Ecclesiastes 7:18
Verse
Context
Sermons
C.H. Spurgeon
K.P. YohannanSummary
Commentary
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
"It is good that thou holdest fast to the one," - viz. righteousness and wisdom, - and withdrawest not thy hand from the other, - viz. a wickedness which renounces over-righteousness and over-wisdom, or an unrestrained life; - for he who fears God accomplishes all, i.e., both, the one as well as the other. Luther, against the Vulg.: "for he who fears God escapes all." But what "all"? Tyler, Bullock, and others reply: "All the perplexities of life;" but no such thing is found in the text here, however many perplexities may be in the book. Better, Zckler: the evil results of the extreme of false righteousness as of bold wickedness. But that he does not destroy himself and does not die before his time, is yet only essentially one thing which he escapes; also, from Ecc 7:15, only one thing, אבד, is taken. Thus either: the extremes (Umbr.), or: the extremes together with their consequences. The thought presents a connected, worthy conclusion. But if ěth-kullam, with its retrospective suffix, can be referred to that which immediately precedes, this ought to have the preference. Ginsburg, with Hitzig: "Whoso feareth God will make his way with both;" but what an improbable phrase! Jerome, with his vague nihil negligit, is right as to the meaning. In the Bible, the phrase ה ... יחא, egressus est urbem, Gen 44:4, cf. Jer 10:20, is used; and in the Mishna, יצא את־ידי חובתו, i.e., he has discharged his duty, he is quit of it by fulfilling it. For the most part, יצא merely is used: he has satisfied his duty; and יצא לא, he has not satisfied it, e.g., Berachoth 2:1. Accordingly יחא - since ěth-kullam relates to, "these ought he to have done, and not to leave the other undone," Mat 23:23 - here means: he who fears God will set himself free from all, will acquit himself of the one as well as of the other, will perform both, and thus preserve the golden via media.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
this . . . this--the two opposite excesses (Ecc 7:16-17), fanatical, self-wise righteousness, and presumptuous, foolhardy wickedness. he that feareth God shall come forth of them all--shall escape all such extremes (Pro 3:7).
John Gill Bible Commentary
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this,.... This advice, as the Arabic version, in the several branches of it; neither to be over much righteous or wicked, and over much wise or foolish; to avoid the one and the other, to keep clear of extremes, and pursue the path that is safest; such advice as this it is right to lay hold on, embrace, and hold fast; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand; from what follows concerning the fear of God; or "this and this" may be rendered "this and that" (c), and the sense be, lay hold on this, that is, the last part of the advice, not to be over much wicked or foolish, which is often the cause of an immature death; and do not slacken or be remiss in regarding that other and first part of it, not to be over much righteous or wise; for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all; or escape them all; the phrase is become Rabbinical, that, is, he shall be free or exempt from them all; from over much righteousness and over much wisdom, and over much wickedness or over much folly; the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, is the best preservative from, and antidote against, these things; for a man that fears God is humble, and renounces his own righteousness, and distrusts his own wisdom; he fears to commit sin, and shuns folly. (c) So Broughton, Rambachius, and others.
Ecclesiastes 7:18
The Limits of Human Wisdom
17Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
The Bride's Response on the Wedding Day (Rev. 19:1-10)
By Mike Bickle221:13:24JudgmentPreparation of the BridePSA 139:23ECC 7:18ISA 42:14JER 23:20MAT 11:28MRK 9:24LUK 18:7JHN 5:22JHN 14:1REV 19:1Mike Bickle emphasizes the significance of the Bride's response on the wedding day as depicted in Revelation 19:1-10, highlighting the connection between the judgment of the harlot Babylon and the preparation of the Bride for Christ. He explains that the Bride will proclaim agreement with God's judgments, recognizing their role in increasing salvation and glory. Bickle stresses the importance of understanding God's judgments as expressions of His love and wisdom, and encourages believers to prepare themselves now by aligning with God's purposes. The sermon calls for a deeper understanding of the relationship between judgment and salvation, urging the church to embrace the truth of God's leadership.
