wisdom – Semper Reformanda

Ecclesiastes 5:2 | Word Study

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2 (KJV)

We continue on the significance of caution in our ‘worship of God.’ It is interesting how we have inadvertently introduced to the distinction of ‘the fool’ and by extension – ‘the wise.’ This distinction didn’t seem to occur when Qoheleth was discussing ‘vanity’ in previous verses. But the discussion of God and worship, seems to automatically invoke this distinction. It is a telling difference – not everyone is predisposed to worshipping God. These verses do not appear to be suggestions or advice – but they seem to be more of an expository character. When people approach God, their actions revealed whether they are elected to His Children or not.

We recognise the fool by their actions; here it is reflected by rashness of their mouth. This phrase indicates a performance; i.e., it is analogous to saying ‘reads out loud.’ The issue here is overjealousness. (Seow, 195) Interpretation: fools when they enter the house of God – they feel compelled to perform like they could impress God into granting their wishes and desires. They have no control over this, as the previous verse states: ‘they consider not that they do evil.’ What are the things that the fools are missing? Qoheleth points out at least two things: (1) when we enter God’s house, it is his domain that we are entering, the temple is a sharp reminder that God is the creator, it is under His will that we exist, we approach Him to comply – not demand, it is His house, His will, His rule… (Henry) and (2) the fool misses out this point because he does not know God; as Provan writes: “The wise person comes before God carefully and with due attention, for such a person, unlike the fool, knows that God is really God.” (133)

Reference:

Henry, M. (1706). Commentary on the Whole Bible, Complete, Eccl. 5:1-3
Provan, I. (2001). Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs: The New Application Commentary, Zondervan
Seow, C.L. (1997). Ecclesiastes, Yale University Press

Ecclesiastes 4:5 | Word Study

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. Ecclesiastes 4:5 (KJV)

‘… eateth his own flesh,’ is direct reference to cannibalism, but it is used in a metaphoric sense to mean self-destruction. (Seow, 179) Qoheleth seems to address to futility of resignation as well. Based on the previous verse, it is commonsensical to ask ‘if rivalry motivates so much labor, then is it perhaps better not to work?’ (Bartholomew, 160) Of course, Qoheleth does not support this – not working is not wise. The phrase, ‘fools folded their hands,’ is a metaphor for relaxation and inactivity, which is often used to refer to the ‘sleep’ and ‘slumber’ of a lazy fool. (Seow) In other words, if it is futile to work for personal gain, it is also futile to resign from working itself – it is not in our lot to decide the gain and loses of what labour to engage in or withdraw from. Even in this – God is sovereign.

References:

Bartholomew, C. (2009). Ecclesiastes, Baker Academic
Seow, C.L. (1997). Ecclesiastes, Yale University Press

Ecclesiastes 3:13 | Word Study

And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3:13 (KJV)

To ‘enjoy the good of all his labour’ seems like a stark contrast to what Qoheleth has been stretching on about, i.e., the futility of ‘things’ in life. But as Bartholomew notes, perhaps this is a confessional account to highlight God’s sovereignty over our lives – only YHWH is our ultimate satisfaction. (143) By this reason, the good things that were meaningless becomes a gift when we rely on YHWH. In other words, as Provan puts it: “(God’s) ‘doing’ is indeed the only kind that makes sense in a world where the actions of God are utterly decisive – a world where his work is the only work that lasts forever, being incapable of alteration by human effort.” (102) Henry formulates the implications quite eloquently. He writes: “If all things in this world be so uncertain, it is a foolish thing for men sordidly to spare for the present, that they may hoard up all for hereafter; it is better to live cheerfully and usefully upon what we have, and let tomorrow take thought for the things of itself. Grace and wisdom to do this is the gift of God, and it is a good gift, which crowns the gifts of his providential bounty.”

References:

Bartholomew, C. (2009). Ecclesiastes, Baker Academic
Henry, M. (1706). Commentary on the Whole Bible, Complete, Eccl. 3:1-10
Provan, I. (2001). Ecclesiastes/Song of Songs: The New Application Commentary, Zondervan