Eccl. 7:11-14 - Wealth, Wisdom, and Eternal Purpose - Exegesis.
In our American church context, we are all wealthy compared to the rest of the world. So there is much for us to learn from Solomon's wisdom for wealthy people in this section of Ecclesiastes.
It seems that wealthy people can produce more self-inflicted hardship than those who are poor. The pitfalls that Solomon addresses are consistent issues that he knew from experience.
Ecclesiastes 7:11-12
Wealth is always better when actively coupled with wisdom. Whether you are rich in things or knowledge, both are protected by wisdom. Wisdom leads to life (Proverbs 8:35). "Wealth is to be enjoyed, and that wealth coupled with wisdom leads to eternal purpose, not just for living in the here and now." When we apply wealth and wisdom to living with purpose, we find what it means to live with joy.
Good things can dominate our existence as people of means, but we cannot let it distract us from knowing and understanding wisdom. Wisdom can be defined simply as living the Bible, so we have to know it! The more we have, the more we should devote ourselves to God. And we must make sure to live what we know. Knowing has to give birth to living.
Ecclesiastes 7:13-14
God superintends both affliction and prosperity. We don't control these things. We only live with wisdom under them. Grace enables us to persevere with patience. The primary way out that God provides in affliction is always God's Word. We must search for it and pray for His wisdom before going to other people or attempting to change our circumstances.
Walter Kaiser paraphrased these verses: "Look with wonder, admire, and silently wait for the result of God's work. The contrasts of life are deliberately allowed by God so that men should ultimately develop a simple trust and dependence on Him. For prosperity and the goods from God's hand, be thankful and rejoice. But in adversity and the crookedness of life, think. Reflect on the goodness of God and the comprehensiveness of his plan for men."
God allows affliction, but He never tempts a person to sin (James 1:12-15). Warren Wiersbe's practical commentary on Ecclesiastes says, "The Lord knows how much hardship to give you to keep you humble, and he knows how many good things to give you to keep you happy."
This is a hard truth to understand, but one we must wrestle our hearts and minds to accept. Philippians 1:12-30 shows that affliction is God's grace to develop us into Christ-likeness. "We are learning to cooperate with the inevitable."
Warren Wiersbe also commented, "The call to wisdom is not a summons to slavish fatalism. It is a sensible invitation to a life yielded to the Word of God. And if God makes something crooked, He is even able to make it straight; and perhaps He will as He works in us to get His job done." Are we okay with the situations that God allows in our lives? We are called to wrestle ourselves to joy whatever our circumstances (Ecclesiastes 8:15).
If God's grace is powerful enough to save us, it's powerful enough to sanctify us. It is stronger than anything that has happened in our past. Where the effects of sin abound, grace abounds more (Romans 5:20-21). We must believe it and embrace the grace available to us! Healthy people who have embraced grace can then live with eternal purpose.
We cannot predict the future. James 4:13-17 was written to a similar audience as our passage in Ecclesiastes. Consider the Lord and His Word before making plans. Failure to do so is called the darkest term for evil in the New Testament.
Application Points
• The more we have, the more we should devote ourselves to God. Do you have time in your day when you devote your heart to God's Word?
• After making sure you have consistent time in God's Word, you have to actually live out what you know! How are you putting what you learn into practice?
• God's Word is always the primary "way out" in affliction. Ask God's help as you search for it before you go to other people.
• If God's grace is powerful enough to save you, it's powerful enough to sanctify you. It is stronger than anything that has happened in your past. Believe it and embrace grace! Don't look to others for help or make excuses. If you don't believe His help is enough for you to endure your affliction, you're simply telling Him that you won't use what He has already given you.
• This pastor is not qualified to give medical advice. If anxiety or depression is a medical problem, it needs a medical solution. If, however, it is a spiritual problem, it needs a spiritual solution. It is wonderful to see God's grace working in a person's life to overcome even affliction that has been inflicted on them by another person. God's grace, His Word, His Spirit, and the comfort of His people are all resources available to us in affliction.
• If you are enduring affliction, consider Christ's affliction more than you dwell on your own (Matthew 27:27-50). He innocently endured the greatest affliction on our behalf. Consider how Job was afflicted and what was his response (Job 1:13-2:10). Then look at the joyful cloud of witnesses around you in this church who are persevering well. Draw strength from all these examples.
• Do you consider the Lord and
Wisely Analyzing Man's Character vv. 15-18
At first reading, Ecclesiastes 7:15-18 seems to advocate being a little bit wicked. But this interpretation would not fit with the rest of Scripture. Instead, Solomon is showing that excessively applying righteousness and piling on wickedness are both dangerous. We should not come to conclusions about a person's character too quickly.
The apparently overly righteous person in verse 16 is selfishly motivated. False righteousness can delude ourselves and others (Proverbs 3:7). 1 Corinthians 11:17-32 describes members of a church who had an inappropriate motive of personal gain. They emphasized form over function, and God brought consequences into their lives. Scripture is full of examples and warnings of being righteous with selfish motives.
