The Book of Ecclesiastes contains an argument that is very difficult to unfold because the ideas that connect succeeding portions of the text are not always easy to discover. This has led many a commentator to despair.
"A connected and orderly argument, an elaborate arrangement of parts, is as little to be looked for here as in the special portion of the Book of Proverbs which begins with chapter X., or as in the alphabetical Psalms."84
One of the keys to staying with Solomon in his reasoning is to understand the perspective from which he spoke. Phrases such as "under the sun"and "advantage,"and remembering how much special revelation Solomon enjoyed, are absolutely crucial to understanding what he was and was not saying. The recurrence of other key phrases such as "vanity and striving after wind,""does not know,""cannot discover,"and "you do not know"also help us. They note the movements of his thought from one section and emphasis to another. The accurate understanding of key terms such as "wise,""foolish,""prosperity,""adversity,""righteous,"and "wicked"also clarify Solomon's thought.
"Qoheleth's intent in his writing is to pass judgment on man's misguided endeavors at mastering life by pointing out its limits and mysteries. He would prefer that man replace such false and illusory hopes with a confidence based on the joy of creation as God's gift."85
What Solomon observed about life is still as true today as it was when he lived. Neither the progress of revelation nor the progress of civilization have proved the preacher's inspired book false or his advice bad.
This book needs more popular exposition than it has received because it exposes the error of modern man's ways so effectively. Bible teachers and preachers have neglected it because it is difficult to understand and expound. Nevertheless most people in our generation live in a superficial world of unreality that Ecclesiastes cuts right through. Part of our difficulty in understanding the book is that we, too, think this way and assume Solomon was speaking on this level. However, he was dealing with the more fundamental issues of human existence that not many people think or talk about today.
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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable
