human life 3:18–22 5. Human rivalry 4:4 6. Human selfish sacrifice 4:7–8 7. Human power 4:16 8. Human greed 5:10 9. Human accumulation 6:1–12 10. Human religion 8:10–14 ©1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:4 generation . . . earth. The essence of this comparison is permanence/impermanence without profit or "advantage." The observer perceives life as an endless cycle of activity which, by itself, does not bring security or meaning to man's experience.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:8–11 This is a summary of sorts. Solomon looks at the effect of repetitious, enduring activity in God's creation over many generations as compared to the brief, comparatively profitless activity of one man that fails to produce an enduring satisfaction, and he concludes that it is wearisome. Another harsh reality comes with the realization that nothing is new and nothing will be remembered.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:11 no remembrance. A written record or some other object which serves as a reminder of these events, people, and things will be short-lived.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:12–6:9 This section records Solomon's ill-advised quest for greater wisdom.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:12 king over Israel. See Introduction: Author and Date.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:13 wisdom. Solomon's use of the term, in typical Hebrew fashion, is more practical than philosophical and implies more than knowledge. It carries notions of ability for proper behavior, success, common sense, and wit. unhappy business. Man's search to understand is at times difficult, yet God-given (cf. 2:26; 3:10; 5:16–19; 6:2; 8:11, 15; 9:9; 12:11). God. The covenant name, Lord, is never used in Ecclesiastes. However, "God" is found almost 40 times. The emphasis is more on God's sovereignty in creation and providence than his covenant relationship through redemption.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:14 striving after wind. One aspect of life's vanity is its fleeting character. Like the wind, much of what is desirable in life cannot be held in one's hand (cf. 1:14, 17; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 6, 16; 5:16; 6:9).
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:15 crooked . . . lacking. With no necessarily moral implications being made, these words measure wisdom as the ability to resolve issues in life. In spite of man's grandest efforts, some crooked matters will remain unstraightened.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:16 wisdom. Cf. Introduction: Background and Setting.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:17 I applied my heart to know. When Solomon depended on empirical research rather than divine revelation to understand life, he found it to be an empty experience.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 1:18 wisdom . . . much vexation. The expected outcome of wisdom is success. Success, in turn, should bring happiness. But Solomon concluded that there were no guarantees. This grieves the one who places his hope in human achievement alone.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:1–11 Pleasure, although not necessarily evil, has its shortcomings, much like human wisdom. Solomon reflected upon his tragic experiences in attempting to draw satisfaction purely out of pleasure.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:1–2 test. The investigation or test was crucial for Solomon. But the test was not scientific; rather it was a practical experiment to see what worked. He was interested in what a given act accomplished.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:3 cheer. In further tests on the human level, Solomon overemphasized human gratification at the expense of God's glory.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:4–8 Cf. 1 Kings 4–10 for an amplified account of Solomon's riches.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:8 many concubines. This fits Solomon's 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Most likely this should be translated "harem," which would refer to Solomon's many women (cf. 1 Kings 11:3).
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:10 reward. Solomon's portion in life. This was what he received for all his activity and effort.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:11 nothing to be gained. "Vanity" is defined in this context. The futility of the labor process is that Solomon had nothing of enduring and satisfying substance to show for it. Wisdom is no guarantee that one will achieve satisfaction, even in accomplishments comparable to Solomon's. To expend God-given resources for human accomplishment alone is empty.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:12–17 Human wisdom suffers another crucial
shortcoming—it leaves both the wise and the fool empty-handed at the threshold of death.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:14 fool walks in darkness. The fool is not one who is mentally deficient, but is morally bankrupt. It is not that he cannot learn wisdom, but that he won't. He refuses to know, fear, and obey God.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:17 because what is done. Since it had no more lasting value than the folly of a fool, Solomon viewed even the great reward of his labor as a source of pain.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:18–22 Cf. 4:7–8.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:18 hated all my toil. Solomon left the kingdom divided to Jeroboam and his son Rehoboam, both of whom squandered their opportunities (1 Kings 12–14).
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:21 leave everything. The portion of one's life that he must leave behind at death.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:24 nothing better. Even with the limitations of this present life (cf. 3:12–13, 22; 5:18–19; 8:15; 9:7), humanity should rejoice in its temporal goodness. from the hand of God. Solomon's strong view of God's sovereignty brings comfort after an honest critique of what life in a cursed world entails.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:25 apart from him. Lit., "outside of him" (i.e., God).
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 2:26 to the one who pleases him God has given. The qualifier "who pleases him" makes God's prerogative the standard.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:1–8 a time for every matter. Not only does God fix the standard and withhold or dispense satisfaction (2:26), but he also appoints "times." Earthly pursuits are good in their proper place and time, but unprofitable when pursued as the chief goal (cf. 3:9–10).
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:9–10 Earthly pursuits (vv. 1–8) are unprofitable when considered as life's chief good, which was never intended by God.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:11 everything. Every activity or event for which a
culmination point may be fixed. beautiful. The phrase echoes "God saw . . . it was very good" (Gen. 1:31). Even in a cursed universe, activity should not be meaningless. Its futility lies in the fickle satisfaction of man and his failure to trust the wisdom of sovereign God. put eternity into man's heart. God made men for his eternal purpose, and nothing in post-fall time can bring them complete satisfaction.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:12 to be joyful and to do good. These words capture the goal of Solomon's message, which he echoes and elaborates on in 11:9–10 and again in 12:13–14.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:13 take pleasure in all his toil. In accepting everything as a gift of his Creator, even in a cursed world, man is enabled to see "good" in all his work (cf. 2:24–25; 5:19).
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:14 fear before him. Acknowledging God's enduring and perfect work becomes grounds for reverence, worship, and meaning. Apart from God, man's works are pitifully inadequate. The theme, "fear God," also appears in 5:7; 8:12–13; 12:13.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:17 God will judge . . . for there is a time. The culminating issue of Solomon's "appointed time" discussion is that there is a time for judgment (cf. John 5:28–29). God's judgment is a central theme in Solomon's message for this book (cf. Eccles. 11:9; 12:14). Even where the word "judgment" is absent, the greater issue of divine retribution is often pervasive.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:18–19 what happens. The ultimate fate of man and beast is to die. Solomon isn't looking at eternal destinies, but rather at what all earthly flesh shares in common.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:20 from the dust . . . to dust. Genesis 3:19 is alluded to in the broadest sense, i.e., all of living creation will die and go to the grave. Neither heaven nor hell is considered here.
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:21 the spirit. Man's breath or physical life appears on the surface to be little different from that of an animal. In reality, man's soul differs in that God has made him eternal (cf. v. 11).
ECCLESIASTES—NOTE ON 3:22 after him. Once again, death becomes the overshadowing reality.