Ecclesiastes Bible Study: Week Five

Week 5

Word

Ecclesiastes 9:1 – 10:20 (NRSV)

All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate one does not know. Everything that confronts them ²is vanity, since the same fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to those who sacrifice and those who do not sacrifice. As are the good, so are the sinners; those who swear are like those who shun an oath. ³This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of all are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. ⁴But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. ⁵The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost. ⁶Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again will they have any share in all that happens under the sun.

7 Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. ⁸Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. ⁹Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. ¹⁰Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all. ¹²For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them.

13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed important to me. ¹⁴There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siege-works against it. ¹⁵Now there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶So I said, ‘Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.’
¹⁷ The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
   than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
   but one bungler destroys much good.

10:1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a foul odor;
   so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
² The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
   but the heart of a fool to the left.
³ Even when fools walk on the road, they lack sense,
   and show to everyone that they are fools.
⁴ If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post,
   for calmness will undo great offences.

5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as great an error as if it proceeded from the ruler: ⁶folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. ⁷I have seen slaves on horseback, and princes walking on foot like slaves.
⁸ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;
   and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a snake.
⁹ Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them;
   and whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
¹⁰ If the iron is blunt, and one does not whet the edge,
   then more strength must be exerted;
   but wisdom helps one to succeed.
¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed,
   there is no advantage in a charmer.
¹² Words spoken by the wise bring them favor,
   but the lips of fools consume them.
¹³ The words of their mouths begin in foolishness,
   and their talk ends in wicked madness;
¹⁴ yet fools talk on and on.
   No one knows what is to happen,
   and who can tell anyone what the future holds?
¹⁵ The toil of fools wears them out,
   for they do not even know the way to town.
¹⁶ Alas for you, O land, when your king is a servant,
   and your princes feast in the morning!
¹⁷ Happy are you, O land, when your king is a nobleman,
   and your princes feast at the proper time—
   for strength, and not for drunkenness!
¹⁸ Through sloth the roof sinks in,
   and through indolence the house leaks.
¹⁹ Feasts are made for laughter;
   wine gladdens life,
   and money meets every need.
²⁰ Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts,
   or curse the rich, even in your bedroom;
for a bird of the air may carry your voice,
   or some winged creature tell the matter.

Information

• ·       At the time of writing, the Jewish tradition did not include an idea about heaven. The only afterlife was a shadowy place called Sheol and nothing happened there. It wasn’t until around two centuries before Jesus that the Jewish religion started discussing the possibility of a heaven. This greatly impacts the Teacher’s view of life on earth.
• ·       The speculation about King Solomon writing or in some way authoring this book partially comes from the plethora of examples involving the actions of kings. Whoever wrote the book seems to have watched kings and courtiers carefully.
• ·       Dogs were scavengers, not household pets. Dogs were not wanted in houses. Lions were thought to be noble creatures.
• ·       Chapter 10 is a miscellaneous collection of proverbs, though some of them seem rather strange to us.
• ·       Wisdom literature was important in ancient times, the people wanted to have something to teach their children and grandchildren, it was also seen as a way to leave a legacy for generations. People don’t want their own mistakes to go to waste.
• ·       The book of Ecclesiastes backs up the Romans 2:11 verse “God shows no partiality”, the author continually notes that disaster comes upon everyone and even when you are good and wise bad things can happen to you.

Silence

Wait for a minute

Discussion

1. 1.     What do you believe about heaven?
2. 2.     Where did you learn your ideas about heaven?
3. 3.     What scriptures impact your understanding of heaven?
4. 4.     What wisdom does the Teacher give about relating to rulers or governments?
5. 5.     What do you think about the wisdom the Teacher offers?
6. 6.     What is your favorite proverb from Chapter 10? Why?
7. 7.     What wisdom do you find in these proverbs?
8. 8.     Do you believe God shows partiality? Why or why not?
9. 9.     How do you think the book of Ecclesiastes speaks to what is going on in the world today?
10. 10.  Do you find anything in the book from the Teacher wise? Why or why not?

Orans (Prayer)

19. For the President of the United States and all in Civil Authority

O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of the United States, the Governor of this State (or Commonwealth), and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. (BCP 820)

Motivation (Art)

Bible Art – picture