Personal Reading & Reflection on Ecclesiastes

“What is the point of living if everything ends in death? Why on earth we are here for?”

These perennial questions about the purpose of life are often raised by most sensitive and

reflective people around the world. Traditionally attributed to King Solomon, the book of

Ecclesiastes addressed the futility of life “under the sun” with honesty and insight. It does

not identify its author explicitly apart from the title “Qoheleth” or the “preacher”. The

major difficulty of Ecclesiastes is to understand its apparent internal contradictions. At

times, Qoheleth seemed to be pessimistic or gloomy about everything in life (“All is

vanity!”) while at other times, he admonished readers to enjoy their labor, eat well, live

joyfully with one’s wife and receive with gladness what God has given.

He examined the futility of a barren life that is only concerned with the pursuit of work,

wealth, pleasure and fame. In short, it is a life without reference to faith in God.

Therefore, much of the book was blanketed by pessimism. When such terminologies fade

away (2:24-26; 11:1-12:14), a more positive tone emerges with references to the ‘hand of

God’ (2:24), the joy of man (2:25, 3:12. 5:18, 20, 9:7, 11:7-9), and the generosity of God

(2:26, 3:13, 5:19). Qoheleth showed the inevitable bankruptcy of ‘secularism’ in order to

drive us to God where life’s meaning can be fulfilled.

The theme ‘All is vanity” (“hebel”) has the basic meaning of “breath” (Isa 57:13).

Everything we work for in this life is vaporous, fleeting and transitory. In 1:2-3, however,

“all is vaporous” answers the question, “What profit does man have in all his labor?”

Thus “all is vaporous” here means that everything is ultimately profitless because all is

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transient. Although wisdom, wealth and pleasure have temporal benefits, we do not take

any gain in life with us when we die. In the long run, there is no net profit. Since death

comes to us all, nothing that we do has any ultimate value, because nothing lasts. For

example, Ecclesiastes 6:3-5 says a stillborn child is better off than a person who fathered

many children and lived many years for not having seen the sun or known anything. But

Ecclesiastes 11:7 also asserts, “Light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

No matter how many years a man may live, let him rejoice in them all, and let him

remember the days of darkness, which may be many. All that comes is vanity.”

How do we reconcile the seeming discrepancy? In 6:3-5, Qoheleth is comparing a

stillborn child who has more ‘rest’ than the rich man who toiled for many years but could

not enjoy good things he got. In death, both ended up in the same place. In such a

context, there is no net gain for the covetous rich man so it is ultimately profitless.

But in 11:7, there is a different application as it is good to be alive (“see the sun”)

provided that one is able to rejoice in all his years courtesy of a carefree and God-fearing

heart. Therefore it is better not to see the sun if one’s wealth accumulation cannot be

enjoyed but it is good to be alive if one avoids covetousness and enjoy life properly since

all is transient. In 2:24-26 Qoheleth affirmed that the ability to have carefree enjoyment is

“from the hand of God.” Instead of making temporal wealth, pleasure and wisdom our

idols, we can worship the Giver and enjoy these gifts truly as we put them in right

perspective. In conclusion, fear God and obey His commands for He judges every deed

(12:13-14).