Ecclesiastes
According to Jewish tradition, the three major divisions of the Hebrew Bible are the law, the prophets, and the writings (kituvim). Ecclesiastes is part of the third division, the kituvim. Does this book seem to you different from the books of law and the prophetic books? If so, how? Cite a verse or two that you think particularly well illustrates either how Ecclesiastes differs from the other books we have read, or a verse or two that shows Ecclesiastes to be similar to the books we have read earlier.
posted by Ancient Art at 7:51 PM
7 Comments:
Ecclesiastes seems to be an individual speaking to other individuals while the other books (divisions) are more generalized. Ecclesiastes is more personalized in that the individual is speaking from their own experience. Ecclesiastes 1:14 “I have seen.”; 2:1 “I said in mine heart…”, etc…
Ecclesiastes fits properly in the division of the writing or kituvim because this book is really a book of wisdom. It details how to live a life fulfilling God's commandments and the judgment of those who do not fear God. Whereas the law books dealt with the commandments and the the prophets made proclamations about the future, this book is about obeying the commandments and looking toward the future while living in obedience to God's word.
My favorite verse in Ecclesiastes is 7:10 "Do not say 'Why were the former days better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask this." This verse sounds like a person that wants to forget about the past and go forward. If a person is stuck in the past, the present and the future will pass them by. This verse is saying that a wise person should strive for the future and lay the past buried in its proper place. This verse is a verse of advice, not of law or prophetic.
Another verse that made sense was 7:29. "See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes." This verse should be a phrase from the Godfather movies. It is not law or prophecy, it is a phrase of studying human nature and from a position of wisdom.
I found the book of Ecclesiastes to be much different in comparison to the other prophetic books. First of all, the author is not evident and doesn't seem to want to be known. Instead of delivering a message of complete distruction to a certain people, this message seems to be for all. In some ways it seems like a books filled with advice and very deep thoughts of wisdom.
Even within the first few words of the book, the author begins delivering a message filled with thoughts of wisdom and advice 1:2-4 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teachers. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." "What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever". I believe this is saying that people sometimes get too caught up in what they do on the earth when really it doesn't mean anything...there's so purpose because some one else will take it over and probably do it completely differently.
Later on in Chapter 9:9 the author once again refers to this meaningless life: "Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun - all your meaningless days."
I think the meaning of this book is to get people thinking that instead of living a life for themselves; a life of great success that they can enjoy, they should live a life for God.
Ecclesiastes does not seem to be a prophetic book at all. It appears to be more personal. I get the impression that the author is writing this late in life and that he is recounting his past and his quest to find some purpose in life. To me, it appears as though the author is trying to tell the younger generation that the only thing to do is to live life day to day, to not worry so much about the little thigs, and that there is always a purpose to life even if we cannot see it. "It is well for a man to enjoy all the fruits of his labor under the sun during the limited days of the life which God gives him; for that is his lot." This seems to be the whole of Ecclesiastes as the author tries to figure out the purpose to life. And it seems to be to just take life one day at a time. This book also seems to be the author's way of giving the advice to the younger generation. And he ends it by saying, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man's all, because God will bring to judgment everywork, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad."
Ecclesiates seems to be a little different from the past books we have read....a little more personal statements are stated. An example of this is chapter 11:9, Be happy young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things god will bring you judgement. This is basically saying that follow what you feel is right...but if it wrong in the lords eyes be ready for punishment...it just doesn't sound as quite as troublesome and a burden as previous ones have.
i think Ecclesiasties has a more personal tone to it. unlike the others books where they talk about the how bad things are and historical aspects of the bible. one of my favorite quotes in this books is chapter 4:8-10 "There was a man alone: he had neither son nor brother. there was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth . 'for whom am I toiling,' he asked, 'and why am i depriving nyself of enjoyument?' this to is meaning less a miserable business! two are better than one,because the have a good return for ther work: If one falls down, his freind can help him up . but pity the man who falls and has no one to help up. this is a good lesson because you should have friends to help you when you need it
Ecclesiastes is a very different change from the other books. There is no law to be expressed, there is no story to follow, there is no main person that is calling or foretelling destruction or hope... it is a rant in the purest sense. The author is upset, clearly, and needs to understand what's going on in his life along with life in general. Ecclesiastes brinks on understanding the meaning of life... but in a pessimistic tone. 1:1 says "Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!" and 2:1 "I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless."
The author is looking for fulfillment... no other book looked at has put that at it's focus.
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