A Biblical Interpretation

This excerpt contains opinions about Ecclesiastes first chapter. In Hebrew the Book’s name is spelled, Qohelet, which refers to the speaker of an assembly. Ecclesiastes is located in the Old Testament of the Bible and is believed to be written about 900 BC during the time of King Solomon’s time on Earth. I think it was included in the Bible not only because of its contents but because of its author. According to online sources, “bible.org,” one of the main purposes of the book of Ecclesiastes is to affirm that the meaning of life is not in life, but in the One who gives life. What I take from this is that God, the Teacher, the Lord, the Holy One, is the Ultimate Giver of life and as we are made in His image, we also give life. Whether this is in Creation of Art, interaction with people, childbirth, or actually growing and raising plants and livestock, as creators we must remember that there is an all knowing all seeing creator who created us. I kind of refer it to the line in the song Simple Man, that goes, “but don’t forget my son, there is someone, up above.” I think this holds a meaning to many people and in a sense. Also, the book of Ecclesiastes is the search for the ultimate maxim, or statement of truth, to explain the nature of life. However is it said that “life cannot be found in the store house of wisdom.” It is a gift from God given to be used in a responsible, yet rewarding fashion. It is eternal, we come we go and in Ecclesiastes, we learn. It is traditionally ascribed that the author, King Solomon, believed in monotheism, and in protecting people in his kingdom as well as goodwill for them all. He proposes a rhetorical question as he asks in verse three of Ecclesiastes. “What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?” He says generations come and go but basically as the world goes around that people should enjoy their work, not to slave away all day, is what I basically got from the passage and think that he meant when he goes on to write verses four through eleven. This I take it to mean that he really genuinely cared for people in general, that he wanted more for them than just to have a job or work all day, that their was more to life than producing things and building things, which I find amusing because of all of the work he had put into his temple. He probably had many views about the world, but he states that the sun sets and the sun rises, he goes on to say that the earth never changes. Maybe he believed that people can change but their playgrounds stay the same. The world is the world, I think as a precursor to Jesus Christ, Solomon, would be one to say bring heaven to Earth because as the world is as it is, it is through ourselves that we can achieve greater things. I feel like he put an emphasis on this because he did not want people to be miserable, otherwise I think he would not have included verse three, however I must admit it is a relief to hear after such a morose beginning when he stated everything is meaningless. I would say he is somewhat pessimistic in this sense but at the same time more or less a humanist. At the end of the chapter he says to increase knowledge is to increase sorrow, the greater my wisdom the greater my grief. It is only after he states what is missing cannot be recovered does he make this statement, and I feel that one concept he could be referring to is time. After spending many years searching for wisdom one finds things answered in different ways, according to my personal experience. With each question comes a lesson in life, and to King Solomon’s experience who set out to even learn madness and folly, the possibilities are endless. I think it could be said, as is stated to be the teacher, there are some things that it is ok not to learn about, because as a teacher, King Solomon basically says to acquire wisdom is to acquire grief, however this does not mean, in my opinion that it is foolish to learn. In a way he does kind of make light of a very pessimistic and dark subject and rather puts himself as an example. “Look at me,” he says, “this is what I said and did, and I am miserable,” similarly to the man who states how sick he feels after drinking a couple bottles of wine. His exact words were I am wiser than any of the kings and have greater knowledge and wisdom only to say that this brought him grief. Since as I have heard about his many wives, it could have merely been a call to a party, or in fact a lesson for his children. However, when he says in some translations, all is vanity, and in some translations, all is meaningless, what I think he really means is to put first things first, prioritize, and stick to what you know. It was my girlfriend that once said that “life is vanity,” if I might quote her and I think she would have gotten along with Solomon. Although in one hand I would probably have ended up like Bathsheba’s husband if they talked for too long, (Like father, like son), (due to her beauty and grace), she did have a point. In a material world, she is a material girl, although she is not material, a mother and friend at this time…she brought up the point to enjoy this world can sometimes be vain. We take joy and pride in God’s creation and while sometimes things that are physically attractive can be all around us if we are in the right place in the right time. I think Ecclesiastes was merely preparing the way for Jesus when he said, if your eye makes you sin, cut it out.. and so on when this verse was written. King Solomon might even be might even be passing down knowledge from his father, who visited an oracle, when he implies that increased wisdom brings grief. For sometimes things seem to take too long, it can be like it is an eternity, although I am not there yet. I would say for my personal experience, I don’t really know if I ever would want to see a witch or talk to the dead, at least that is while I am still alive. And in an infinite universe, with endless possibilities, some things are worth searching for, but if one is always searching mindlessly they cannot stop to enjoy the gifts that have been given. In one interpretation, life itself is a gift from God, precious and Holy. It has been stated that ignorance is bliss and knowledge is power. And as a powerful man, King Solomon still said he had grief. It was in The matrix that the character cypher said that ignorance is bliss. I think King Solomon would agree. One thing I do agree with, however, is that everything under the sun has been done before and that there is nothing new. Taken out of context, this can be very inspiring because although this was done before Jesus time, even the dead have been raised. It brings hope in all situations. Walls have been broken down, bridges mended, relationships have lasted through thick and thin, people have been healed, and men have walked on the moon. Like Solomon said there is nothing new so to say that on Judgement Day there is something horrible that God will not forgive is out of the question because it has all been done before and as God’s children even murderers have been let go and forgiven. Take Barabbas for example in an Earthly sense, but as the Good Lord proposes to those who might follow, who was a descendent of the writer of this passage, as I speak to you of Earthly things, how will you understand heavenly things? I believe King Solomon was a preacher of both as well, but at the same time, mainly was concerned with leading his people through hard times and bringing them to worship.