Ecclesiastes 8

Ecclesiastes 8:1

B. Wisdom Under the Sun (Chap. 8) 8:1 In spite of the failure of human wisdom to solve all his problems, Solomon still admired the wise man above others. No one else is as qualified to search out the hidden meaning of things. As far as the Preacher-King was concerned, wisdom is even mirrored in one’s physical appearance. His face is radiant, and an otherwise stern visage is softened. 8:2 Wisdom teaches one how to act in the presence of the king, whether that king be conceived of as God or as an earthly monarch. It inculcates obedience first of all. The Hebrew of the latter part of this verse is ambiguous, as is seen by the following translations: and that in regard of the oath of God (KJV). because of the oath before God (NASB). for the sake of your oath to God (NKJV). The oath here may refer to one’s pledge of allegiance to the government or to God’s oath by which He authorized kings to rule (e.g., see Psa_89:35). 8:3 The obscurity continues in verse 3. We may understand this verse to advise leaving the king’s presence without delay when unpleasantness develops. Or it may advise against making a hasty exit, either in anger, disobedience, insolence, or in quitting one’s job (KJV, NASB, NKJV). At any rate the thrust of the passage is that it is unwise to cross a king, since he has wide authority to do whatever pleases him. 8:4 Whenever a king speaks, his word is backed with power. It is supreme and is not subject to challenge by his subjects. 8:5 Those who obey the king’s command need not fear the royal displeasure. Wisdom teaches a person what is appropriate, both as to time and procedure in obeying the royal edicts. 8:6 There’s a right and wrong way of doing things, and a right and wrong time as well. The trouble that lies heavy upon man is that he cannot always discern these moments of destiny. 8:7 There is so much that he does not know or do. He cannot know the futurewhat is going to happen or when it will occur. 8:8 He cannot prevent his spirit from departing or determine the exact time of his death. He cannot obtain discharge from that warthe war that death is relentlessly waging against him. He cannot win a reprieve by any form of wickedness that he may give himself over to. 8:9 These are some of the things that the Preacher observed when he studied life under the sun, in a world where one man crushes another under his heel, in which one man has exercised authority over another to his own hurt. 8:10 So much of life is shallow. The wicked dies and is buried. He once made trips to the place of worship. Now that he is gone, people praise him for his piety in the very city where he used to carry on his crooked schemes. Religion can be a fae7ade to cover up dishonesty. It is all so empty and meaningless. 8:11 Endless delays in the trial and punishment of criminals only serve to encourage lawlessness and create contempt for the judicial system. While it is important to guarantee that every defendant has a fair trial, it is possible to overprotect the criminal at the expense of his victim. Fair, impartial justice meted out promptly serves as a deterrent to crime. On the other hand, interminable postponements make offenders more fixed in their determination to break the law. They reason that they can get away with it or at least get a light sentence. 8:12 Although Solomon had seen some cases that seemed to be exceptions, he believed that those who fear God will fare best in the long run. Even if an habitual criminal lives to an old age, that exception doesn’t invalidate the fact that righteousness is rewarded eventually and that the way of the transgressor is hard. 8:13 The Preacher was confident that the wicked person is an ultimate loser. By his failure to fear before God, he dooms himself to a short life. His life is transient as a shadow. 8:14 Solomon seems to alternate between general rules and glaring exceptions. Sometimes just men seem to be punished as if they were wicked. And sometimes wicked men seem to be rewarded as if they were decent, righteous citizens. These violations of what ought to be caused the Philosopher-King to be disgusted with the vanity of life. 8:15 The only logical policy, as far as he was concerned, is to enjoy life while you can. There is nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and have a good time. This will stand by a person as he toils on throughout his life which God gives him in this world. No pie-in-the-sky philosophy for Solomon. He wanted his pie here and now. 8:16 So the Preacher devoted himself to finding all the answers. He trained his mind in the study of philosophy, determined to get to the bottom of the activities of lifea task in which one sees no sleep day or night. 8:17 Then he found that God has so arranged things that a man cannot put all the parts of the puzzle together. No matter how hard he tries, he will fail. And no matter how brilliant he is, he will not be able to find answers to all the questions.