Christ's letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3 show that the Lord grows healthy churches and closes ones that are sick (Matthew 16:18). Churches cease to function as God intends when they overemphasize a particular doctrine or avoid preaching even one. Have churches in our context promoted any extra-biblical missions to their own detriment?
Ecclesiastes 7:17 shows that both righteous and wicked extremes destroy themselves. Instead of being content with the state in life God has given, they seek to shape reality to their own desires. It is also possible to avoid both extremes but still live according to our selfish desires.
Iain Provan says that "both in their own way represent a refusal to accept the limitations God sets on mortal beings. The arrogant self-deification in which mortal beings so regularly indulge as they seek to fashion reality after their own liking makes them both guilty of sin; it is indeed self-delusional."
Churches become like their pastors. When a pastor stops following the Great Commission in his own life, the church will follow suit. That local church will lose its influence in the community, and in time, God will remove their light (Revelation 2:4-5). Leaders must not make themselves indispensable to the church; they should train others to continue to pass on the ministry (2 Timothy 2:2).
The attractional model of church that we criticize can seep in to our own approach when we invite people to church "because they might like it." We should be inviting people to Christ because we have a relationship with them long before we invite them to a church service.
Application Points
• Is it important that you appear to others as righteous? If this is only an external concern for you, examine your motives. There is likely something you are hiding, perhaps even from yourself.
• How have churches in our context promoted extra-biblical missions to their own detriment? How can we avoid doing this? What is your role in keeping your local church on mission?
• Are you content with the state in life God has given you? Or do you seek to shape the reality of your life according to your own desires?
vv. 19-22:
Looking to this counsel is to exercise true wisdom. And the next verse, another proverb, shows its value: "Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city" (Ecclesiastes 7:19). The word for "rulers" here, rendered "mighty men" in the King James Version, is the Hebrew shallitim, a rare term. The singular form had been used for the patriarch Joseph as governor in Egypt (Genesis 42:6), and Solomon uses the word for a ruler in Ecclesiastes 10:5, as even the KJV renders it. So, many see a governing council here in Ecclesiastes 7:19. Yet the word, as denoting mastery, could just refer to a powerful person- thus the KJV translation in this case. Recall that David had "mighty men" who fought for him-though the word there is the more common word gibborim, denoting strong or powerful ones, meaning warriors or leaders. Some take the term in Ecclesiastes 7:19 to likewise refer to great warriors or, more specifically, military commanders. In any case, it's clear that the referenced men are involved in military defense. As a group of powerful men serve to defend a city, so does a wise person's use of his wisdom strengthen him in vital ways. This recalls the mention of wisdom as a defense in verse 12-one that gives life. And Solomon will later note that wisdom is better than strength and weapons of war after giving an example of a poor wise man delivering a city by his wisdom (Ecclesiastes 9:13-18).
Indeed, true wisdom-not propping oneself up as wise-is crucial to governing self and to navigating interaction with others. For no one is perfect. We must understand this. Everyone sins, as Solomon states in Ecclesiastes 7:20, repeating what he said in 1 Kings 8:46 in his dedicatory prayer at the temple (in which he also stated the need for repentance and supplication). As pointed out earlier, none of us are entitled to a blissful, problem-free life. What we actually deserve is the penalty for sin-misery and death-because we all sin. Whatever life and blessing we have is through God's grace and mercy.
Proof? Solomon gives a simple common example, likely proverbial, of not getting too bent out of shape when others, even those you trust, badmouth you behind your back-as you know you've done the same thing (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22). We all have. We should also note the value of wisdom here in not taking everything too grievously as a way to weather the common difficulties of this life. "Sooner or later we are bound to overhear somebody saying something about us that may be unkind or untrue. Usually our first reaction is to get angry. What we ought to do instead is to let it go, realizing that it was never intended for us to hear anyway and may well have been spoken in a moment of weakness or misjudgment. It is foolish for us to eavesdrop. 'If all men knew what each said of the other,' [17th-century philosopher Blaise] Pascal darkly observed, 'there would not be four friends in the world'" (PTW, pp. 172-173).
Ecc/ 7:11-22 Rittenbaugh Commentary
Ecclesiastes 7:11-12
Proverbs 8:1-11, 32-36 provides an understandable overview of the importance of wisdom, spelling out why it is superior to wealth:
Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors: to you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart. Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them. They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. . . .
Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.
Jesus teaches in Matthew 13:22, "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." Wealth has a way of deceiving a person. Anyone is susceptible. When a person is poor, he can be deceived into imagining that, if he were rich, he would be happy. When he is rich, he deludes himself that, if he were only richer, he would be content.
The problem is not the wealth. The problem is in the heart because of what we have been taught by our culture about wealth's protective capacity. That belief is often a delusion, since the common understanding regarding wealth is not from God. This delusion really has no end because human nature, without God's help, is insatiable. In contrast, godly wisdom is perfectly balanced and feeds the heart with the right thoughts.
