Eclesiastes 1

Eclesiastes 1

THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES The Search for Significance The Quest for Contentment The Pursuit of Purpose Exploration Exhortation All is Vanity Vanity of Doing Vanity of Having Vanity of Being Using Life Well Source of True Living Eccl 1:1-18 Eccl 2:1-26 Eccl 3:1-6:12 Eccl 7:1-9:18 Eccl 10:1-11:10 Eccl 12:1-14 Declaration of Vanity Demonstration of Vanity Deliverance from Vanity Subject Sermons Summary Fickleness of Life Versus Fear of the Lord Place: "Under the Sun" Decades of Searching (in the days of King Solomon) circa 936BC King Solomon Author Under the Sun vs. Above the Sun Under the Sun Above the Sun Life limited to human understanding Life informed by divine wisdom Temporary and often frustrating experiences Eternal perspective brings purpose and peace Pursuing gain, pleasure, knowledge, or power Pursuing God and His will (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:13) Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. KJV Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. BGT Ecclesiastes 1:1 ῥήματα Ἐκκλησιαστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαυιδ βασιλέως Ισραηλ ἐν Ιερουσαλημ LXE Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem. NET Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem: CSB Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem. ESV Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. NIV Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: NLT Ecclesiastes 1:1 These are the words of the Teacher, King David's son, who ruled in Jerusalem. YLT Ecclesiastes 1:1 Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: NJB Ecclesiastes 1:1 Composition of Qoheleth son of David, king in Jerusalem. NRS Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. NAB Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of David's son, Qoheleth, king in Jerusalem: GWN Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the spokesman, the son of David and the king in Jerusalem. the Preacher: Ec 1:12 Eccl 7:27 Ec 12:8-10 Ne 6:7 Ps 40:9 Isa 61:1 Jon 3:2 2Pe 2:5 king: Ec 1:12 1Ki 11:42,43 2Ch 9:30 10:17-19 THE WORDS OF THE PREACHER SOLOMON The words of the Preacher (qoheleth; Lxx - ekklesiastes), the son of David, king in Jerusalem - It is fascinating that people argue over the author of the book when the text plainly read clearly indicates it has to be Solomon. Why do I say that? Well, first note that this Preacher is the son of David and secondly that he is king and Ecck 12:7 adds "over Israel." The question is then how many sons of David reigned as king over Israel and of course the answer is one, Solomon. So Solomon is the author of this book. One might ask at what stage of his life did Solomon pen this book? Most authors favor it was when he was old and had "experienced life," as full of a life as just about any human being who has ever lived. There is however no specific text in this book which allows one to be absolutely dogmatic and there are some writers for example who think Solomon was experiencing what we today call "a middle age crisis." While that is possible, personally I favor the old age idea picturing a pensive grey haired man pondering the hills and valleys of his life. And as an aside, Solomon actually did not experience as long a life as his father David (he was about 70 when he died - cf 1Ki 2:1, 2Sa 5:4). 1Ki 11:42 says he reigned 40 years and 1Ki 3:7 has the phrase "a little child" when he began to reign which suggests he was about 20 when he began his reign (Jewish tradition estimates he was 18-20 when he became king.) In short he died when he was about 60. The was almost certainly because he was disobedient and developed "heart disease," what we might call a "divided heart" (Read and ponder 1Ki 11:1-14+) Note that while King Solomon identifies himself as the human author in Eccl 12:11 he implies divine authority. John Stevenson It is interesting that all three of the titles used here by the author can be applied to Jesus Christ. He is the Preacher, the proclaimer of good news. He is the Son of David. And He is the king who came to His own in Jerusalem and who reigns forever in the New Jerusalem. Though there are similarities between Solomon and Jesus, there are also some very important differences. Do you remember the story of Solomon? At the outset of his reign as king, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and offered to him anything he would ask. Solomon could have asked for greatness or glory or riches or political security or long life. Instead, he asked for WISDOM. And the Lord rewarded him both with wisdom as well as with all of those other things. This was a man who had it ALL. He had power and glory and wisdom and a long life in which to enjoy all of it. And in the end, his conclusion will be that it is all empty - that it is vanity. James