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| ECCLESIASTES |
| Explanatory Footnotes |
| 2:1 The World Outside the Palace The first two chapters of Ecclesiastes tell of "the Teacher's" own experience of despair and meaninglessness. The life described in this autobiographical section resembles that of King Solomon. In the rest of the book, the Teacher examines the world around him to see if others have found answers to life "under the sun." To his disappointment, he finds the same pattern repeated over and over. 3:20 Is There an Afterlife? Old Testament writers said very little about the afterlife. Not until Jesus' coming did God reveal details about heaven and hell. In this passage, the author wonders aloud whether death will be the end of everything. Yet he also adds some intriguing hints about the future. God "has set eternity in the hearts of men," he declared (verse 11). He also refers to a time of future judgment (verse 17). 5:18 Good for Something As he tasted various attractions in life - work, food, drink, success - the Teacher decided that all are "meaningless." None gave ultimate satisfaction. But in passages like this one, he admits that such good things are gifts from God and have a temporary value. Some possessions are better than none, wisdom is better than ignorance, life is better than death. 7:29 Is It God's Fault? In many ways the book of Ecclesiastes echoes its companion book of Job. Both are "philosophical," asking the hardest questions about life. But this verse shows a difference in the approach of each. In his anguish, Job sometimes questioned the character of God himself, demanding a personal explanation. At no time did the Teacher of Ecclesiastes "blame" God for the unfairness and meaninglessness he saw around him. "God made mankind upright," he concludes, "but men have gone in search of many schemes." |