There is no doubt that people of sufficient wealth use it to protect themselves from much of the unpleasantness of life in the world. They tend to eat more nutritious food, which often costs more. They may be careful where they shop; they may make their homes into virtual fortresses; they may travel about only at certain times; they may not make an ostentatious display of their wealth, but they may surround themselves with guards for protection. Wealth is indeed a symbol of strength.
The last statement in Ecclesiastes 7:12 says that "wisdom gives life to those who have it." What a gift! At this point, its superiority over wealth becomes very apparent. Wealth can shelter a person from certain classes of physical evils, but it can do nothing against the far more formidable and dangerous spiritual and moral evils that endanger the continuation of life.
Wealth may even promote involvement in the temptations of moral evil. It cannot protect one from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life, which may open the door to destroying the person's life. Wealth cannot purchase entrance into the Kingdom of God. God's wisdom arms His people against those foes of eternal life. God-given wisdom can motivate an individual to give himself to God in humble submission.
Conversely, wealth may prove an obstacle because it opens a door to spending it for one's own pleasures.
Wisdom is a greater strength because this kind of wisdom is a gift from the Creator, who expects it be used spiritually to enhance the relationship with Him through prayer, study, obedience, and service. If one cooperates by living by faith, God adds what we as individuals lack by giving more gifts. He can even defend us from illness, which money cannot. Can money protect one from the satanic spirits responsible for the moral breakdowns of life? In times like these, if we are living within God-given wisdom, we have the greatest, strongest, and only reliable defense available.
Wisdom gives life. In contrast, Proverbs 8:36 declares starkly, "Those who hate wisdom love death."
Solomon is comparing two powers that offer their possessors the ability to defend themselves against many of the vicissitudes of life. On the one hand is money and on the other, wisdom. Money can help one avoid and even preserve a person from many of life's difficulties. Wisdom, however, can give him something no amount of money can-life. Wisdom produces things material possessions cannot because it is insurance against willful self-destruction, whether physical or spiritual.
Consider in verse 13 literally means "to see." It counsels us to understand that some situations cannot be rectified. No amount of money or wisdom will prevent them from occurring. We can do nothing about them because circumstances are beyond our powers, and we should not fret overmuch about them. An obvious example is the impossibility of a person being able to stop wars, floods, riots, or a hurricane. Each of these can bring devastation and a great deal of personal pain that may be entirely unavoidable. All one can do in such a case is to deal with the aftereffects as wisely as possible.
Verse 14 carries on the thought, counseling us that good and bad times occur in everybody's life. There will be situations that are seemingly unjust, such as the righteous seeming not to be prospered, becoming diseased and dying young, while the evil are prospered with wealth, good health, and long, comfortable lives. These things occur in every culture on earth. We are to consider-to see-that God overrules all and is well aware of what is happening. He may even be directly involved in causing the kinds of circumstances that upset our sense of fairness (Isaiah 45:7). We must never allow our thoughts to wander from the reality of the depths of God's involvement in governing His creation.
The passage concludes by drawing our attention to the future. It is beyond our abilities to know precisely what is going to happen. How long will our present trial last? Will we be drawn into another? Are we pleasing God? Will we be prospered to a greater level? When will Christ come? Solomon is not saying we should not think about the future, but that we will never know precisely what is coming. Thus, we should not be overly concerned about it. We must live our belief that God is on His throne, which allows us to be emotionally stable.
Solomon does not begin to give an answer to the thought he is posing until verses 18-19, and even then, it is a very brief answer: "It is good that you grasp this, and also not remove your hand from the other; for he who fears God will escape them all. Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city." The combination of the fear of God and wisdom, which is the fruit of vision, appear together as a solution.
Because the circumstances he posed will affect all, Solomon's advice is to keep on following wisdom. This is a precursor to the climax of the book where he says, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). It also foreshadows Romans 8:28, where Paul writes, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
In his terse statements, Solomon is saying, "Keep on following the revelation of God, for this is wisdom. The vision of His overall purpose is wisdom. It is an unerring guide through good and bad times. Always consider-see, discern-that an unseen Hand is involved in events, even those of our seemingly insignificant lives."
The Elements of Motivation (Part Two): Vision
Ecclesiastes 7:16-20
Super-righteousness is destructive because one of its major fruits is a proud attitude of "God owes me" because of what I have accomplished. Pride destroys humility before God and is therefore deadly. How destructive? Jesus began His preaching in the Sermon of the Mount with one of the most important of all of His sayings: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). Humility begins and reinforces a right relationship.
Solomon charges us in Ecclesiastes 7:17, "Do not be overly wicked." Does he mean we should aim at being just a little bit wicked? Of course not. He knows that we are already flawed, sinning creatures: "For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin" (verse 20). He is not counseling us in any way to add sin to what we already are. His words caution against choosing to sin deliberately, for it is highly likely to lead to death. It reveals a "what's the use" attitude.
