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Meta
Ecclesiastes 2:1-3
1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.
2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
enjoy (v.1) — totally enjoy
madness (v.2) = folly which results from loss of discernment
mirth (v.2) = thoughtful pleasure
“Under the heaven” (v.3) is the opposite of “under the sun.” The latter is living without regard to God or eternity, whereas the former is living with an awareness of Him and an understanding that this life is not all there is. — Grace, page 1169.
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The dissatisfaction and vexation of spirit which Solomon experienced in testing the insufficiency of industry, philosophy and pleasure, were the more painful because of his possession of the super-human wisdom which remained with him (v.9); for the greater the capacity of enjoyment the greater the disappointment and vexation. His misery was, therefore, greater than that of any who preceded or succeeded him, because of this unique gift of wisdom; and if ordinary intelligence finds everything “under the sun” to be vanity, extraordinary intelligence finds it to be “vanity of vanities.” — Williams, page 440.
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The splendors of Solomon’s court were known to all (cf. 1 Kings 5–10). The Preacher now recounts his attempts to find something of value or profit in the pursuit of those pleasures that the wealth of such a court afforded. He temporarily hung all of his inhibitions in the closet and entered into the pursuit of pleasure with zest. … He sought, literally searched out, the satisfaction that could be achieved by giving himself to wine. — KJV Commentary, page 738.
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Solomon is not speaking here (v.2) of a sober enjoyment of the things of this world, but of intemperate pleasure, whose two attendants, laughter and mirth, are introduced by a beautiful prosopopeia, as two persons, whom he treats with the utmost contempt. — Treasury, page 423
This almost reads like Solomon was checking items off a list as he attempted to find the meaning of life. Item next: wanton pleasures. But superficial fun (laughter) only led to madness, and a more reasoned pursuit of fun didn’t accomplish anything. Next he tried wine, but while he was doing all this, he wasn’t just a participant but also an observer. He analyzed the results of the pursuits of pleasure to see if any of them were worthwhile.
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Ecclesiastes 1:16-18
16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”
17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
1 Kings 4:29-31 says that King Solomon was the wisest of all men. He also had all the power and material resources to pursue his quest for answers to the dilemma of life “under the sun.” No person, humanly speaking, has ever been more qualified for this pursuit. Therefore, we should take his conclusion to heart, “Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Yet while we man not have Solomon’s wisdom, we do have an advantage that he lacked. Believers today, unlike Solomon, have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, which enables us to live in the fear of God, keeping His commandments (Romans 8:3-11; 2 Corinthians 1:22). — Grace, page 1168.
I communed with my heart (v.16) — I said to myself …
wisdom (v.16) = applying knowledge to life
knowledge (v.16) = the acquisition of facts
The fledgling student is apt to think that the gaining of earthly wisdom and knowledge will lead to a true sense of inner satisfaction. The Preacher says not. The heart here represents the seat of the intellectual faculties. Knowledge in the mind of a man cannot make the crooked world straight. In fact, great knowledge, when placed against the background of this world’s crookedness, becomes a source of great sorrow and pain. the more we know the more we realize we need to know. — KJV Commentary, page 738.
I set my heart (v.17) — I applied myself, I determined
to know madness and folly (v.17) — I think what Solomon was saying here is that he determined to understand madness and folly so as to be able to distinguish them from wisdom—to be able to identify whether something was wisdom or folly. But even that is grasping at the wind.
madness (v.17) = confusion of thought, the opposite of wisdom
folly (v.17) = vice and wickedness, the opposite of godliness
grief (v.18) = unhappiness about the present conditions/circumstances, vexation, even anger
Wisdom leads to the knowledge of how much we still don’t know and also to the knowledge of how much foolishness there is in ourselves and in the world.
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Ecclesiastes 1:12-15
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.
Solomon (v.12) … was ideally and uniquely qualified with both the position and resources to seek out all there was to know about all things “done under heaven.” — Grace, page 1168
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“Exercised” (v.13) means “humbled.” “Vexation of spirit” [grasping for the wind] (v.14) may be translated “feeding on wind.” — Williams, page 440.
The basic meaning of the word “exercised” (v.13) is “occupied with,” “busy with,” “troubled by, “afflicted with.” Solomon seems to have been saying that it is man’s lot in life to seek answers for his existence. I’ve heard this idea summarized by three questions: “Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” “Where am I going?” “Exercised” also has the meaning of “humbled.” Any search for the answers to those questions that doesn’t include God will reduce man to pointlessness. In other words, since God is the true answer to all those questions, any answer that doesn’t include Him is nonsense.
