Ecclesiastes

BRIEF OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION AND PROLOGUE (1:1-3)

I. THE PREACHER’S SEARCH FOR MEANING IN LIFE (1:4-2:26)

II. THE PREACHER’S OBSERVATIONS FROM LIFE (3:1-6:12)

III. THE PREACHER’S COUNSEL FOR LIFE (7:1-12:7)

EPILOGUE AND CONCLUSION (12:8-14)

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION

1) What is the book of Ecclesiastes called in the Hebrew Bible? What does it mean?

- Qoheleth (Koheleth); preacher

2) What does the word “ecclesiastes” mean? What Greek word is it derived from?

- Preacher;

- Ekklesia, meaning “an assembly”

3) According to Jewish and early Christian tradition, who is the author, and when was it likely written?

- Solomon; 945 B.C.

4) What internal evidence is there to identify the author? (1:16; 2:4-6,7-9; 12:9-10)

- His wisdom

- His building activities

- His wealth

- His activities after writing the book

5) What question does the Preacher seek to answer in this book? (1:3)

- “What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun?”

6) What key word is found in this book? What key phrase is repeated time and again?

- Vanity; under the son

7) What are the two main messages found in this book? (1:14; 12:13)

- The vanity of life under the sun (life purely from an earthly perspective)

- The importance of fearing God and keeping His commandments

8) According to the brief outline above, what are the three main divisions of the book?

- The Preacher’s search for meaning in life (1-2)

- The Preacher’s observations from life (3-6)

- The Preacher’s counsel for life (7-12)