Sin is like a highly addictive drug. Solomon knows that some sin in everyone's life is inevitable because it dwells in us. But those who deliberately embrace it engrain it in their characters and are deliberately destroying the opportunity to be in God's Kingdom.
Thus, Solomon gives the solution, counseling in verse 18, "It is good that you grasp this, and do not remove your hand from the other." The Revised English Bible translates this more clearly: "It is good to hold on to the one thing and not lose hold on the other." What is he referring to? "Hold on to the one thing" refers to holding firmly to the counsel not to become super-righteous. "[Do] not lose hold on the other" refers to maintaining our grip in restraining ourselves from sinning. In other words, "Don't lose control of the character you have built."
Eccl. 7:11-22 Explained - Commentary
Ecclesiastes 7:11 "Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun."
This is speaking of someone who has inherited money and prestige. His wisdom will be considered quicker than someone of low estate. Men are respecters of persons. Wealth that is used for good purposes is good. Solomon was a good example of that, because his father David was thought so highly of.
Ecclesiastes 7:12 "For wisdom [is] a defense, [and] money [is] a defense: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it."
Wisdom and money are a protection for those who have them. Godly wisdom brings eternal life. Knowledge is accumulated learning. The more you study God's Word, the closer you are to receiving Him in His fullness.
John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
Wisdom is better than money because it provides the fulfilled life.
Ecclesiastes 7:13 "Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?"
In the last lesson, we saw Solomon complaining that things were not as good as they used to be. God does not like complaining. We cannot change God, or the things He has established. We must accept the things we cannot change. We may need to alter our lives to conform to the things God has done. We must change, not God.
Ephesians 1:11 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"
Man should consider God's activity because God is sovereign, decreeing and controlling everything under the sun (1:15).
Ecclesiastes 7:14 "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him."
Prosperity ... Adversity. God ordains both kinds of days and withholds knowledge of the future.
When things are going well, we should be happy and full of praise to God. When we are having troublesome times, we should just do the very best we can and not be disappointed. If we wait, better times will come.
Behind every dark cloud, there is a silver lining. We would not appreciate the sunshine, unless there were cloudy days.
Acts 14:22 "Confirming the souls of the disciples, [and] exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
It is as if God has given good and evil for us to compare. At the end of life, we would be able to look back over our lives and realize we had experienced both. It is our attitude toward the good days and the problem days that make us what we are.
Verses 15-22: The focus on the nature of righteousness is made clear in the statement (in verse 18), "for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all"
Be not righteous over much ... be not over much wicked (verses 16-17), does not apply the "golden mean" to morality, nor does it constitute a warning against excessive observance of religious ritual. Rather, it warns against self righteousness or the idea that one has actually achieved righteousness.
Verse 17 does not mean that moderation in wickedness is acceptable! It is an accommodation to human frailty. Solomon is saying, avoid the extreme of self righteousness and, at the same time, hold in check your wicked nature (verse 20), so it does not run its natural course to spiritual and moral ruin.
Ecclesiastes 7:15 "All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness."
Solomon is thinking on the things that seem to be unexplainable about life. Sometimes, it seems that those who live for God have the most problems in this earth. The reward promised for righteousness, is long life and prosperity. Sometimes, that does not happen in this life.
Perisheth ... prolongeth: The fact that some righteous men die young and some wicked men live long is difficult to understand (8:11-12).
The wicked seem to live on and on and to prosper. The only answer I might have for that is the fact that God is longsuffering. He gives the sinner ample time to repent. The true rewards for the righteous are the rewards they receive during their eternal life in heaven.
Ecclesiastes 7:16 "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?"
Being "righteous over much" is, possibly, speaking of the formality of religion. God does not appreciate us keeping rituals in the church. He wants a relationship with us. To make oneself wise, is to appear to others to be arrogant and conceited. These things are not wise at all, because they turn God and man against us.
Matthew 6:1-7 "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven." "Therefore when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:" "That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."
Solomon has already exhorted his readers to be righteous and wise. The warning here is against being self-righteous or pharisaical.
Ecclesiastes 7:17 "Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?"
Solomon had warned, in the previous verse, about the danger of having a form of righteousness. He now is saying, that is not a license to go out and sin. "Dying before their time" would indicate God killing them for their sins.
James 1:21 "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."
Matthew 10:28 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Ecclesiastes 7:18 "[It is] good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all."
This is expressing again, that they should live as near a righteous life as possible. They should not be a follower of God in form only, but should be a believer in their hearts. It is wrong to sin. It is also wrong to be a Christian in form only.
Luke 1:50 "And his mercy [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation."
Luke 11:42 "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
Ecclesiastes 7:19 "Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in the city."
Wisdom coupled with fear of God is one of the mightiest forces upon the earth. Godly wisdom is more help to a person than the help of ten mighty men.
