Reading for March 22nd

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 burialis clear inthe Old Testament (2 Kings 9.30-37), its inclusion is a bit surprising. Stillborn child: The one who has never expereinced life's pain (seen 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 of 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 March 21st

Read Ecclesiastes 5.10-20. In 5.10-20: Insatibability of greed. One who seeks wealth for it 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, especially as a parent. In verse 15; Humans are born naked and take nothing withthem when they die (Job 1.12). In verse 17: Eat in darkness: Either one is too miserly to use oil, or (metaphorically) one eats without enjoyment. In verse 18-20: In light of the forgoing investigation the teacher advises: Accept the realities of life and find joy whenever possible. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 20th

Raed Ecclesiastes 5.1-9. In 5.1-9: Guard yourself. These sayings parallel traditional biblical wisodom: Attendtiveness is better than sacrific (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 ofthe 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 likely at the upper end of the social hierarchy. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 19th

Read Ecclesiastes 4.1-16. In verses 1-12: Observationon oppression, work and riches. These obeservations and three conclusions. In verses 1-3: Based onhis observation of oppression, the Teacher concludes that those who have never experienced the tragedy of life are best. Better than: A common phrase in the book (4.6;4.9; 4.13; 5.1; 5.5) and in traditional wisdom (Prov 15.16-17). In verses 4-6: Based on his observation of competitive envy and the fate of the lazy, he concludes that more possessions are not worth more strife. In verses 7-9: Based on his observation of a single person working hard for riches and no one with whom to share, he concludes that companionship is preferable to wealth. In verse 12: Threefold cord: Since the topic has been two, the mention of three is curious; it perhaps refers generically to "streght in numbers." In verses 13-16: Reversals. Better than: See comment on 4.3. The king and youth may allude to specific people (Saul and David); Pharoah and Joseph), or the Teacher may be telling a story to make a point (see 8.10-11; 9.14-15). The tale demonstrates the power of wisdom, even to overcome social expectations, yet the hero of one age is not remembered in the next. Comment or Questions..

Reading for March 18th

Read Ecclesiastes 3.9-22. In verses 9-15: And yet. The punch line robs the reader of whatever comfort the poem has offered: While indeed all things may have their appointed times, human beings are unable to discern those times, much less use the information to their advantage. In verse 11: Sense of the past and future: Other possible translations are "sense of eternity, " "sense of the world." While humans have intimations of the cosmic dimensions of existence, their knowledge is limited. In verses 12-15: While this list of what the Teacher knows does not answer his problem, it counterbalnaces his sense of life's injustice. In verses 16-22: Injustice. If God determines the times for allthings, then God must set a time for judgment. Clearly, however, the righteous and the wicked have not yet received what they deserve (v. 17). In verse 19: Animals and humans are equal in that they die, they share the breath breathed into the human at creation (Gen 2). In verse 20 One place: Sheol, the realm of the dead (1 sam 2.6;Jon 2.2)). Early Israel had no concpt of the afterlife (either immortality or resurection), though these such ideas grew in popularity during the persian and Hellenistic periods, so that by the turn of the era the resurrection of the body was an article of belief for the Pharisees. In verse 21: Who knows? The question implies a negative answer: "No one knows." The possibility the the human spirit might survive cannot be verified empiricaly, so the Teacher returns to his conclusion: enjoy your work while you are alive (v. 22). Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 17th

Read Ecclesiastes 3.1-8. In 3.1-8: Poem on times. Contrasting extremes demonstrate that there is proper time for all dimensions of human endeavor. In verse 5: Throw away stones ... gather stones. Interpreted by some early Jewish commentators as a time for sexual relations and a time for abstinence. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 16th

Read Ecclesiastes 2.18-26. In 2.18-26: Experiement three: work. If humans are destined to die and have no control over who will enjoy the fruits of their labor, why work? The prospect is not only vanity, but indeed a great evil (v. 21). In verse 23: A grim account of the exhaustion of daily work. In verse 24: The Teacher's resulting advice: Enjoy the work itself, and don't make contentment dependent on the outcome of your labor. This ability to enjoy the task itself is seen by the Teacher as a gift from the hand of God. In verses 25-26: Though in previous verses the Teacher has attributted a common fate to all humans, here he distingusihes to work of the sinner is futile. Sinner is synonymous with fool; it does not refer to the person's moral standards. Comments or Questions..