The first two or three verses give the subject of this book. “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun?” This expression “under the sun” occurs no less than twenty-eight times in the twelve chapters, and gives the character of the book. It describes life “in Adam,” and seeks an answer to the questions, What is best for man? how should he spend his life to be happy on earth? The writer speaks as a human philosopher in his wanderings. Sometimes he gets near the truth, but at other times he is far removed from it. Hence some passages state man’s false conclusions: Compare for example, Eccl. 3:18-2218I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? 22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him? (Ecclesiastes 3:18‑22); Eccl. 7:16-1716Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? (Ecclesiastes 7:16‑17); Eccl. 8:1515Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15). The direct divine teaching is contained in the last few verses of the book. The last two verses answer the searchings of Ecclesiastes 1:1313And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. (Ecclesiastes 1:13) and Ecclesiastes 2:33I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. (Ecclesiastes 2:3).
Solomon, who is the writer, goes through his experience both of wisdom and of riches, of labor, and of all that his heart as a man could desire (and who can come after the king?); and records it by inspiration, so that when he proves it all to be but vanity and vexation of spirit it is not the mere utterance of a disappointed man, but divinely recorded conviction. The actions are characterized by being done “under the sun,” and without any thought of their being performed Godward. Man is not regarded as in direct relationship with God, though responsible to his Creator. The name of Jehovah does not once occur.
Ecclesiastes 1-2. “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing,” therefore Solomon searched his heart (Eccl. 1:13,1613And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. (Ecclesiastes 1:13)
16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. (Ecclesiastes 1:16); Eccl. 2:1,31I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 2:1)
3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. (Ecclesiastes 2:3)) as to mirth, wine, wisdom, folly, and great works. His heart was in despair, and he concluded that there was nothing better than for a man to enjoy good in his labor and in the gifts of God.
Ecclesiastes 3. Man is shown that he is in a time state: there is a time for everything “under the heaven,” but only “a time.” God made everything beautiful in its time: He hath set “the age” in man’s heart (Eccl. 3:1111He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)). (The word rendered “world” in the AV in this verse is olam, often translated “ever” and “everlasting.” Some translate “he hath set eternity in their heart,” but the sense doubtless is that man’s heart can only naturally embrace the age characterized by time.) “No man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” God is working out His own end during this time state: man lives in time, but what God does shall be forever. God will judge the righteous and the wicked, but as far as man’s real knowledge extends he dies as the beast dies. This is only man’s conclusion drawn from beholding what takes place under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4. Sorrow is expressed for the oppression and injustice that exist in a sinful world, with no effectual comfort and remedy. The poor, the rich, and the sluggard are spoken of, and the evil results of folly in private affairs (Eccl. 4:7-117Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labor; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. 9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? (Ecclesiastes 4:7‑11)), and in political life (Eccl. 4:13-1613Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. (Ecclesiastes 4:13‑16)).
Ecclesiastes 5. Piety is brought in, and conduct in the house of God; caution as to vows, and a call to fear God. He is above every oppression on the earth, and takes knowledge of it all. In Ecclesiastes 5:9-179Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? 12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 15As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. 16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath labored for the wind? 17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. (Ecclesiastes 5:9‑17) agricultural life is contrasted with commercial life, with its anxieties and varying fortunes. Again the writer concludes that it is good and comely to eat and drink and enjoy the good that God gives.
Ecclesiastes 6. There is vanity in connection with having riches and not being able to enjoy them; respecting children, old age, and the wanderings of man’s desire: life is a shadow.
Ecclesiastes 7. Divers things are compared: the better things are a good name, sorrow, the rebuke of the wise, the end of a thing, and wisdom. The strange sight in Ecclesiastes 7:1515All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. (Ecclesiastes 7:15) makes the writer try a middle course between righteousness and wickedness, still retaining a certain fear of God. But in that middle course he was wrong: wisdom was far from him. Wisdom has its difficulties, which man cannot solve. He learned that there is not a just man upon the earth that sinneth not: God made man upright, but they sought out many inventions.
Ecclesiastes 8. Kings should be respected: they are God’s ministers to repress evil. The sinner and the righteous are contrasted, and it is well with them that fear God; but the work of God, in His providential dealing, is mysterious and past finding out.
Ecclesiastes 9. Things happen alike to the righteous and the wicked: both die. Hence the writer wrongly advises a life of self-indulgence, for God appears indifferent to all that is done. A “poor wise man” delivered a city by his wisdom, but he was forgotten.
Ecclesiastes 10. Observations on wisdom and folly. Wisdom has its advantages for this life, both to the wise man himself and to others. It is not good for a land for its king to be a child and the princes incapable.
Ecclesiastes 11. Exhortations are given to cast “bread” and “sow seed” on all occasions and in all places: all will not be lost. The works of God cannot be fully known: the more that is known shows how much there is unknown. The wisest arrives as it were at a blank wall, beyond which all is unknown. The young man is advised to enjoy himself while he yet lives, but God will bring him into judgment for all.
Ecclesiastes 12. The Creator is to be remembered in the days of youth. Decrepitude and death are described: man is overtaken by death ere he has found out true wisdom. In Ecclesiastes 12:88Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 12:8) the gropings of the philosopher under the sun are over: he comes back to his starting point, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.” A distinct division follows. Sinful man should not expect happiness except in God. “The whole of man” (not his duty, but the one thing for man, the one principle of life), is to “fear God and keep his commandments.” God will bring every work into judgment.
Such is a slight sketch of the contents of the Book of Ecclesiastes. There is no question therein of grace or of redemption. It is the experience of a man, and he a king with wisdom and riches, respecting human life, with an attempt to solve all the anomalies that exist in the world, while viewing them “under the sun.” They can only be solved, or peacefully left unsolved, by the wisdom which cometh from above. It is only in the New Testament that we get “new creation,” that rises above the perplexities of fallen humanity, and reveals “eternal life” that is in God’s Son.
The Book of Ecclesiastes has been a great puzzle to many of the learned. They cannot understand how a king like Solomon could have had such an experience or have written such a book. They judge that it must have been written long after, as when the Jews were under the rule of the Persians, and that Solomon was only personated by the writer. It is plainly seen in their arguments that they overlook that which runs through the book, and which is the key to its being understood, namely, that all is viewed from man’s point of view, expressed as “under the sun.” When Solomon rises above this, as he does in the Proverbs, how different his experience, and the wisdom is divine. Then he speaks much of Jehovah, the name of relationship, which name, as said above, does not occur in the Book of Ecclesiastes.