Sins of Ignorance
By C.H. Spurgeon0InadvertenceThoughtfulness in ActionsPSA 119:105PRO 4:26ECC 7:18ROM 12:2EPH 5:15COL 3:2JAS 1:5C.H. Spurgeon addresses the 'Sins of Ignorance,' emphasizing that many wrongdoings stem from inadvertence and a lack of thoughtful consideration. He points out that people often act carelessly, leading to unintentional sins due to neglect and haste in their daily lives. Spurgeon urges the congregation to take time to reflect on their actions, advocating for a life that is a careful work of art rather than a hurried production. He laments that in our fast-paced world, we prioritize quantity over quality, missing the opportunity to align our thoughts with God's will. Ultimately, he calls for a deeper awareness and intentionality in our lives to avoid the pitfalls of thoughtless living.
A Life of Balance
By K.P. Yohannan0Faith and ServiceBalance in LifePRO 3:5ECC 7:18K.P. Yohannan shares his childhood experiences of navigating a flooded river in a canoe, illustrating the importance of balance in life and ministry. He emphasizes that just as he learned to balance on the canoe amidst rushing waters, we too must cultivate a balanced foundation in our thoughts and service to sustain a healthy life grounded in God's grace. The sermon draws from Ecclesiastes 7:18, highlighting that fearing God allows us to grasp both aspects of life without letting go of our faith. Yohannan encourages listeners to maneuver through life's challenges by being rooted in the Word of God.
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
"It is good that thou holdest fast to the one," - viz. righteousness and wisdom, - and withdrawest not thy hand from the other, - viz. a wickedness which renounces over-righteousness and over-wisdom, or an unrestrained life; - for he who fears God accomplishes all, i.e., both, the one as well as the other. Luther, against the Vulg.: "for he who fears God escapes all." But what "all"? Tyler, Bullock, and others reply: "All the perplexities of life;" but no such thing is found in the text here, however many perplexities may be in the book. Better, Zckler: the evil results of the extreme of false righteousness as of bold wickedness. But that he does not destroy himself and does not die before his time, is yet only essentially one thing which he escapes; also, from Ecc 7:15, only one thing, אבד, is taken. Thus either: the extremes (Umbr.), or: the extremes together with their consequences. The thought presents a connected, worthy conclusion. But if ěth-kullam, with its retrospective suffix, can be referred to that which immediately precedes, this ought to have the preference. Ginsburg, with Hitzig: "Whoso feareth God will make his way with both;" but what an improbable phrase! Jerome, with his vague nihil negligit, is right as to the meaning. In the Bible, the phrase ה ... יחא, egressus est urbem, Gen 44:4, cf. Jer 10:20, is used; and in the Mishna, יצא את־ידי חובתו, i.e., he has discharged his duty, he is quit of it by fulfilling it. For the most part, יצא merely is used: he has satisfied his duty; and יצא לא, he has not satisfied it, e.g., Berachoth 2:1. Accordingly יחא - since ěth-kullam relates to, "these ought he to have done, and not to leave the other undone," Mat 23:23 - here means: he who fears God will set himself free from all, will acquit himself of the one as well as of the other, will perform both, and thus preserve the golden via media.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
this . . . this--the two opposite excesses (Ecc 7:16-17), fanatical, self-wise righteousness, and presumptuous, foolhardy wickedness. he that feareth God shall come forth of them all--shall escape all such extremes (Pro 3:7).
John Gill Bible Commentary
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this,.... This advice, as the Arabic version, in the several branches of it; neither to be over much righteous or wicked, and over much wise or foolish; to avoid the one and the other, to keep clear of extremes, and pursue the path that is safest; such advice as this it is right to lay hold on, embrace, and hold fast; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand; from what follows concerning the fear of God; or "this and this" may be rendered "this and that" (c), and the sense be, lay hold on this, that is, the last part of the advice, not to be over much wicked or foolish, which is often the cause of an immature death; and do not slacken or be remiss in regarding that other and first part of it, not to be over much righteous or wise; for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all; or escape them all; the phrase is become Rabbinical, that, is, he shall be free or exempt from them all; from over much righteousness and over much wisdom, and over much wickedness or over much folly; the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, is the best preservative from, and antidote against, these things; for a man that fears God is humble, and renounces his own righteousness, and distrusts his own wisdom; he fears to commit sin, and shuns folly. (c) So Broughton, Rambachius, and others.