Bible Study: Ecclesiastes

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Please illustrate how Ecclesiastes is not saying this, in that case. Since this thread is on Ecclesiastes, I like a rational being, offered an interpretation of Ecclesiastes. My interpretation does happen to agree with the Rabbinical one, but how does Ecclesiastes not say these things?

The reason why everything is futile according to Solomon is that
no matter how hard you work to attain something that you'll either
keep needing more or when you die you will have gained nothing.

I think that's approximately it anyway.

It sounds so off-message for the Bible!

I've yet to see any part of Scripture that says worldly goals are worthy of serious attention. Ecclesiastes denounces worldliness and exhorts towards other-worldliness.

No, that's not what I meant. As you describe it, Ecclesiastes sounds gloomy and nihilistic.

You lack understanding.

As I describe it, there is nothing "under the sun" that is worthwhile. GOD IS NOT UNDER THE SUN! All worldliness is but vanity and striving after wind. That is not gloomy, it is LIBERATING. Do not worry about wealth. Do not worry about worldly "wisdom". Do not worry about political power. Do not even worry about "feeling good". All of these things are empty. Do not worry about these worldly things, for they will all pass away. They are fleeting. Seek the eternal. Seek that which does not pass away. Vanity of vanities! Avoid the vanities and seek the eternal. God is not about wealth. God is not about worldly "wisdom". God is not about political power. God is not about worldly pleasure.

Okay, okay. I get it now. It's anti-materialism, like Buddhist philosophy. Putting the sacred in its proper place. Aha! I have understanding!

yeah that sums up slowmutant!

I've had to ask him not to respond to my posts. It just gets dumb and dumber.

Not only anti-materialism

It is anti our existing system.. as the entire Bible is..

Against all those in positions of power who are mis-leading us.

The judgments are just as valid today.. as they were back then.

Not so much has changed really.

Buddhism also says much the same.. but with out the anger.. and the judgments.

The Bible is written like a legal case..

God.. judging mankind.. for disobedience towards God's Law..... which is.. love your neighbour..

A law most of us.. still disobey today.

The prophets felt a great deal of pain and sorrow.. because what they were teaching was being ignored..

They wanted a better world.. the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

"For in the abundance of wisdom there is an abundance of
vexation, so that he that increases knowledge increases pain."

Because wisdom takes us to the heights of idealism... a dream.. that maybe.. will never come true.. of course.. the prophets felt frustrated by this.

And.. as it says in the gospels.. even Jesus wept.

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"And I myself returned that I might see all the acts of oppression that are being done under the sun, and, look! the tears of those being oppressed, but they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power, so that they had no comforter."


"The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man.

For the true God himself will bring every sort of work into the judgment in relation to every hidden thing, as to whether it is
good or bad."

ECCLESIASTES 4:1 + 12:13

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Teach me!

teach yourself, lazy git.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 ACV
1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.
3 Yea, better than them both [is] him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.
6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is one man who is alone, and he has not a second, yea, he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end of all his labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, [he says], do I labor, and deprive my soul of
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.
11 Again, if two lay together, then they have warmth, but how can one be warm [alone]?
12 And if a man prevails against him who is alone, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who does not know how to receive admonition any more.
14 For he came forth out of prison to be king, yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, who stood up in his stead.
16 There was no end of all the people, even of all those over whom he was. Yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

What is there to teach.. ?

Christianity has believed in this for 2000 years.. hasn't it.. ?


The truth.. of what the scriptures reveal.. is self-evident.

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"Look! This is what we have investigated. So is it.

Hear it, and you know it for yourself."

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"For we are not writing you things except those which you well know or also recognize; and I hope you will continue to recognize to the end, just as you have also recognized, to an extent, that we are a cause for you to boast, just as you will also be on the day of our Lord Jesus. He has also put his seal upon us and has given us the token of what is to come, that is, the spirit in our hearts."

Job5:27 + 2Corinthians 1:12

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That was a tongue-in-cheek remark.

My response was intended to be tongue-in-cheek in return..

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” Send out your bread upon the surface of the waters, for in the course of many days you will find it again."

Ecclesiastes 11:1

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