The task of wrestling with the crooked and reasoning in the face of an oppressive cyclical world is God’s gift to His creatures who live in the fallen world. The task exercised (v.13) man to the point where he confesses vanity and vexation of spirit (v.14) as his daily lot. Thus exercised, man lifts his eyes to look beyond the crooked creation and view the Creator. — KJV Commentary, page 737.
In verse 14, I think Solomon was saying that the things that men come up with to give their lives meaning are vanity. I’ve long believed that God has given us a purpose—to do His will. Men consciously or subconsciously feel that they’re here for a reason. Failure to fulfill their purpose leads to frustration, but without God, they can’t achieve it. So they either create a purpose, such as politics, activism, art, or achievement; or they take up a vice to hide from themselves the reality that they have no purpose. Solomon stated unequivocally—”cannot” (v.15)— that the answers are unattainable.
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Ecclesiastes 1:9-11
9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
11 No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.
under the sun (v.9) — life with a time-bound, man-centered point of view.
What seems to man to be new is only so because of man’s limited knowledge. … Man may hope to establish such a reputation for greatness that he will never be forgotten. … Men of former generations forgot all too quickly that which preceded them; and coming generations will repeat their error. … If you consider purely earthly values, what are you profited? What do you achieve? What is left to you as your portion? … KJV Commentary, page 737.
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There is in reality “nothing new” (v.10); that is, nothing occurs, or can occur, which can transport [a person] into a new world, or give him new joys or emotions. Modern inventions are only “new” in a comparative and not in an absolute sense; and verse 11 declares that the records of the antediluvian world are as totally destroyed as shall be the records of this present world. The former were destroyed by water; the latter shall be destroyed by fire. — Williams, pages 439-440
The philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Solomon said that nobody remembers the past and everyone is condemned to repeat it.
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Ecclesiastes 1:4-8
4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
Generations (v.4) — People are born and people die but the earth stays the same. This shows the brevity of life.
The sun “hurries” back to where it rises (v.5). To Solomon, it seemed even the sun itself was always pushing to achieve but never accomplishing anything.
The wind (v.6) and the waters (v.7) always seem to be going somewhere but ultimately don’t get anywhere they haven’t been time and time before.
Solomon uses the sun, wind, and streams to symbolize how man is always trying to accomplish something but only repeats himself constantly. There is no completion or satisfaction. In the end, all the fervor and bluster only causes weariness (v.8).
The eye and the ear (v.8) are tyrants, which no man can satisfy, and which, in continually demanding novelties, thereby declare there is nothing new. — Williams, page 440.
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Ecclesiastes 1:1-3
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun?
The author is Solomon, as he is the only son of David who was king of Israel (1:12).
Preacher (v.1) = the leader who speaks in the assembly
Verses 2 and 3 give the purpose of the book and ask the question that will be answered both negatively and positively. The wisdom used to answer the question comes from the One Shepherd (12:11).
Vanity (v.2) = breath, vapor. Empty of meaning or worth. Used 35 times in the book. Used in Psalm 39:6-7; 94:11 to express transience or worthlessness.
Vanity of vanities (v.2) is a Hebrew way of expressing a superlative, as in “King of kings” and “Holy of Holies.” The most utter vanity.
Profit [v.3] signifies that which remains over, either as here, clear gain, profit, or that which has the preeminence, i.e., superiority, precedence, or is the foremost. this word occurs only in this book and serves our Preacher uniquely in his desire to raise the issue of profit as it relates to the whole law of man’s life under the sun. … The natural man is under the sun in a fallen world, a world where he reaps day after day the full implications of Adam’s disobedience and death (Genesis 2:17 and Romans 5:12). — KJ Commentary, page 736.
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The strict meaning of the word “profit” is that which is left over or the surplus. Think of it in terms of the balance sheet of life. What is man’s net profit for all his labor which he labors? What is man’s ultimate return on investment? If all man’s efforts “under the sun” are performed without regard for God or eternity, they will be profitless. — Grace, page 1166.
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Ecclesiastes Introduction
The name “Ecclesiastes” is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Qoheleth, which means “the leader who speaks in the assembly,” or “the Preacher.” The author refers to himself by this name in Ecclesiastes 1:1.
