Eclesiastes 1
Origen of Alexandria · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Eclesiastes 1:1
But we can also investigate these things before we even come to the very body of the book, such as why Solomon, who seems to have served the will of the Holy Spirit in those three books is called in Proverbs "Solomon, the Son of David, who ruled in Israel," but in the second book "Solomon" is not written, but it reads, "the words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem." To be sure he writes that he is "Son of David" just as in the first book and also "king of Israel." But there he wrote "Proverbs" but here "words" and called himself "Ecclesiastes," when he had called himself "Solomon" there. And although there he mentioned only the country over which he reigned, here he both mentioned the nation and designated the place of his kingdom as "Jerusalem." …I do not think that anyone can doubt that Solomon in rather many respects bears the type of Christ, either because he is named "Man of Peace" or because "the Queen of the South came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon." This is also the case because he is called "the son of David" and reigns in Israel and because he rules over those kings, on whose behalf he himself is called "king of kings." And again the true "Ecclesiastes" is that very one "who although he was in the form of God, humbled himself, taking on the form of a servant" in order to gather an ecclesial body, for Ecclesiastes is called from his gathering a congregation.… Therefore in the first book of Proverbs, when he sets us in moral disciplines, he is said to be "king in Israel" but not yet in Jerusalem because, although we are said to be Israel because of our faith, we nonetheless have not yet arrived to this point so that we seem to have come to the heavenly Jerusalem. But when we will have made progress and will have arrived there so that we will share in the church of the firstborn, which is in heaven, and we know from the ancient and natural reasons we have discussed that the heavenly Jerusalem is our heavenly mother, then already Christ himself will be made our "Ecclesiastes" and will be said to reign not only "in Israel" but also "in Jerusalem." — COMMENTARY ON THE SONG OF SONGS, PROLOGUE
Eclesiastes 1:2
Let us see what is the "vanity" to which the creation was subjected. My own opinion is, that this is nothing else than the possession of bodies, for even though the stars are composed of ether they are nevertheless material. This, it seems to me, is the reason why Solomon arraigns the whole bodily universe as being in a way burdensome and as impeding the activity of spirits, thus: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, said the Preacher; all is vanity." "For," he adds, "I looked and I saw all things that are under the sun, and behold, all is vanity." — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1:7.5
Eclesiastes 1:9
It is probably in this way that, so far as our weakness allows, we shall maintain a reverent belief about God, neither asserting that his creatures were unbegotten and coeternal with him nor that he turned to the work of creation to do good when he had done nothing good before. For the saying that is written, "In wisdom you have made all things," is a true one. And certainly if "all things have been made in wisdom," then since wisdom has always existed, there have always existed in wisdom, by a prefiguration and preformation, those things which afterwards have received substantial existence. This is, I believe, the thought and meaning of Solomon when he says in Ecclesiastes, "What is it that has been made? The same that is to be. And what is it that has been created? The same that is destined to be created. And there is nothing fresh under the sun. If one should speak of anything and say, Behold, this is new: it already has been, in the ages that were before us." If then particular things which are "under the sun" have already existed in the ages which were before us—since "there is nothing fresh under the sun"—then all universal categories have forever existed, and some would say even individual things; but either way, it is clear that God did not begin to create after spending a period in idleness. — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1:4.5
Eclesiastes 1:9
We say that not then for the first time did God begin to work when he made this visible world; but as, after its destruction, there will be another world, so also we believe that others existed before the present came into being. And both of these positions will be confirmed by the authority of Holy Scripture. For that there will be another world after this is taught by Isaiah, who says, "There will be new heavens, and a new earth, which I shall make to abide in my sight, says the Lord." And that before this world others also existed is shown by Ecclesiastes, in the words "What is that which has been? Even that which shall be. And what is that which has been created? Even this which is to be created: and there is nothing altogether new under the sun. Who shall speak and declare, Lo, this is new? It has already been in the ages which have been before us." By these testimonies it is established both that there were ages before our own and that there will be others after it. It is not, however, to be supposed that several worlds existed at once but that, after the end of this present world, others will take their beginning. — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 3:5.3
Eclesiastes 1:14
This then is the "vanity" to which the creation was subjected, and above all that creation which is certainly the greatest thing in this world and which holds a distinguished preeminence by reason of its function. That is, the sun, moon and stars are said to have been subjected to vanity, because they were clothed with bodies and set to perform the task of giving light to the human race. And this creation, Scripture says, was subjected to vanity "not of its own will." For it did not undertake a service to vanity by the exercise of free will but in obedience to the wish of him who was subjecting it, because he who subjected it promised those who were being given over unwillingly to vanity that on the fulfillment of their splendid work of service they should be delivered from this bondage of corruption and vanity, when the time of redemption "of the glory of the sons of God" should have come. Having received this hope, and looking for the fulfillment of this promise, the entire creation now in the meantime "groans together" with us (for it even has sympathy with those whom it serves) and "is in pain together," while in patience it hopes for what has been promised. — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1:7.5