EcclesiastesEverything has gone to hebel !

1:2-11—Introduction 1:2—Statement of Thesis• “Everything is meaningless”

– “Meaningless” (hebel, ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ה�ב�ל It is used 38—( ה�times in all forms.

– Literally means “vapor” or “breath.”•Temporal—“ephemerality,” i.e. temporary• Existential—“futility” or “absurdity” or

“nonsensical”

1:2-11—Introduction "Madness!"

1:2-11—Introduction 1:3-11—Nothing ever changes• “Why bother?”• Cosmological

– 4 A generation goes and a generation comes,• But the earth remains forever.

• Anthropological– 8bThe eye is not satisfied with seeing,

Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

• “There is nothing new under the sun”– 11 There is no remembrance of earlier things;

And also of the later things which will occur,There will be for them no remembranceAmong those who will come later still.

1:12-2:26—The King’s Testimony • 1:14 “I have seen all the works which have been done

under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.”

• 1:17 “And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind.”

• 2:13-15 And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?”

1:12-2:26—The King’s Testimony • 2:17 So I hated life, for the work which had been done

under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

• 2:24-26 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen, that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

3:1-15—A Time for Everything

"Turn, Turn, Turn" by the Byrds

3:1-15—A Time for Everything

ECC 3:1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Everything Under the Sun • Everything under the Sun has been

examined & found to be hebel.– Righteous & Wicked have the same end

(3:16-17).– Men & Animals have the same end (3:18-

22).– Oppression is beyond understanding (4:1-

3). – Toil is not worth the effort (4:4-6). – Toiling in loneliness is especially hebel (4:7-

12). – Kings & Their Followers—(4:13-15).

Everything Under the Sun • The entire process of gaining and

keeping prosperity is hebel (5:8-6:12). – There is never enough (5:10-11)– Grievous Evils:

• Wealth harms (5:13).• Wealth is temporary (5:14).• “Naked a man comes from mother’s

womb, and as he comes, so he departs” (5:15).

– The “gift of God” (5:18-20)

Everything Under the Sun • Interlude—Fear God (5:1-7)

– The reader is brought back to the central tenet of traditional wisdom theology: fear God (5:7).

7:1-12:7—Wisdom Sayings 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one sinner destroys much good.10:1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

12:8 Conclusion: “Everything is hebel• Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. (AV)

• Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity. (NRSV)

• “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” (NIV84)

• Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. (ESV)

• “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile.” (HCSB)

• It’s all smoke, nothing but smoke. The Quester says that everything’s smoke. (Message)

• Life is fleeting; it just slips through your fingers. All vanishes like mist. (Voice)

12:8 Conclusion: “Everything is hebel

• Michael V. Fox, “The Meaning of Hebel for Qohelet,” JBL 105, no. 3 (1986): 409-427.

12:8-14 Conclusion & Epilogue

12:9-14—Epilogue • 12:9-10 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he

imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.

• 12:11-12 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails--given by one Shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

12:8-14 Conclusion & Epilogue

12:13-14—Righting the Ship• ECC 12:13-14 Now all has been heard; here is

the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Theological Conclusions Qoheleth’s epistemology• Human-centered?

Theological Conclusions Qoheleth the Cynic• Qoheleth was confounded by the

contradictions of life. • But unlike many cynics, Qoheleth did not

reject his life & the life of wisdom.

Theological Conclusions Carpe Diem• The only real happiness that man can

hope for is in taking the best life has to offer & doing the most with it. Seize the day!

Fear and Obey• In the final analysis, the way of

wisdom is the way of life, but without some of the presuppositions!

Ecclesiastes & Job • Both books attack the prevailing views

of wisdom theology. • Both books rebuild a new theology &

worldview. – Job: Is suffering a result of sin? – Qoheleth: Does wisdom bring meaning to

life?

• Both books deal with perseverance in a system that is patently wrong or absurd. – Job: A new worldview, centered upon God. – Qoheleth: Accept the absurdity and make

the most of it, fearing God, of course.

Theological Conclusions