Reading for December 31st

 Read Ecclesiastes 8.10-17. In 8.10-17: No justice. The public praise given the wicked at their death and the lack of swift, clear punishment encourages people in their evil. In verse 12: In light of earlier comments, this confidence in God's justice is surprising. In verses 13-14: One cannot distinguish between the righteous and the wicked by their rewards. In verses 15-17: A summary of the book's theme. No one, not even the wise can understand what happens in life. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 30th

 Read Ecclesiastes 8.1-9. In 8.1-9: Wisdom's value and limits. In verses 2-5: Practical advice on dealing with a king. Recognize his power and do not challenge him openly. Sacred oath a pledge of loyalty to the king, made in God's name. In verses 6-8: The repetition of time and way from v. 5 allows the Teacher to reiterate the inability of humans to understand the future or to control their fates any more than they can control the wind. Comments or Questions.

Reading for December 29th

 Read Ecclesiastes 7.15-29. In 7.15-29:Practical advice. In verse 18: One ... other: Not being too wise and not being too foolish (compare vv. 16-17). In verse 20: No one ... sinning: See 1 Kings 8.46. In verse 26: The woman: decries the gossipy, frivolous woman (Prov 7). Few men, but even fewer women, are righteous. Does the book reflect an anti-female bias? In verse 29; Human beings: In Hebrew the word is singular ("adham"); the same word is translated man in v. 28. Humans (or just males?) were created good (Gen 1) but nonetheless sin. Comments or Questions.

Reading for December 28th

 Read Ecclesiastes 7.1-14. In 7.1-14: Mixture of the Teacher's ideas and traditional wisdom. Forms of Hebrew "tob" (good, and in comparative mode, better) occur ten times in this section. In verses 1-4: Death is instructive for the living, revealing the true end of all things and hence life's proper priorities. In verse 3: Made glad: Literally "made good," "improved." In verse 6: Crackling ... vanity: The words of a fool are loud but bring no long-term  benefits. In verse 7: While the Teacher contrasts wisdom with folly, he also recognizes that they are not permanent conditions; in adversity, wisdom may fail. In verses 11-12: Wisdom while not stable is good. In verse 13: Crooked: see 1.15. Since people do not receive their just rewards, one should avoid being overly pious or overly wicked. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 27th

Read Ecclesiastes  6.1-12. In 6.1-12: Frustration. In light of his previous advice, the Teacher considers the greatest evil the inability to enjoy what one has. In verse 3: In the ancient world, many children (Deut 11.21) and long life (Ps 91.16) were greatly valued. No burial: While the importance of proper burial is clear in the Older Testament (2 Kings 9.30-37), its inclusion here is a bit surprising. Stillborn child: The one who has never experienced life's pain (see the sun) is the most fortunate (4.1-3; Job 3.16). In verse 6: If one does not enjoy life, it is futile. In verse 9: Better is sight ... than the wandering desire: It is better to be content with what one has than constantly to desire more. In verse 10: See ch 1. In verse 12: A summary. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 26th

 Read Ecclesiastes 5.10-20. In 5.10-20: Insatiability of greed. One who seeks wealth for its own sake, rather than for what it can provide, cannot be satisfied. In verse 11: What can one do with possessions other than admire them? In verse 12: A romantic view of the honest laborer who sleeps after great exertion compared to the rich person who lies awake worried about acquisitions. In verse 14: While the Teacher has decried riches, he now considers the unfairness of losing wealth as a parent. In verse 15: Humans are born naked and take nothing with them when they die (Job 1.21). In verse 17: Eat in darkness: Either one is too miserly to use oil or (metaphorically) one eats without enjoyment. In verses 18-20: In light of the foregoing investigation, the Teacher advises: Accept the realities of life and find joy wherever possible. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 25th

 Read Ecclesiastes 5.1-9. In In 5.1-9: Guard yourself. These sayings parallel traditional biblical wisdom: Attentiveness is better that sacrifice (1 Sam 15.22); speech is dangerous and should be minimal (Prov 13.3); and vows require fulfillment (Deut 23.21). While the teacher advises caution in all things, he does not reject the Temple (house of God). In verse 6: Messenger: Likely a servant of the Temple, collecting the payment of a vow. In verse 7: Fear of God: A common motif in wisdom literature, affirming God's control over all matters. In verses 8-9: Injustice should surprise no one, since it is part of the structure of society. King for a plowed field: Meaning unclear, perhaps "a king is worth his upkeep" or "the benefits of an ordered society are worth the cost of social oppression," a point of view more likely at the upper end of the social hierarchy. Comments or Questions..