Colossians 1:9-11 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;" "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;" "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;"
Wisdom strengtheneth: The measure of wisdom is its ability to bring good outcomes in life.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 "For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."
Solomon gave great emphasis to the general effects of sin and also pointed out the universality of personal transgressions. Paul may have recalled this passage when he wrote Romans:
Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
1 John 1:10 "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
We can see from all of the above Scriptures that it is the nature of men to sin. At some time or other, each of us has sinned. The wonderful thing is that Jesus took our sins upon His body on the cross. He became our substitute.
When we receive Jesus as our Savior, we are free from sin. He washed us in His precious blood, and we became righteous in the sight of God. Jesus put us in right standing with God.
Ecclesiastes 7:21 "Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:"
We must be careful not to hear accusations others make about our servant, or anyone else. Most of the time, they are not true. If we are dead in Christ, ugly things said about us will not harm us. Look, with me, at a description of those who are in right standing with God. (This is speaking of love).
1 Corinthians 13:5-7 "Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;" "Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;" "Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."
Since you have many offensive words to be forgiven, don't keep strict accounts of other's offensive words against you.
Ecclesiastes 7:22 "For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others."
How can a person blame someone else for the same sin he has committed himself? If you are honest with yourself, you know you have done a similar thing to what your servant said about you. God will forgive you, if you forgive others. God judges us with the same measure, we judge others.
James 3:9 "Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God."
Eccl. 7:11-22 Extra Commentary
1. What is good with an inheritance?
Wisdom: "Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun" (Ecclesiastes 7:11).
• There are the unwise who WASTE their inheritance because they are fools (Proverbs 21:20 and Luke 15:11-15). Remember, wisdom has value above riches (Proverbs 16:16).
2. In what way does wisdom help a person that money cannot?
It gives life to those who have wisdom: "For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it" (Ecclesiastes 7:12).
• Both can be a defense (i.e. Proverbs 10:15), but money cannot provide salvation (Psalms 49:6-9, Psalms 52:7, Proverbs 11:4, and I Timothy 6:17) as wisdom can (Proverbs 8:1; 35, and Isaiah 33:6).
3. Can anyone amend something that God has set in a certain way?
No: "Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked" (Ecclesiastes 7:13)?
• Proverbs 19:21, Isaiah 46:10, and Acts 5:34-39.
• Take time to consider the works of God (Job 37:14 and Acts 17:24-28; cf. Psalms 40:5).
4. Has God only given us days of prosperity?
No, both days of prosperity and adversity: "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him" (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
• Acts 14:22, Romans 8:17, II Timothy 3:12, I Peter 4:12-14, and I Peter 5:10; cf. Matthew 8:20.
5. Is it possible for a wicked person to have a better life in this world than a righteous person?
Yes: "All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness" (Ecclesiastes 7:15).
• They do prosper, but not in the end (Psalms 73:1-17). We should not consider just things in this life, but in the end too (Deuteronomy 32:29).
6. Must we be careful to avoid extremes in regard to righteousness, wisdom, wickedness, and foolishness?
Yes: "(16) Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? (17) Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? (18) It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all" (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18)?
• You can go too far in becoming self-righteous or applying your own wisdom (Psalms 10:5-6, Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 26:12, Romans 10:1-3, II Corinthians 10:12; 10:18, Galatians 6:3, and Revelation 3:17-19).
• You can goo to far in becoming entirely evil (Genesis 6:5, Proverbs 14:14, John 3:19-21, Acts 17:16, and II Peter 2:14) or completely foolish (Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 13:16, and Proverbs 23:9).
• We should not step back from realizing these things. For, if we fear God, we shall come forth from these sinful things (Proverbs 9:9, Acts 2:40, and II Corinthians 6:14-18).
7. Is wisdom stronger than physical strength?
Yes: "Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city" (Ecclesiastes 7:19).
• Proverbs 21:22, Proverbs 24:5, and Ecclesiastes 9:13-18.
8. Does the following Scripture apply to all times since humanity has existed: "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20)?
• No, though some may have sinned at some point (Noah & Job), there have been times where there were those who had not sinned. Most notably, Jesus never transgressed (Genesis 6:5-9, Job 1:1, Hebrews 4:14-16, I Peter 2:21-22, and I John 3:5).
• This verse doesn't lower any expectation that God has for us either (Psalms 4:3-4, Romans 6:1-2, I Corinthians 15:34, II Corinthians 7:1, Titus 2:11-14, I Peter 1:13-16, I John 2:1, and I John 3:8-10).
9. Should we take into account things we've done that are wrong when we consider what others are doing as well?
Yes: "(21) Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: (22) For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others" (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22).
• Sometimes people say foolish things about others. Be careful not to condemn something you have done (Matthew 7:1-5), but rather give space for repentance (Matthew 18:23-34 [not teaching unconditional forgiveness; Luke 17:3-4] and John 8:1-11.
