Title: Is Life Really Meaningless? (1)
Series: An Introduction to Ecclesiastes
Author: Brian Fletcher
Text: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
Context and Introduction: On the surface, the book of Ecclesiastes sounds quite desperate and despairing. It definitely does not sound like advice that should be in the Bible. There seems to be no hope or meaning to anything, therefore we should just, "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die."
However, we must remember that Ecclesiastes is considered to be wisdom literature. So, when reading a wisdom book, one must take that into consideration. Here are a few principles to remember when studying wisdom literature.
- Not all wisdom literature is the same. Ecclesiastes, Job, Proverbs, Song of Solomon are different types of books within the wisdom literature genre. For instance, in Proverbs we see much of the book made up of pithy sayings, and principles, not promises. While Job is wisdom told as a story.
- Wisdom literature uses both literal sayings and metaphorical sayings. It is important to discern the difference.
- Wisdom literature often expresses the limits of human knowledge, leaving questions that only God can answer.
- Wisdom literature often explores deep existential and transcendent questions as well as emotional struggles. It is important to understand how the particular Scriptures are communicating these things.
- Wisdom literature employs poetic methods like parallelism, repetition, contrasts, hyperbole, and chiasms to make a point.
Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon at the end of his life. If you take a closer look at Solomon's life then the book will make a lot more sense.
Solomon was given wisdom from God and therefore considered the wisest man to live in his time. People would come from all over the world to listen to his wisdom (see 1 Kings 10 about the Queen of Sheba).
Solomon was the King of the greatest nation, so he had tremendous power and influence.
Solomon had acc ...
Series: An Introduction to Ecclesiastes
Author: Brian Fletcher
Text: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
Context and Introduction: On the surface, the book of Ecclesiastes sounds quite desperate and despairing. It definitely does not sound like advice that should be in the Bible. There seems to be no hope or meaning to anything, therefore we should just, "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die."
However, we must remember that Ecclesiastes is considered to be wisdom literature. So, when reading a wisdom book, one must take that into consideration. Here are a few principles to remember when studying wisdom literature.
- Not all wisdom literature is the same. Ecclesiastes, Job, Proverbs, Song of Solomon are different types of books within the wisdom literature genre. For instance, in Proverbs we see much of the book made up of pithy sayings, and principles, not promises. While Job is wisdom told as a story.
- Wisdom literature uses both literal sayings and metaphorical sayings. It is important to discern the difference.
- Wisdom literature often expresses the limits of human knowledge, leaving questions that only God can answer.
- Wisdom literature often explores deep existential and transcendent questions as well as emotional struggles. It is important to understand how the particular Scriptures are communicating these things.
- Wisdom literature employs poetic methods like parallelism, repetition, contrasts, hyperbole, and chiasms to make a point.
Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon at the end of his life. If you take a closer look at Solomon's life then the book will make a lot more sense.
Solomon was given wisdom from God and therefore considered the wisest man to live in his time. People would come from all over the world to listen to his wisdom (see 1 Kings 10 about the Queen of Sheba).
Solomon was the King of the greatest nation, so he had tremendous power and influence.
Solomon had acc ...
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