A Study Commentary on Ecclesiastes

Richard P. Belcher, Jr

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© Richard P. Belcher, Jr 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

First published 2014

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data available

ISBN: 978-0-85234-985-4

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are the author’s own translation.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

The authorship of Ecclesiastes

1. The historical setting

2. The Hebrew of Ecclesiastes

3. The term Qohelet

The Genre of Ecclesiastes

Different approaches to Ecclesiastes

1. The Heterodox Qohelet

2. The Orthodox Qohelet

3. The Struggling Qohelet

Hermeneutical keys for understanding Ecclesiastes

1. Qohelet’s epistemology

2. The meaning of hebel

3. The phrase ‘under the sun’

4. The question of ‘gain’ and the calls to enjoyment

5. The breakdown of the deed-consequence relationship

The identity of Qohelet and the danger of speculative wisdom

Preaching and teaching Ecclesiastes

1 The prologue: an exploration of the nature of the world (1:1–11)

The superscription (1:1)

The motto (1:2)

The key question of the book (1:3)

An introductory poem: the wonder of creation or the futility of effort? (1:4–11)

The futility of the natural world (1:4–7)

The futility of the human world (1:8–11)

Homiletical implications

2 Qohelet’s search for meaning under the sun (1:12–2:26)

The failure of wisdom (1:12–18)

The failure of pleasure (2:1–11)

Homiletical implications

The failure of wisdom in light of folly and death (2:12–17)

Homiletical implications

The failure of the results of labour (2:18–23)

Homiletical implications

Advice when life does not make sense (2:24–26)

Homiletical implications

3 The search for understanding the role of human beings: does God make any difference? (3:1–22)

The poem on time (3:1–8)

Qohelet’s reflections on the poem on time: the frustrating work of God (3:9–15)

Qohelet’s reflections on injustice: man has no advantage over beasts (3:16–22)

Homiletical implications

4 The frustration of unfulfilled expectations (4:1–6:9)

The frustration of loneliness met in companionship (4:1–16)

Political power oppresses with no one to comfort (4:1–3)

The Frustrations of Labour Alleviated through Companionship (4:4–12)

The fleeting nature of political power (4:13–16)

Homiletical implications

Caution in approaching God in worship? (5:1–7 [Heb. 4:17–5:6])

Corruption among government officials (5:8–9 [Heb. 5:7–8])

Homiletical implications

Unfulfilled expectations related to wealth (5:10–6:9 [Heb. 5:9–6:9])

General dissatisfaction with wealth (5:10–17 [Heb. ...