November 2023 – Semper Reformanda

Ecclesiastes 2:21 | Word Study

For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? Ecclesiastes 2:22 (KJV)

‘Vexation (H7475)[1] of the heart,’ where heart (H3820)[2] stands for desire – the phrase means, ‘disappointment of our earthly desires.’ The phrase ‘for what hath man,’ basically reads as – to what purpose? The verse continues from the v21, a reflection of a vain labour. In essence, the verse seems to be a reflection of all motivation that finds no inspiration in YHWH – and that, it eventually fails.

Comments: The reference to desire is an interesting read. The spiritual state of our being is defined by our desires: the reprobates’ desires are tied to this world; the born-again person’s desires are tied to the Spirit. (Rom 8) The person who is not born of the Spirit desires earthly things; which are things tied to the mystery of vanity. This makes the motivation, i.e., the persuasion of such desires hopelessly disappointing. A cautionary note here: it is not clear that the verse definitely refers to reprobates, but the vanity of such labour – one that seeks profit under the sun is clearly vain.

[1] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7475/kjv/wlc/0-1/

[2] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3820/kjv/wlc/0-1/

LXXXVII

To combat this, we must remember all God has done and all the benefit of life with him. Forgetfulness will happen unless we intentionally keep memories fresh. When your heart grows stale, go into the closet of your memory and pull out past examples of what God has done for you. Rinse and repeat until the pleasing aroma of gratitude replaces the stench of ingratitude.

Dustin Crowe, The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks

Ecclesiastes 2:20 | Word Study

Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:20 (KJV)

The word ‘labour’ is derived from yâ’ash יָאַשׁ which can be translated to ‘no hope.’ (H2976)[1] Or in other words, the life of mind or wisdom alone is utterly hopeless. It grants no comfort, despite the much deliberation in wielding and perfecting it.

Comments: There is a lot of effort that goes into gathering and perfecting wisdom. Qoheleth seems to have spent a lifetime engaging in it. But despite the sophisticated character of wielding wisdom – it is still entirely without hope in the face of death. It cannot even secure a proper heir who could treat it with the same sophistication as the one who procured it. Qoheleth seems to highlight the entire futility of relying on wisdom alone. In extension, the verse also seems to be an interesting insight on people who use wisdom as a medium of self-reliance. As Provan writes, ‘Those who seek control of life only and always “chase after the wind” (2:17), that is, grasp after what cannot be grasped. Death is the ultimate statement of mortal lack of control, which must always pass to another who will benefit from his predecessor’s input (v. 19, where he will “have mastery/control over” the work, Heb. šlṭ). Only God has ultimate control, even though mortals may briefly possess some degree of it.’ (85)

Reference:

Provan, I. (2001). Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs: The New Application Commentary, ZondervanSeow, C.L. (1997). Ecclesiastes, Yale University Press

[1] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2976/kjv/wlc/0-1/