The book was written by Solomon, although he never mentioned his name. He did, however say that he was “the son of David” (1:1), and “king over Israel in Jerusalem” (1:12), and that is only true of Solomon.
Many believe that Solomon wrote Song of Solomon in his youth, Proverbs in his middle age, and Ecclesiastes in his old age, around 935 B.C.
The word “vanity” (“meaninglessness”) appears 37 times.
The phrase “under the sun” is used 29 times.
Ecclesiastes presents an optimistic, not a pessimistic, viewpoint of life. It provides the answer to man’s search for ultimate meaning. In the first half, it presents the viewpoint of the person who lives life without an eternal perspective. By itself, this would indeed be a depressing and pessimistic outlook. But Solomon goes on to present a view of life from the eternal perspective, and this is in no way pessimistic.
Rather than presenting a pessimistic view of life, Ecclesiastes shows us how to live life to the fullest for the time that God has given us here on earth. As J. Sidlow Baxter said, it “suggests a sermon on the cause and cure of pessimism.” It presents a balance between hedonism (living for pleasure) and asceticism (denying oneself any physical pleasures) by explaining that we are to thoroughly enjoy life within our God-appointed boundaries. Ecclesiastes 2:24 says, “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 labour.” This is balanced by 12:13-14 which says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” — Grace, page 1167.
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[Ecclesiastes] is in fact a critique of secularism and of secularized religion. For secularism need not be irreligious, and the religion of the Jews tended to be unduly secular and to forget the transcendence of God (5:2). As such, it has an abiding message, and not least for our own time. …
The fatal weakness of secularist utopianism is, as has been said, that it takes insufficient account of the twin facts of evil and death. The eyes of Ecclesiastes are fully open to the vanity and the corruption to which the creation is subject (Romans 8:20ff.), and the whole book has been described as an exposition of the curse of the Fall (Genesis 3:17-19). …
But though the tone of the book is preponderantly negative, it is a mistake to brand Ecclesiastes as a sceptic or an apostle of despair. The melancholy refrain, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,” is not his verdict upon life in general but only upon the misguided human endeavor to treat the created world as an end in itself. …
The significance of the world is that it can become a medium for the revelation of God’s goodness, wisdom and righteousness. It is only when man treats it as an end in itself, and makes it his chief end to gain the world, that it turns to vanity. But there is a way in which man can accept life under the sun, with its gifts and withdrawals, its apparent irrationalities and injustices, and that is “from the hand of God” (2:24; 5:18-20). Plainly this is not skepticism or pessimism; it is faith. — Guthrie, pages 570-571.
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Our preacher poses a question that all mankind must face: what profit does man achieve through his life under the sun? What does man gain (Hebrew yithron)? This word is unique to Ecclesiastes and is drawn from the world of business. The term here is not used, however, in a mercenary sense, but rather to raise the important issue of meaning and profit for all of life. Our author here shares the concern of our Lord Jesus Christ when He asks the question, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36). If a man gain all the knowledge and experience all the pleasures of this world, what would be the remaining or abiding benefit or happiness which he would achieve? Our author confirms that all such pursuits are vain, i.e., as empty as steam. He points man to the only path that leads to true profit: a wholehearted commitment to the better way, the way of duty, which man can only walk upon if he fears God and keeps His commandments. — KJ Commentary.
I’ve chosen this book to study because I am, in my old nature, something of a fatalist, and I need to be reminded that there’s a better way to view life and this world.
Resources I’m using for this study:
Grace Study Bible, by the Berean Bible Society. (Referred to as “Grace” in my notes.)
King James Bible Commentary. (Referred to as “KJ Commentary” in my posts.”
The New Bible Commentary, edited by D. Guthrie and J.A. Motyer. (Referred to as “Guthrie” in my posts.)
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, by Hendrickson Publishers. (Referred to as “Treasury” in my posts.)
Williams’ Complete Bible Commentary, by George Williams. (Referred to as “Williams” in my posts.)
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Mark 16:12-20
12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.
13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Also found in Matthew 28:19, Luke 24:13-14, and Acts 1:9.
after that (v.12) — on Sunday, the day Christ rose from the grave.
in another form (v.12) = in a different outward expression or appearance. Mary thought Jesus was a gardener (John 20:15). The two disciples thought He was a stranger (Luke 24:18).
two of them (v.12) — Cleopas (Luke 24:13-35)
Instances of these signs (vs.17-18), except for drinking poison, appear in Acts: Acts 2:4; 8:7; 28:3-8.
