A word on Ecclesiastes
by Ben
After reading Ecclesiastes and quoting from it a few times here on the dLog, I wanted to say a few words about exegesis. In writing my last few dLog posts, I was trying to be very careful as to capture the author's intent of each passage, while only quoting pieces of each. This book was challenging in that Qohelet often goes back and forth between his thoughts on a certain issue.
For example, in 8:1 he states that "There's nothing better than being wise," while in 8:16-17 he displays the futility of seeking wisdom. He does this several times on many different issues (wisdom, money, work, enjoying life, etc.) I think his back and forth statements on these could be interpreted in two ways:
1) As this is being written, he is trying to make up his own mind about each issue and is working through the thought process.
2) He is trying to suggest that which he sums up in 11:9 - make the most of your life, but realize that you will have to answer to God in the long run.
As I write this, I realize that the unquestionable answer to this must be the second idea as revealed in Qohelet's final words:
"Fear God.
Do what he tells you.
And that's it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it's good or evil." (Ecc. 12:13-14)
posted by Ben George @ 9:17 AM
2 Comments:
Who is Qohelet?
Ecclesiastes is one of my truly favorite books. Mostly because it defies the expectation of what a book of the Bible really is. But also because it's gritty, getting dirty with the people spreading the dirt. It's real life. And, most of all, it's wrestling. Like you pointed out, the writer is going back and forth on a lot of the issues and it takes the whole thing before he makes up his mind on the whole debate. I like seeing his thought process and enjoying it with him. And I love that the answer is probably the simplest (Occham's razor?). Fear God. Do what he tells you. And that's it. I mean, that's a lot, but that's it :)
Qohelet is the author...well, actually, he's the guy whose thought process we are following. The whole thing was written down by somebody else. We get that person's thoughts at the beginning and the end of the book.
And yes, a bit o' Occham's razor. Thank you Contact.
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