Questions

Scriptural Reflection
Ecclesiastes 1:1–11

This week, we shall begin study of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament.

The Book of Ecclesiastes

The title, Ecclesiastes, is taken from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the O.T.) and is a rendition of the Hebrew word, Qohelet, translated as “teacher” in 1:1. “The Greek word Ekklesiastes means ‘speaker of a called-out assembly’ and is derived from the word ekklesia (1711, NT) which is the NT word translated ‘church’” (Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, 774).

Since 1:1 makes plain that this “teacher” is a son of David, king in Jerusalem, and based on the wisdom exhibited in this book, it is generally believed that only Solomon fits this description and hence its author. This book was included in the five Megilloth (scrolls designated to be read publicly in the feasts of Israel) and was read in the synagogue on the third day of the Feast of the Booths.

It is important to take the message of the book as a whole and not on a piece-meal basis, as the author is extremely honest with his despair of life “under the sun” and bares his soul as he observes the futility of life and, in the documentation of his search for the meaning of life, his findings often conflict with biblical conventional wisdom. However, this process of honest struggle eventually leads him back to his conclusion in chapter 12 which is firmly grounded in submission and fear of the Lord.

1:2—The Thesis of Solomon: V. 2 is not an observation, but a conclusion or thesis of Solomon in his search for meaning under the sun.

(1) The word, “meaningless" or hebel “derives from a root word that connotes a breath or a vapor” (Crenshaw, 57). What dimensions does each of these two root meanings point to?

(2) It is generally thought that King Solomon wrote this in his senior years:

a. Why would Solomon in his senior years make such a remark about life?

b. Do you think most people in the world would agree? Why or why not?

c. Do you? Why?

1:3-11—Support for his thesis

(3) The temporality of men and the permanency of the earth (vv. 3-4)

a. V. 3 sounds like a rhetorical question, but what is your answer to his question?

b. Does it therefore mean that life is meaningless?

c. What does Solomon seek to “gain” from his labor so that it will not be meaningless?

d. What might v. 4 signify about what Solomon seeks to gain?

(4) The perpetual cycle of nature (vv. 5-11)

a. If one observes the sun, the wind and the streams as Solomon does, should one not be amazed at their “faithfulness”? Should one not be thankful that they stick to their cycles?

b. Why then would Solomon find their repetition “wearisome”? In what way(s) does Solomon find them wearisome that might echo his rhetorical question in v. 3?

c. Given the huge strides and advancements made in science and in our discovery of nature in our generation, consider the following:

1. How could his statement in v. 10 be true? Or
2. In what sense is it always true?

d. How does v. 11 echo back to v. 4 and serves as an “inclusio” for his thoughts in this section?

(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ecclesiastes 1:12–2:11

Now, Solomon gives us details of his journey in the search for the meaning of life “under the sun or heavens”; he starts with:

1:12-18—His Pursuit of Wisdom

(1) How great was Solomon’s wisdom? (1 Ki. 4:29-34)

(2) What does he observe in v. 15 that causes him to remark the following?

a. God has laid a heavy burden on mankind.

b. All things under the sun are meaningless and even a chasing after the wind.

c. Why do motivational speakers of our days always say that “if we put our mind to it, there is nothing that we cannot do”?

(3) What reason does he give in v. 18 for concluding that even having wisdom and knowledge is a chasing after the wind? Do you agree? Why or why not?

2:1-3—His Pursuit of Pleasure

(4) As Solomon finds that even his great wisdom and knowledge could not satisfy his heart, he now turns to “pleasure”: While he does not specify what it involves, what are the things that people seek to find pleasure normally? (see 1 Ki. 11:1)

(5) What might the seeking of “laughter” involve?

(6) In seeking pleasure from wine, why does he say that “my mind still guiding me with wisdom”? Is it possible?

2:4-10—His Pursuit of Great Projects

(7) What great projects did Solomon undertake? (vv. 4-6)

(8) What might be their equivalent today?

(9) What could the building of such great projects do to one’s ego?

(10) What other things did Solomon seek to do? (vv. 7-8)

(11) What did all these bring him in terms of  the following?

a. Worldly recognition and stature (v. 9) 

b. Instant gratification (v. 10)

2:11—His Conclusion

(12) However, what is his conclusion (likely in his  years when old)? (v. 11)

(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ecclesiastes 2:12–26

2:12-16—Wisdom and Folly from a King’s Perspective—As the wisest man and king on earth, Solomon examines the value of his wisdom:

(1) He compares a king and his successor (vv. 12-14)

a. Is he comparing himself with his father David? Or himself with his successor?

b. He asks, “What more?”:

1. What more does he want in order to “outdo” his father? 
2. What more can his son do to “outdo” him?

c. Then he concludes that wisdom is better than folly:

1. What does the above comparison have to do with his conclusion?
2. What is the reason he gives for his conclusion? (v. 14)

(2) However, what is the one thing common to the two (types of) kings? (v. 15)

(3) What causes him to say to himself, “This too is meaningless”?

a. What “gain” does he want by being wise? (v. 15b)

b. Is he correct in his conclusion? Why or why not?

2:17-26—Is work worth it?—Again, Solomon views work from his own personal perspective:

(4) In looking at work as meaningless (vv. 17-18)

a. What is the term he uses to describe work? (v. 18)

b. What is the reason why he found his work grievous to the point he even “hated all the things” he toiled for? (v. 18)

(5) Isn’t leaving a good or great legacy to one’s offspring the desire of every parent?

a. Why then would Solomon hate to see the fruit of his toil pass on to the next generation? (v. 19)

1. Do they not deserve it?
2. Is he afraid that they will waste or destroy his legacy? Or
   
3. Is he afraid that a “silver platter” is not good for the next generation?

b. Do you think it reflects his wisdom or his selfishness as he calls it “a great misfortune”? (v. 21) Why?

(6) As he sees the passing of one’s legacy to the next as meaningless and a great misfortune, he asks a very soul-searching question about the value of work (v. 22).

a. What is your answer to his question?

b. What does he want to “get” from his toil and labor under the sun?

(7) Even as a king, he understands that life is marked more by grief and pain (than joy and rest); but does this necessarily make life meaningless? (v. 23) Why or why not?

(8) He eventually puts God into life’s formula (vv. 24-26).

a. What is the reward that God has given for our toil? (vv. 24-25)

b. Apart from “eat and drink”, what marks the difference between those who please God and those who do not? (v. 25) Is it true?

c. Why then is even “this” meaningless and a chasing after the wind?

d. Do you agree with Solomon? Why or why not?

(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ecclesiastes 3:1–15

This is one of the most famous passages of this book which can be divided as follows:

Vv. 1-8 Seasons and Times are predetermined (by God):

Vv. 9-11 What then can temporal man gain or understand in view of God’s eternity?

Vv. 12-15 God’s predetermination causes man to fear Him

3:1-8—Seasons and Times

(1) V. 1 may point to the fact that “everything has its fore-determined time, in which there lies both a determined point of time when it happens, and a determined period of time during which it shall continue, and (or) that every matter has a time appointed for it, or an appropriate, suitable for it” (K&D, 683).

a. Which of the two or both, do you think is true?

b. Why?

(2) Fourteen pairs of opposites or complements are used to illustrate his point: The list appears to group similar activities or meanings together in the same verse and so we shall reflect upon them as such:

a. Birth/death and planting/uprooting (v. 2)

1. What does the reminder that birth and death have their own time serve to teach you?
2. How might this truth be applied to planting and uprooting in farming?
3. If the latter is a metaphor, how might you apply it to human activities and your life?

b. Killing/healing and destruction/building (v. 3)

1. What is the truth expressed by this verse?
2. How might you apply it to human activities and your life?

c. Weeping/laughing and mourning/dancing (v. 4)

1. What is the truth expressed by this verse?
2. How might you apply it to human activities and your life?

d. Scattering/gathering (see Note below) and embracing/refusing (v. 5)

1. What is the truth expressed by this verse?
2. How might you apply it to human activities and your life?

e. Searching/ending search and keeping/throwing away (v. 6)

1. What is the truth expressed by this verse?
2. How might you apply it to human activities and your life?

f. Tearing/mending and silent/speaking (v. 7)

1. The parallel of these two pairs of opposites is not as obvious: Tearing may mean simply a garment is too old or worn-out to be mended and so has to be torn apart. What then is its metaphorical meaning?
2. Ben Sira distinguishes between two types of silence: “There is one who keeps silent because he has no answer, while another keeps silent because he knows when to speak” (Sir. 20:6). Which might be the one Solomon has in mind? Why?

g. Love/hate and war/peace (v. 8)

1. What is the truth expressed by this verse?
2. How might you apply it to human activities and your life?

(3) What do men gain from such a “predetermination”? (vv. 9-11)

a. It appears that Solomon bemoans that since everything has its (predetermined) time, “What do workers gain from their toil?” (v. 9) — a repeat of his sentiment in 1:3: What “gain” (which is the word for net profit in business) does he have in mind?

b. He also sees it as a burden (v. 10)

1. Why would Solomon view the fact that God (not man) has made everything beautiful in its time not as a blessing, but a burden?
2. Why would he also view the fact that God has set eternity (a recognition of a world beyond the temporal) in the human heart as a burden? (v. 11b)

(4) God has meant us to fear Him (vv. 12-15)

a. In concluding his above observations, Solomon talks about two things that he knows. What are they? (vv. 12-13; v. 15)

b. Which of the two would cause people to fear Him? Why?

(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Note:

Most commentators point out that rocks were thrown in wartime to render fields uncultivable (2 Ki. 3:19, 25), and are quick to add that the exact meaning of this verse is not clear. Therefore it is safe to consider “scattering and gathering” as having a similar meaning to “embracing and refusing to embrace”.

Scriptural Reflection
Ecclesiastes 3:16–4:3

Injustice and Oppression: Solomon then turns to two things that he observed (using the term, “I saw”).

3:16-22—Injustice—As a king, Solomon had a keen eye for injustice, and in this case he was obviously referring to what he saw in the world in general that was beyond his jurisdiction:

(1) How do we normally react when we see injustice done to the innocent?

(2) Solomon frames his two reactions with the words, “I said to myself” (vv. 17, 18).

a. What is his first reaction? (v. 17)

b. What is his message for us?

c. What is his second reaction? (v. 18)

d. Why does he say that this is a “test” by God?

e. In this test:

1. How do men see their fate? (v. 19)
2. What might have prompted some not to fear God’s judgment in the life to come? (v. 21—the first “Who?” question)
3. What might have prompted some to focus only on this life? (v. 22—the second “Who?” question)

4:1-3—Oppression

(3) What did Solomon now see? (v. 1)

(4) Have you seen such oppression first-hand? If not, can you think of a recent example of oppression that you have observed through the news?

(5) What was or would your reaction be?

(6) What was Solomon’s reaction? (vv. 2-3)

(7) Was it not too pessimistic a view of life? Why or why not?

(8) Why didn’t he resort to his reaction in 3:17?

(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ecclesiastes 4:4–16

4:4-6—To Work or Not to Work

(1) Even Solomon seems to be confused:

a. Is it wrong to work hard out of envy (i.e. running the rat race)? Why or why not?

b. Why is it meaningless and a chasing after the wind?

c. What then should be the motive of hard work?

d. Why is tranquility better toil?

e. What is the difference between tranquility and “folding of hands”?

4:7-12—No Lone Ranger

(2) Some people choose to be lone rangers by choice; what about this person seen by Solomon? (v. 8)

(3) How did this person get rich? (v. 8a)

(4) The original does not have “he asked” in v. 8c, and Crenshaw opines that the person “never asked” (Crenshaw, 110): Why didn’t the person ask?

(5) Solomon then points out the “benefits” of not being a lone ranger:

a. Why is team work better? (v. 9)

b. V. 10 uses a travel analogy that signifies the potential danger of falling into a pit: How may this apply to us metaphorically?

c. V. 11 is also a travel analogy of the ancient time when often the travelers slept on the road: How may we apply it to us today in a metaphorical way?

d. V. 12 continues with the same analogy when travelers encounter robbers: How may we apply it to us today?

e. Who is the “third” person that completes the cord when it applied to Christians?

4:13-16—You are Wise, So What?

(6) Vv. 13-15 talk about a wise king versus a foolish king:

a. What defines the older king as a fool? (v. 13)

b. What was so special about this young, wise king? (v. 14)

(7) Was the wise king able to continue his popularity unabated? (v. 16)

(8) Instead of drawing the conclusion of Solomon, what lesson can we learn from the fate of this wise king?

(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
Ecclesiastes 5:1–14

5:1-7—Reverence at Worship—In the middle of his struggle over the meaning of life, Solomon appears to regain a more settled spirit that begins to look more from God’s perspective than from a pure humanistic outlook, thus resembling the teachings of conventional wisdom:

(1) Attitude of worship (vv. 1-3)

a. What should our attitude be as we approach the house of God to worship?

b. How may you apply it to your Sunday worship?

c. We normally do the following with our mouth as we worship: Sing, pray and read Scriptures (and for those who participate in leading worship, we speak to lead). What then is meant by the following ?

1. Not being quick with our mouth
2. Not being hasty in our heart

d. What if we do not guard our mouth in worship? (v. 3)

(2) For the Israelites, making vows appear to be a habit as they worship (vv. 4-7).

a. What normally causes a person to make a vow to God?

b. Can we ask something from God without necessarily making any vows?

c. What might be the reason(s) that we do not fulfill our vows before God?

d. What is the consequence of not fulfilling our vows before God? (v. 7; Deut. 23:21-23)

(3) Whether before God or before people, “let your words be few” (v. 2) is good advice. Do you agree?

5:8-14—The Love of Money

(4) What happens when there are too many levels of government, especially when the governance is not democracy? (vv. 8-9)

(5) Is “money” the root of such evil then? (v. 10; see also 1 Tim. 6:10)

(6) One of the tell-tale signs of the “love of money” is the increase of consumer’s goods (v. 11).

a. How many watches or pairs of shoe can one wear at a time?

b. How many do you have?

c. How does v. 11 speak to you?

(7) The ill effect of wealth (v. 12)

a. What can wealth do to one’s sleep (or health for that matter)?

b. Why?

(8) Two other evils related to wealth are mentioned in vv. 13-14 (based on the NIV):

a. One of hoarding (v. 13)

1. How is hoarding defined?
2. How will it harm its owner? Why?

b. The other one is the sudden loss of wealth (v. 14)

1. What might cause a sudden loss of fortune?
2. For the ancient where land and means of livelihood were passed from one generation to the next, how grievous would it be when nothing is left for children to inherit?

(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?