Advanced Commentary

Texts -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NET)

Context
1:18 For with great wisdom comes great frustration ; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

Arts

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The commentators sometimes treat the Hebrew word qohelet("Preacher"; 1:1-2, 12; 7:27; 12:8-10) as a proper name.1However the fact that the article is present on the Hebrew word in 12:8, and perhaps in 7:27, seems to indicate ...
  • I believe that the message of Ecclesiastes is essentially a positive one. This may seem strange since the vanity of various human endeavors is such a major theme of this book. Nevertheless the total statement that Solomon mad...
  • I. The introductory affirmation 1:1-11A. Title and theme 1:1-21. The title 1:12. The theme 1:2B. The futility of all human endeavor 1:3-111. The vanity of work 1:32. The illustrations from life 1:4-11II. The futility of work ...
  • There are four parts to this section (1:12-2:17) that fall into two pairs. Solomon first related his investigations (in 1:12-15 and 2:1-11) and then gave his evaluations of each of these experiments (in 1:16-18 and 2:12-17)....
  • Solomon had unique resources for investigating life. He was the king of Israel (v. 12), and he possessed superlative wisdom (v. 13; cf. v. 16; 1 Kings 4:26-34). He says he made a comprehensive study of all kinds of human acti...
  • To conduct his investigation of human achievements Solomon had employed the tool of wisdom.27However, he discovered it inadequate to turn up any meaningful activity. Consequently wisdom was in this respect no better than "mad...
  • Again Solomon urged the enjoyment of life (v. 18; cf. 2:24-26; 3:12-13, 22), but he warned of some obstacles to that enjoyment. Solomon was not advocating hedonism but the simple enjoyment of life day by day (v. 18). In other...
  • In 1:12-6:9, Solomon demonstrated that all work is ultimately futile for two reasons. It does not yield anything really permanent under the sun. Moreover we can never be sure we will enjoy the fruits of our labor before we di...
  • In conclusion Solomon repeated his original thesis (v. 8; cf. 1:2) and his counsel in view of life's realities (vv. 13-14). In between these statements he set forth his source of authority for writing what we have in Ecclesia...
Back to Commentary Page


created in 0.04 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA