Ecclesiastes 7:20
Verse
Context
Sermons
Worth Ellis
A.W. Pink
Philip DoddridgeW.J. Erdman
Harmon A. Baldwin
J.C. Ryle
John GillSummary
Commentary
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
"For among men there is not a righteous man on the earth, who doeth good, and sinneth not." The original passage, found in Solomon's prayer at the consecration of the temple, is briefer, Kg1 8:46 : "There is no man who sinneth not." Here the words might be וגו צדּיק אדם אין, there is no righteous man ... . Adam stands here as representing the species, as when we say in Germ.: Menschen gibt es keine gerechten auf Erden [men, there are none righteous on earth]; cf. Exo 5:16 : "Straw, none was given." The verification of Ecc 7:19 by reference to the fact of the common sinfulness from which even the most righteous cannot free himself, does not contradict all expectation to the same degree as the ki in Ecc 7:7; but yet it surprises us, so that Mercer and Grtz, with Aben Ezra, take Ecc 7:20 as the verification of Ecc 7:16, here first adduced, and Knobel and Heiligst. and others connect it with Ecc 7:21, Ecc 7:22, translating: "Because there is not a just man ... , therefore it is also the part of wisdom to take no heed unto all words," etc. But these are all forced interpretations; instead of the latter, we would rather suppose that Ecc 7:20 originally stood after Ecc 7:22, and is separated from its correct place. But yet the sequence of thought lying before us may be conceived, and that not merely as of necessity, but as that which was intended by the author. On the whole, Hitzig is correct: "For every one, even the wise man, sins; in which case virtue, which has forsaken him, does not protect him, but wisdom proves itself as his means of defence." Zckler adds: "against the judicial justice of God;" but one escapes from this by a penitent appeal to grace, for which there is no need for the personal property of wisdom; there is thus reason rather for thinking on the dangerous consequences which often a single false step has for a man in other respects moral; in the threatening complications in which he is thereby involved, it is wisdom which then protects him and delivers him. Otherwise Tyler, who by the עז, which the wise has in wisdom, understands power over evil, which is always moving itself even in the righteous. But the sinning spoken of in Ecc 7:20 is that which is unavoidable, which even wisdom cannot prevent or make inefficacious. On the contrary, it knows how to prevent the destruction which threatens man from his transgressions, and to remove the difficulties and derangements which thence arise. The good counsel following is connected by gam with the foregoing. The exhortation to strive after wisdom, contained in Ecc 7:19, which affords protection against the evil effects of the failures which run through the life of the righteous, is followed by the exhortation, that one conscious that he himself is not free from transgression, should take heed to avoid that tale-bearing which finds pleasure in exposing to view the shortcomings of others.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Referring to Ecc 7:16. Be not "self-righteous," seek not to make thyself "just" before God by a superabundance of self-imposed performances; "for true 'wisdom,' or 'righteousness,' shows that there is not a just man," &c.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For there is not a just man upon earth,.... Or "although", or "notwithstanding" (d), wisdom is so beneficial, and guards and strengthens a good man, yet no man has such a share of it as to live without sin; there was not then one on earth, there never had been, one, nor never would be, nor has been, excepting the man Christ Jesus; who indeed, as man, was perfectly just, while here on earth, and went about doing good, and never sinned in all his life; but this cannot be said of any other, no, not of one that is truly and really just; not externally and in his own opinion only, but who is made so by the obedience of Christ, or by his righteousness imputed to him, while he is here on earth; otherwise in heaven, where the spirits of just men are made perfect, there it may be said of them what follows, but nowhere else; that doeth good, and sinneth not; it is the character of a just man to do good, to do that which is according to the will of God, from a principle of love to him, through faith in him, in the name and strength of Christ, and with a view to the glory of God; to do good in such a sense wicked men cannot; only such who are made good by the grace of God, are regenerated and made new creatures in Christ, are quickened by his Spirit, and are true believers in him; who appear to be what they are, by the fruits of good works they bring forth; and this not in a mercenary way, or in order to obtain life and righteousness, but as constrained by the grace of God, by which they are freely justified; and yet these are not free from sin, as appears by their confessions and complaints, by their backslidings, slips, and falls, and their petitions for fresh discoveries of pardoning grace; and even are not without sin, and the commission of it, in religious duties, or while they are doing good; hence their righteousness is said to be as filthy rags, and mention is made of the iniquity of holy things, Isa 64:6. The Targum is, "that does good all his days, and sins not before the Lord.'' Aben Ezra justly gives the sense thus, "who does good always, and never sins;'' and observes that there are none but sin in thought, word, or deed. The poet (e) says, "to sin is common to all men;'' no man, though ever so good, is perfect on earth, or free from sin; see Kg1 8:46. Alshech's paraphrase is, "there is not a righteous man on earth, that does good, and sins not; , "in that good";'' which is the true sense of the words. (d) "quamvis", Junius & Tremelllus, Amama, so Broughton; "attamen", Grotius. (e) Sophoclis Antigone, v. 1140.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
7:20 Not a single person . . . always good and never sins: Cp. 1 Kgs 8:46; Prov 20:9; Rom 3:23.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
The Limits of Human Wisdom
19Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city. 20Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Gospel Meetings-Shannon Hills 03
By Worth Ellis73254:25ECC 7:20ROM 3:9ROM 3:23In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the difficulty of getting people to recognize their need for salvation. He shares a personal story of a young girl who attended a series of meetings but still did not understand her need for salvation. The preacher then reflects on his own journey of realizing his sinfulness and the emptiness he felt before accepting Christ. He highlights the importance of recognizing sin as the root problem and emphasizes that everyone, both Jews and Gentiles, are sinners in need of salvation.
Prayer Sighs
By A.W. Pink02KI 3:19PSA 14:3PSA 53:1ECC 7:20ISA 64:6JER 11:16MAT 25:30LUK 17:10ROM 3:12EPH 2:8Greek Word Studies for an aid_number 36031 preaches on the concept of becoming useless, as described by the Greek word 'achreioo', meaning to make unprofitable or morally corrupt. This word paints a picture of rotten fruit, symbolizing something irreversibly bad and worthless. The preacher emphasizes that without Christ, human nature is soured and useless, akin to milk gone sour. The sermon delves into various Bible verses that highlight the depravity and corruption of man apart from God, emphasizing the inability of humanity to do good on their own.
The Sinner Arraigned and Convicted
By Philip Doddridge0JOB 9:20ECC 7:20HOS 6:1HOS 11:9ROM 3:23JAS 4:171JN 3:20Philip Doddridge preaches about the necessity of conviction of guilt in true religion, emphasizing the rebellion against God that all men are born under His law and have violated it. He appeals to the reader's conscience to acknowledge their sins and the inexpressibly great evil of breaking God's law, highlighting the aggravations of guilt from knowledge, divine favors received, conscience overborne, God's Spirit resisted, and vows broken. The sermon concludes with a sinner's confession under a general conviction of guilt, acknowledging the rebellion, ingratitude, and countless multitudes of sins committed against God.
The New Quest and Law of Life. 7:1-29
By W.J. Erdman0PRO 4:7ECC 3:14ECC 7:16ECC 7:20ECC 7:26ECC 7:29ECC 8:12ECC 12:13In this sermon by W.J. Erdman, the Preacher embarks on a new quest to discover 'the Good' in a high law for life under the sun, possibly found in the fear of God. He seeks wisdom as the means to find the Chief Good, balancing the better and worse things in life to find the 'golden mean.' The Preacher cautions against extremes, advocating for prudence and moderation in all things, even in righteousness. He addresses the contradictions in the treatment of the righteous and the wicked, advising against self-righteousness and excessive wickedness, emphasizing the importance of finding the safe mean and living in the fear of God.
Mis-Interpreted Scriptures - Continued
By Harmon A. Baldwin0ECC 7:20Harmon A. Baldwin discusses the misinterpretation of Old Testament passages to argue that no man can be delivered from sin. He challenges the notion that all are bound to sin by examining verses from Kings, Ecclesiastes, Job, and Proverbs, emphasizing the need for God's presence to avoid sin. Baldwin also addresses the wresting of passages like Matthew 19:16-17 and Luke 11:4 to uphold sin, highlighting the importance of divine authority and the forgiveness of sins. Additionally, he clarifies obscure verses like II Corinthians 12:7-9 and 1 Corinthians 15:31, showing how they are often misconstrued to justify the presence of sin.
General Counsels to Young Men
By J.C. Ryle0Spiritual GrowthThe Nature of SinPSA 119:9PRO 13:20PRO 14:9ECC 7:20ISA 64:6MAT 15:19ROM 3:23ROM 6:231CO 15:33PHP 3:10J.C. Ryle emphasizes the critical importance of understanding the nature of sin and its consequences, urging young men to recognize its true evil and the cost of atonement through Christ. He encourages them to seek a personal relationship with Jesus, as knowing Him is essential for spiritual growth and strength. Ryle warns against the dangers of poor companionship and stresses the necessity of making the Bible a guiding principle in life. He reminds young men that their souls are eternal and should be prioritized above all else, and that it is indeed possible to serve God even in youth. Ultimately, he calls for a commitment to live for the soul and to choose friends wisely, as they can greatly influence one's spiritual journey.
1 John 1:10
By John Gill0SinAcknowledgment of SinfulnessPSA 14:3PSA 51:5ECC 7:20ISA 53:6JER 17:9ROM 3:23GAL 6:3EPH 2:11JN 1:7John Gill emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our sinfulness, arguing that to claim one has never sinned is to contradict God's truth and make Him a liar. He explains that such assertions reflect a misunderstanding of original sin and the nature of humanity, as all are born estranged from God and guilty of sin. Gill warns against the beliefs of Gnostics and Judaizing Christians who consider themselves pure despite their sinful actions, highlighting that true understanding of God's word leads to a recognition of our need for grace and repentance.
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
"For among men there is not a righteous man on the earth, who doeth good, and sinneth not." The original passage, found in Solomon's prayer at the consecration of the temple, is briefer, Kg1 8:46 : "There is no man who sinneth not." Here the words might be וגו צדּיק אדם אין, there is no righteous man ... . Adam stands here as representing the species, as when we say in Germ.: Menschen gibt es keine gerechten auf Erden [men, there are none righteous on earth]; cf. Exo 5:16 : "Straw, none was given." The verification of Ecc 7:19 by reference to the fact of the common sinfulness from which even the most righteous cannot free himself, does not contradict all expectation to the same degree as the ki in Ecc 7:7; but yet it surprises us, so that Mercer and Grtz, with Aben Ezra, take Ecc 7:20 as the verification of Ecc 7:16, here first adduced, and Knobel and Heiligst. and others connect it with Ecc 7:21, Ecc 7:22, translating: "Because there is not a just man ... , therefore it is also the part of wisdom to take no heed unto all words," etc. But these are all forced interpretations; instead of the latter, we would rather suppose that Ecc 7:20 originally stood after Ecc 7:22, and is separated from its correct place. But yet the sequence of thought lying before us may be conceived, and that not merely as of necessity, but as that which was intended by the author. On the whole, Hitzig is correct: "For every one, even the wise man, sins; in which case virtue, which has forsaken him, does not protect him, but wisdom proves itself as his means of defence." Zckler adds: "against the judicial justice of God;" but one escapes from this by a penitent appeal to grace, for which there is no need for the personal property of wisdom; there is thus reason rather for thinking on the dangerous consequences which often a single false step has for a man in other respects moral; in the threatening complications in which he is thereby involved, it is wisdom which then protects him and delivers him. Otherwise Tyler, who by the עז, which the wise has in wisdom, understands power over evil, which is always moving itself even in the righteous. But the sinning spoken of in Ecc 7:20 is that which is unavoidable, which even wisdom cannot prevent or make inefficacious. On the contrary, it knows how to prevent the destruction which threatens man from his transgressions, and to remove the difficulties and derangements which thence arise. The good counsel following is connected by gam with the foregoing. The exhortation to strive after wisdom, contained in Ecc 7:19, which affords protection against the evil effects of the failures which run through the life of the righteous, is followed by the exhortation, that one conscious that he himself is not free from transgression, should take heed to avoid that tale-bearing which finds pleasure in exposing to view the shortcomings of others.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Referring to Ecc 7:16. Be not "self-righteous," seek not to make thyself "just" before God by a superabundance of self-imposed performances; "for true 'wisdom,' or 'righteousness,' shows that there is not a just man," &c.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For there is not a just man upon earth,.... Or "although", or "notwithstanding" (d), wisdom is so beneficial, and guards and strengthens a good man, yet no man has such a share of it as to live without sin; there was not then one on earth, there never had been, one, nor never would be, nor has been, excepting the man Christ Jesus; who indeed, as man, was perfectly just, while here on earth, and went about doing good, and never sinned in all his life; but this cannot be said of any other, no, not of one that is truly and really just; not externally and in his own opinion only, but who is made so by the obedience of Christ, or by his righteousness imputed to him, while he is here on earth; otherwise in heaven, where the spirits of just men are made perfect, there it may be said of them what follows, but nowhere else; that doeth good, and sinneth not; it is the character of a just man to do good, to do that which is according to the will of God, from a principle of love to him, through faith in him, in the name and strength of Christ, and with a view to the glory of God; to do good in such a sense wicked men cannot; only such who are made good by the grace of God, are regenerated and made new creatures in Christ, are quickened by his Spirit, and are true believers in him; who appear to be what they are, by the fruits of good works they bring forth; and this not in a mercenary way, or in order to obtain life and righteousness, but as constrained by the grace of God, by which they are freely justified; and yet these are not free from sin, as appears by their confessions and complaints, by their backslidings, slips, and falls, and their petitions for fresh discoveries of pardoning grace; and even are not without sin, and the commission of it, in religious duties, or while they are doing good; hence their righteousness is said to be as filthy rags, and mention is made of the iniquity of holy things, Isa 64:6. The Targum is, "that does good all his days, and sins not before the Lord.'' Aben Ezra justly gives the sense thus, "who does good always, and never sins;'' and observes that there are none but sin in thought, word, or deed. The poet (e) says, "to sin is common to all men;'' no man, though ever so good, is perfect on earth, or free from sin; see Kg1 8:46. Alshech's paraphrase is, "there is not a righteous man on earth, that does good, and sins not; , "in that good";'' which is the true sense of the words. (d) "quamvis", Junius & Tremelllus, Amama, so Broughton; "attamen", Grotius. (e) Sophoclis Antigone, v. 1140.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
7:20 Not a single person . . . always good and never sins: Cp. 1 Kgs 8:46; Prov 20:9; Rom 3:23.