• Remember what you once were (Ephesians 5:8 and Titus 3:1-3).
vc
Utley - Eccl. 7:11-14 There are several key terms in interpreting this verse:
"Good" and "advantage" point toward more than just a happy life here and now. Happiness and contentment have two foci: 1. now ("wisdom" and "inheritance," both from previous generations) and 2. afterlife ("under the sun," "see the sun")
However, they are tied together. Our afterlife is affected by physical life now! Verse 12 explains Eccl. 7:11 and relates to this life, while Eccl. 7:13 and 14 relate to God's active presence in this temporal realm, but also to the implication of His continuing presence and care. He is sovereign and He is with us and for us, even when circumstances seem to scream the opposite. If the believer's joy and peace are based on physical blessings (traditional OT wisdom teaching) they can be removed or changed in a moment! No, the eyes of faith take the long look (cf. Eccl. 7:8,10) and trust in God.
I hope as a reader you recognize that my understanding of "under the sun" permeates all of my interpretations of this book. It is a basic presupposition, bias, a priori! Every commentator has these presuppositions (i.e., theological glasses). The first place to analyze an interpretation is the basic presuppositions of the interpreter. All of us have them, you know!
7:12 "protection" This is the Hebrew word for "shadow" (BDB 853), which offers protection in the desert (e.g., Ps. 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; 91:1,4). The term "shadow" was used in the sense of brevity in Eccl. 6:12, but here it is used in the sense of God's personal presence and protection (like the Exodus).
▣ "wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors" Longevity is connected to (1) the will of a sovereign God and (2) the choices of human beings (cf. Eccl. 7:17; Job 22:16; Ps. 55:23; Prov. 10:27).
7:13-14 See Contextual Insights, C. God is in control (a recurrent theme, e.g., 1:15; possibly 6:10) even though we can't always understand the why of our natural or individual circumstances! This inability to understand is purposeful (e.g., 3:11; 7:14; 8:17). Faith, not understanding, is crucial in life and death.
7:13 "to straighten" This verbal (BDB 1075, KB 1784) occurs in the OT only three times in Ecclesiastes. The first two have it contrasted with "crooked" (cf. Eccl. 1:15, Qal infinitive construct; 7:13, Piel infinitive construct). It is used of human activity in contrast to God's activity.
However, the third occurrence in Eccl. 12:9 is used in connection with human proverbs being "arranged" or "set in order' (Piel perfect). This difference shows the possibility of similar Semitic roots and the uncertainty of the intended nuances and connotations. As the inspiration of Scripture is a faith presupposition, so too, is our ability to understand it. The Spirit is active in both, yet when it comes to translation and interpretation, godly, educated, prayerful believers disagree. It is crucial for all of us affected by sin to search for the main truths of:
1. literary units and 2. paragraph/stanzas and not fight or build systematic theologies on disputed words or contexts!
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: ECCLESIASTES 7:15-18
15I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness. 16Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? 17Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.
7:15 The opening phrase of this verse goes back to the literary foil of chapters 1-2 (i.e., Solomon). The author is claiming both extensive observational wisdom, yet he also recognizes its absolute folly and futility. Experience has caused him to become pessimistic about earthly life, but hopeful (though veiled) of God's activity both now and in the future (i.e. "advantage," cf. Eccl. 1:3; 2:11; 3:9; 5:16).
This verse states the theological tension over the circumstances of the righteous vs. the wicked. The traditional theology (i.e., "the two ways") was that God materially blessed the righteous and destroyed the wicked (cf. Deuteronomy 27-28; Ps. 37:25; Prov. 2:21ff; 11:19). However, this did not always work out in life, therefore, Job, Psalm 73, and Ecclesiastes begin to question this traditional premise. This is not meant to depreciate obedience or covenant faith, but to place it in the context of a fallen world. This is not the world God intended it to be. A good Christian song at this point would be "This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."
The term "futility" (BDB 210) means "vapor" or "breath," but in Ecclesiastes it is used metaphorically to describe the transitoriness and meaninglessness of human, earthly life. It is used five times in Eccl. 7:12 and thirty three more times throughout the book (three in Eccl. 12:8). It characterizes human pursuits and activities, including wisdom and righteousness!
7:16-18 We are warned to be careful of (1) the extremes of legalism and antinomianism or (2) self estimation of one's goodness.
7:16 This verse, which seems so strange to us as NT believers, has several unusual verbs:
The last one denotes a self-deceiving spirit that trusts too much in its own efforts. These, like the self-deceiving wicked, die; sometimes unexpectedly!
The NET Bible (p. 1133) denotes that verb #4 is translated elsewhere in this stem as "to be astonished" (e.g., Ps. 143:4; Isa. 59:16; 63:5; Dan. 8:27), meaning an OT person who had heard the Deuteronomic promises of health, blessing, and prosperity for the obedient covenant partners may be surprised when the unfairness and fallenness of this age takes the life of "righteous" covenant partners early. They are also surprised when an obviously wicked person lives a prosperous, long life (cf. Psalm 73).
7:17 "Why should you die before your time" See note at Eccl. 7:12.