Most of my commentaries struggle with verse 16, which clearly states that belief and baptism are necessary for salvation. That doesn’t line up with what they want to believe about baptism. To get around it, they point out that baptism isn’t included in the negative statement at the end of the verse. So, they claim, baptism is just a sign of genuine faith and is so closely associated with it that it’s mentioned as part of it, but it isn’t required. But this verse doesn’t stand alone. Peter, in Acts 2:38, clearly stated that baptism was necessary for salvation — “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”
So, is baptism necessary for salvation? No. But it was under the Kingdom Gospel, which was the gospel for the Jews that Jesus (during His earthly ministry), Mark, and Peter all preached. But Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, who preached the Gospel of grace, said simple “Believe” (Acts 16:31). He also wrote that we aren’t saved by any work, including baptism (Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). And as for baptism as a sign or a ritual of obedience, he wrote, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel …” (1 Corinthians 1:17).
As is the case with so many supposed issues in Scripture, a simple understanding of dispensational distinctions — Law vs. Grace; Kingdom vs. Church; the Twelve vs. Paul — clears everything up.
at the right hand of God (v.19) — Psalm 110:1
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Mark 16:1-11
1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.
10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
Also found in Matthew 28:1-8, Luke 24:1-8, and John 20:1, 11-18.
Most of my commentaries, rather than look into the details of this passage, spend their time attempting to explain away the seeming discrepancies between the Gospel accounts. I’m not going to get into that except to say that none of the accounts were intended to be a detailed, step-by-step record of what all the participants — the Lord, the angels, the women, the disciples — did that morning. If I say “I’ve been to San Diego,” it’s no contradiction of my coworker’s statement that several of us went to that city. If I say “I went before sunrise,” it’s no contradiction of my coworker’s statement that we arrived just after first light.”
Sabbath (v.1) — the regular weekly Sabbath (Saturday).
Most commentaries state that Christ was crucified on Friday because the Bible states (John 19:31) that His body had to be removed for the Sabbath. But this was the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the first day of that feast was considered a holy day (Sabbath), no matter what day of the week it fell on (Leviticus 23:7). So, since Jesus Himself said that He would be in the grave for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:39-40), He must have been crucified earlier than Friday and the feast must have begun that year on a day other than Saturday. It is likely, however, that the Sabbath referred to in Mark 16:1 was the regular Saturday Sabbath.
When the Sabbath was over, that is, after sunset [on Saturday], the women purchased the aromatics for the anointing of the body of our Lord. They probably knew of the [hasty] embalming of the body by Joseph and Nicodemus. But they desired to make an external application of fragrant oils. … They purchased the anointing oil after sunset that closed the Sabbath. Very early in the morning of our Sunday, perhaps while it was still dark, they left Bethany, which is about two miles from Jerusalem, and arrived at the tomb just after sunrise. — Wuest, page 289.
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They said among themselves (v.3). The verb is imperfect. “They kept on saying among themselves.” It was the chief topic of conversation. They had no anticipation of a resurrection. The word “roll” used by the women is slightly different from the one used by Mark in describing that event. The former word means “to roll away.” The idea is one of separation. The spoke of the stone being rolled clear of the door, so as to leave the doorway entirely open. The latter word refers to the act of rolling back the stone so as to leave the opening free of access. …
They had approached the tomb with downcast eyes and bowed heads. The words, “for it (the stone) was very great,” either explain their being able to see that the stone had been moved, or what it was that arrested their attention. The word “from” [means] “out of,” not “from the edge of,” and indicates that the stone was set into the entrance, not merely placed up against its edge. — Wuest, pages 289-290.
What Wuest is saying, I think, is that the stone wasn’t just rolled in front of the tomb to cover the hole, but was actually cut to fit into the opening, which would require lifting it out of the recess to remove it, not just rolling it off to the side.
long white robe (v.5) — a long stately robe, reaching to the feet, or trainlike, sweeping the ground. The word was used of any garment of special solemnity, richness, or beauty. … The implication is that the individual described was not a human being but an angel. — Wuest, page 290.
He is going before you into Galilee (v.7) — Matthew 26:32; Mark 14:28.
trembled and were amazed (v.8) — not fear so much as wonder and complete amazement.
Verses 9 through the end of the chapter don’t appear in some early manuscripts, leading some to suspect later authorship or some corruption in the original text that happened early on during the process of copying. But they do appear in other solid manuscripts.
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