BibleProject | One Story That Leads to Jesusਨਮੂਨਾ

For a book in the “wisdom literature” category, Ecclesiastes often sounds pretty cynical about the advantages of wisdom. If the wise and foolish go down to the same grave, what’s the point?

But Qohelet’s view of wisdom integrates more nuance as he continues. Like the book of Proverbs, Qohelet acknowledges that those who live by Yahweh’s wisdom do tend to enjoy longer, fuller, more peaceful lives than self-centered fools.

As we learned from the book of Job, however, the moral logic of Proverbs offers no guarantees. Qohelet knows all too well that the connection between moral behavior and consequences is uncertain at best. Undeserved tragedy strikes people every day. The righteous suffer. The wicked thrive. Oppression runs rampant down streets starved for justice. It’s hevel (“meaningless” or “vain”), through and through.

Good moral living guarantees nothing, says Qohelet, and trying to control life’s outcomes any other way works as well as grabbing a fistful of smoke. But he suggests that by accepting our inability to control, we can relax and experience the day-to-day joys of life with one another.

Tragedy can strike at any time. Savor a hearty meal with friends and neighbors. Take a sip from your favorite chilled glass. Kick up your feet after an honest day’s work. These simple pleasures are God’s gifts, and maybe they’re even the point.

Reflection Questions

• Meditate on Qohelet’s observations about wisdom in today’s reading. Where do Qohelet’s views align with the logic of Proverbs? Where does Qohelet offer an alternative perspective?
• Take a moment to read James 1:17 and 4:13-17. What does James teach about God’s good gifts and living wisely in an uncertain world? What hyperlinks do you notice to Ecclesiastes?