7:18 This is a summary statement going back to Eccl. 7:15. From the context Qoheleth seems to encourage
1. a righteous life and 2. a prolonged life both of which are related to an appropriate fear and respect for God (cf. Eccl. 3:14; 5:7; 8:12,13; 12:13; Prov. 1:7). There is evil in our world and in our hearts! God and His hidden will, goodness, and presence are fallen mankind's (cf. Eccl. 7:23; 3:11; 8:17) only hope. We cannot fully understand Him or our circumstances, but we can trust Him, obey Him, and abide in faith amidst an unpredictable earthly life!
Numbers 2 and 3 are parallel. Life is unpredictable! God's work and will are hidden! Wisdom cannot find ultimate answers! In light of this, live in fear and faith, leave the outcome to God. Avoid thinking human efforts can ever fully answer or overcome the uncertainties of this age!
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: ECCLESIASTES 7:19-22
19Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. 21Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you. 22For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.
7:19 Wisdom is a strong ally in this fallen world (cf. Eccl. 7:12; 9:13-18), but it cannot shield the believers from pain, injustice, and bad circumstances.
Please look at the beginning of this chapter where the paragraphing of different modern English translations are compared. Notice that the contextual relationship between Eccl. 7:19-22 is uncertain.
These charts at the beginning of each chapter help us decide how many truths are being addressed in each literary unit. Paragraphs are crucial in discerning related contexts. Every paragraph, or stanza in poetry, has one main truth or thought. All lines or sentences must relate to this truth. Be careful of being sidetracked on illustrations or minor points!
7:20 "who never sins" This is an affirmation of the falleness of all humanity (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:46; 2 Chr. 6:36; Job 15:14-16; 25:4; Ps. 130:3-4; 143:2; Prov. 20:9; Rom. 3:9-18,23; 1 John 1:8-2:1). This shows the foolishness of perfectionism and/or human effort (cf. Eccl. 7:16-18).
7:21-22 The writer encourages us not to take ourselves or the words of others too seriously. We often say what we do not really mean!
Another possibility is that all humans are incapable of complete righteousness (all sin, in some ways, at some times). Be careful of judging one another or reacting to insults since you, too, insult people.
J. Irwin - Eccl. 7:11-22
7. Wisdom is better than wealth (Ecclesiastes 7:11-12)
"Wisdom is as good as an inheritance and an advantage to those who see the sun, because wisdom is protection as money is protection, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner." (Ecclesiastes 7:11-12, HCSB)
As we saw earlier, this section begins and ends with the idea that wisdom is better than wisdom. Honor is better than luxury. Wisdom and money both protect a person. However, wisdom defines a person more than the things a person accumulates.
Summary: The better things come from the hand and power of God (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14)
"Consider the work of God, for who can straighten out what He has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him." (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14, HCSB)
In this section, wisdom is shown to be better than wealth. The contrast has been between earthly possessions and heavenly possessions. Jesus stated that one should not accumulate things on Earth, but things in Heaven.
""Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20, HCSB)
The reason that wisdom is better than wealth is that the heavenly is better than the earthly. Wisdom is better because wisdom comes from the hand of God. All of these experiences highlight the wisdom of God. Honor, death, mourning, sorrow, rebuke, patience, and wisdom all teach us that the better things in life, and not necessarily the easy things all come from the hand of God. As a result, one should learn to trust Him.
The familiar account of the killing of five young missionaries in the 1950s as they tried to bring the gospel to the Auca Indians in Ecuador illustrates the principle of God's goodness. Many Aucas came to faith in the aftermath of those deaths. Many young people volunteered for missions after hearing about the story. The martyrs' families had ongoing ministries. Under the metanarrative of God's providence, anything can happen. Who knows, finally, what is good? Jim Elliot's wife, Elisabeth, noted that Jim's credo was captured in the words that he had written in his Bible: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."6
Ecclesiastes 7:15-22 Great Advice About How to Live
Believe it or not, the English Department at the University of Wyoming offers a class to teach its students how to communicate with aliens. "Interstellar Message Composition," the course is called, and it is sponsored by a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). According to Wyoming's Web site, it is "the first class to enlist creative writers in a potential cosmic conversation." "We've thought a lot about how we might communicate with other worlds," the professor says, "but we haven't thought much about what we'd actually say."
One of the first assignments the instructor gives his students is to summarize the human condition in ten words or less-a short, simple statement they could send as an S.O.S. to the universe. One English major completed the assignment in just nine words: "We are an adolescent species searching for our identity."
If this is what passes for higher education in America these days, then it is hard to know whether to laugh or cry. But we should also respond with pity for what it tells us about the condition of fallen humanity. People are searching for meaning, calling in the darkness and hoping there is someone out there who can tell us who we are.
