Sermon Tone Analysis

Ecclesiastes: The Search for Meaning

Seems to be the book in the bible so different to the rest

Movies, books or stories that don't have a happy ending

Yet there are great lessons to learn from those experiences

Who wrote the book - we don't know who - Solomon's story - he had everything - his assessment

Solomon was the son of David and Bathsheba

First to build the temple

The first ruler to unite the kingdom of Israel and have peace

Reigned for 40 years - dying around 60 years of age

King Solomon is given the title of the richest person in history with a net worth of 2.1 trillion (wealthresults.com)

Also known for having 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 kings 11:3)

Wisdom

So we are going to assume in the uncertainty that Solomon wrote it.

This book is complex

The standard interpretation of the central message of Ecclesiastes has long been one of pessimism over the sense of joy.

That consensus has since evened out as Scholars are starting to see a method behind the madness.

The result has been a rich discussion of the more positive message of Ecclesiastes's benefit to wisdom literature.

In 2016 I wrote an essay on this book and had to argue is Solomons's view on the search for meaning in life one of pessimism or joy and what it means for us readers today.

So today and next Sunday we will be looking at the search for meaning in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Next week what is the fear of the Lord that Solomon asks us to have, which is repeated through the old testament?

Today we will explore the meaning of the word Hevel and how it impacts the tone of the book.

There is no doubt Ecclesiastes is an uncensored, sceptical assessment of reality from a man that seems to have experienced it all and has always been a standout in the Old Testament.

Solomon, who is named the teacher (1:2; 12:9-10), provides what could be considered an insightful memoir, recorded and bookended by the author (1:1-2; 12:9-14).

The resulting passages are unorthodox, bleak and sometimes contradictory; problematic when applying theology.

This difference from other wisdom literature is rightly described by one scholar in saying Solomon is a debunker.

‘He will not allow anything to appear solid or satisfying than it really is.’

The dominating position throughout Christian theological history viewed Ecclesiastes as a certainty of scepticism and pessimism.

However, questions have arisen, challenging this strictly pessimistic interpretation of Ecclesiastes in favour of themes of joy.

It all depends on your Interpretation of the Motto

Continuing into the debate of Ecclesiastes as a book of pessimism or joy, a significant barrier to scholars is the interpretation of what is widely considered the motto.

‘”hevel!

hevel!” says the teacher.

“Utterly hevel!

Everything is hevel.”’

The Hebrew word hevel appears 38 times in Ecclesiastes and at the centre of all debates over the interpretation of Ecclesiastes has been how hevel is to be read.

In Christendom, hevel has traditionally been interpreted to mean a lack of value.

Jerome, a scholar in the late fourth century produced the term Vanitas meaning ‘vanity’, emptiness, and meaningless and has become the standard Christian translation.

A similar lack of value, hevel is translated as absurd.

This stance interpreting hevel as absurd not only presents a negative view but nullifies the verses of encouragement as sarcastic.

take for example

Vanity, absurd, meaningless

‘vanity’ in life was the ‘vanity of the human heart’, concluding, the helplessness of humans to be content with God’s gifts.

Is that your experience

In contrast to the interpretations that describe a lack of value, hevel has also been largely translated to mean brevity.

Breath and vapour/smoke are all examples of brevity, that provide more of a metaphoric sense than a single idea.

Brevity translations present the metaphor of an inability to grasp a set meaning, it is a breath, vapour, or smoke.

As soon as you think you have it, it disappears, “chasing after the wind” (Another phrase repeated many times 1:14, 17; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 6, 16; 6:9).

The translation of hevel into an all-encompassing term does not do the book justice and is damaging to the central message.

One scholar illustrates it best describing hevel as a little broom to sweep away all illusions.

When interpreting Ecclesiastes, it is important to not lock in a certain viewpoint of hevel as the true meaning will be lost.

So can I encourage you this week to read all of Ecclesiastes and have that in mind?

whenever your read meaningless or vanity, insert hevel, consider if brevity is a better fit.

Interpreting the major themes as we search for meaning

The major themes to Ecclesiastes are similarly debated in finding meaning for the message.

solomon covers primarily four major themes that are hevel: pleasure (2:1-11, life is about my happiness, maximizing pleasure and minimising pain), wisdom (1:12-18; 2:12-16 If I know more I will be happy and better equiped for life), toil (2:17-26; 4:13-16 If I work harder I will achieve more), and wealth (5:8-6:12 the more money I have the happier I will be).

When debating pessimism or joy Scholars again pick sides.

For example, the negative assessment of life, that humans can gain nothing by all their toil and the only encouragement is an attempt to salvage something out of a meaningless life.

In light of brevity, it encourages us to enjoy the simple things in life God gives you.

Many who support the central message as one of pessimism argue that finding joy in the verses are singular, out of context verses.

like Ecc. 3:12-14

There are only a handful of verses like this among the 38 times hevel is mentioned

However, the term ‘….All enjoyment comes as a gift from God is the core message expressed especially in the closing remakes of the book (11:9-12:7)

The exhortations to accept enjoyment of life as a gift from God is affirming that, despite its brevity, life does have some positive qualities because God has not abandoned his creatures to a life of sheer despair.’

Thus Solomon's singular verses take on a significant broader conclusion to the major themes and are an important lesson for life.

Don’t consume your life with“chasing after the wind” but take life one day at a time, enjoying the toil as a gift from God.

The concluding remarks and the closing remarks are an invitation to enjoy life but remember the creator.

Meaning as a pastor and with the park run, freedom, accepted

Solomon who has experienced everything uses the repeated phrase “[this also/all is hevel] a chasing after wind” as the concluding refrain of six subsections in the first half of the book: 1:12-6:9.

He has chased pleasure (2:1, 10-11), he has gained great wealth (2:4-9), and meditated on wisdom (1:12-14; 2:12-16) now passes on his conclusion that there is no enjoyment unless you find contentment with God (2:24-26; 3:9-15; 5:10-6:9).

This is to be a life lesson for us if we choose to believe Solomon, the wisest man in history that there is nothing new under the sun.

I shared here before that as a young adult you feel like you want to experience everything, that you are aware of the danger of wanting a little more but it won't wreck your life.

I am sure that is also a trap as we get older.

we can’t in life expect exponential growth (even if we do you cannot take it with you)- this is greed - always out of our grasp -hevel - is that what hell is like (lack of Contentment because lack of love, peace and hope)

So to conclude, it would not be reasonable, to finish without addressing the overwhelming bleak tone of Solomon’s advice.

The conclusion to simply enjoy life but remember the creator is not reached easily, most of the text is presented in a more troubled and gloomy tone, which marks out significant sections of the book.

These sections have so often grabbed our attention.

It is in these passages that many in the pessimism camp plant their flags.

Nonetheless, a valid reason for so much of the book to seem contradictory to the idea of joy is that these passages are designed to gain a hearing for Solomon's more positive advice by dismissing incorrect perceptions about the world and by discouraging false dreams and hopes.

This is seen as an effective tool in preaching, to lift the heart to heavenly things by showing the futility of the world.

When our eyes are on heavenly things, (5:1-7) and when undertaken in the fear of the Lord (12:13), there will be no illusions about the nature of the universe or about what can be humanly achieved.

When toil, wealth or wisdom are pursued in this way, we can find joy whether in work or in wealth and find in wisdom valuable help for life.