Have you discovered the meaning of life, or are you still searching? Do you understand your place in the universe, or are you still trying to figure out who you are and what you are doing here?1
The dilemma of life: The wicked's long life and the righteous' short life (Ecclesiastes 7:15)
"In my futile life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil." (Ecclesiastes 7:15, HCSB)
How can I have the strength to live this life when it seems so unfair? Answer: Depend upon God's wisdom, which is based on recognizing God as my source of strength. Solomon lists seven different ways to depend upon God's wisdom as a source of strength in this life.
HOW TO DEPEND UPON GOD'S WISDOM AS A SOURCE OF STRENGTH
1. It helps me to understand that I don't know it all (Ecclesiastes 7:15-16)
"In my futile life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil. Don't be excessively righteous, and don't be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?" (Ecclesiastes 7:15-16, HCSB)
You may want to have a fire extinguisher handy when you eat horseradish made by Ellen LaBombard of Fairmont, New York. LaBombard horseradish comes in four varieties: Regular Hot, X Hot, XXX Hot, and Too Darn Hot. One of the ingredients in her hottest horseradish used to be a secret ingredient: allyl isothiocyanate. That spice is no longer a secret.
According to the Chicago Tribune, on February 13, 1995, Ellen accidentally spilled a one-and-a-half-quart bottle of the spice in her basement. She plugged in a fan to try to air out the room, but the overwhelming vapors forced her out. She called 911, but when the Fairmont firefighters came, they too were overwhelmed-and they were wearing masks! So they called in none other than the Onondaga County Hazardous Materials Unit! They evidently were able to clean up the spill.
The fire chief later explained to the media that the liquid spice is dangerous if inhaled in large amounts. Even the finest spice can be overwhelming when we get too much of it. In the same way, the doctrines and disciplines of the Christian life must be kept in balance.2 The key is to have balance. One needs balance in life. You don't want to be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good.
2. It helps me to have faith and trust God (Ecclesiastes 7:17-18)
"Don't be excessively wicked, and don't be foolish. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them." (Ecclesiastes 7:17-18, HCSB)
God's wisdom gives me balance. Just as I am not supposed to be excessively righteous, I should not be excessively foolish. Both can be a problem. Being too seemingly holy prevents you from making an influence in other people's lives. Being foolish and wicked can cause you to not live long enough to make a difference in the lives of others.
The dogged pursuit of foolishness, just as much as the committed quest after wisdom and righteousness, brings bad consequences, for both are incompatible with the fear of God (Ecclesiastes 7:18). Both represent, in their own way, a refusal to accept the limitations God sets on mortal beings.3
So Solomon's point is not to avoid all extremes. Rather, it is to accept the human condition and to find a way of faith within it.4
To have faith means that I grasp righteousness and wisdom, but that I trust God with the results.
3. It helps me to walk wisely in this world (Ecclesiastes 7:19)
"Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers of a city." (Ecclesiastes 7:19, HCSB)
The chain of thought here is the contrast between the righteous and the wicked. Solomon observes that neither the righteous ("just") person nor the "wicked" always gets the appropriate reward (as we see in Ecclesiastes 7:15). This being the case it is no good pretending to be what one is not-very righteous or very wise. That way of life fools neither God nor neighbor and threatens to be self-destructive in its hypocrisy (as we see in Ecclesiastes 7:16-18). In contrast, the "wisdom" that skirts both temptations carries more clout than the political influence of the whole city council (Ecclesiastes 7:19).5
In this simple analogy, the Preacher imagines a city governed by a council of ten. Most cities would be fortunate to have even one wise leader to protect the city. But there is strength in numbers, and this particular city has ten good rulers to govern its civic affairs. A wise person has the strength of a well-governed city. Wisdom governs thought; so the wise person knows how to think about things in a God-centered way. Wisdom governs the will; so the wise person knows what choices to make in life. Wisdom governs speech; so the wise person knows what to say and what not to say. Wisdom governs action; so the wise person knows what to do in any and every situation. Take hold of wisdom, and it will make you strong.6
4. It helps me to ask forgiveness when I sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
"There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins." (Ecclesiastes 7:20, HCSB)
The human potential for wisdom is limited, and so is the potential for righteousness. The quest for perfection is futile in a fallen world, and even the most energetic and valiant efforts to achieve righteousness will be mixed with evil. Legalism often produces an obsession with righteousness. From the people who bring an entitlement mentality into their relationship with God because they believe they have earned enough "righteousness points" to deserve protection from all trouble, to those who make lists of every possible offense they may have committed that day, an obsession with righteousness takes many forms.7
5. It helps me to bear criticism and not criticize others (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22)
"Don't pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you, for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others." (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22, HCSB)
Even if we do not have servants to curse us, sooner or later we are bound to overhear somebody saying something about us that may be unkind or untrue. Usually our first reaction is to get angry. What we ought to do instead is let it go, realizing that it was never intended for us to hear anyway and may well have been spoken in a moment of weakness or misjudgment. It is foolish for us to eavesdrop. "If all men knew what each said of the other," Pascal darkly observed, "there would not be four friends in the world."8
