Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 5:18
Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion.
18. Behold that which I have seen ] The thinker returns to the maxim of a calm regulated Epicureanism, as before in chs. Ecc 2:24, Ecc 3:22. If a man has little, let him be content with that little. If he has much, let him enjoy it without excess, and without seeking more. In the combination of “good” and “comely” we have perhaps an endeavour to reproduce the familiar Greek combination of the and the .
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Rather, Behold what I have seen to be good, it is pleasant for a man to eat. Such thankful enjoyment is inculcated by the Law Deu 12:7, Deu 12:18.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Ecc 5:18
It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour.
Labour
It is concerning Labour in its broadest sense that I wish to speak. The navvy with his shovel, the ploughman with his team, the weaver with his loom, the clerk with his pen, the commercial with his order-book, the domestic with her scrubbing-brush, the designer, manager, inventor, writer with his brain and brilliant gifts, the minister with tender heart and cultured mind–these all are sons of Labour, who, in their striving to do true work, can realize a responsibility so great as to declare their brotherhood with Him who declared, I must work the works of Him that sent Me while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work.
I. The rights of labour.
1. Has not the labourer a right to expect some degree of pleasure in his labour? To some this may seem somewhat fanciful, but they cannot deny its justness. To eat, to drink, to sleep, to think, to speak, are pleasurable sensations; why should so natural and necessary a function as toil be otherwise? Yet we know it is to many. Multitudes are brutalized by work, simply because they find no satisfaction in it. They work in order to live, and die in order to find rest.
2. Equally just is it for Labour to assert its right to an honest reward. Adam Smith, in his Wealth of Nations, got to the root of the wage question when he said that the wages of labour were the fruits of labour. And the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes, had he been able to hear that sentiment, would have said Amen! for it is his portion. Amid the complex tangle of modern mercantile transactions it would be an impossibility to assign to the hand-worker the exact product of his individual labour, after deducting the wages of the brain-worker who designs, organizes, or superintends, and the other expenses involved in production. But should it not be the striving of a Christian employer to secure to every worker as near an approximation to his true reward as can be ascertained? Should it not be frowned upon as a deadly sin for men to grow rich on the hire of the labourers, which they keep back by fraud?
3. Further, it is surely Labours right to have the fullest liberty in seeking these ends. The work done by our trade unions is a splendid monument to the sturdy self-restraint of the workers, and whilst in the future the principles taught and the methods adopted by them may undergo considerable change, yet the intelligent association of men for purposes of educating public opinion, and influencing the legislature will remain the most effective of means for realizing Labours ideals.
II. The duties of labour. Let Labour, whilst seeking for justice to itself, seek to deal justly with others. If capital be the miserable abstraction of which the proverb says it has neither soul to save, nor heart to feel, nor body to kick, it is no reason why workers should deal unfairly with the individual capitalist, who often is as much the victim of an evil social system as the worker himself. If it be the maxim of commerce to buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest, blind to all considerations as to whether thereby one obeys or disobeys the law of Christ; if to take advantage of a brothers necessity is not condemned as a breach of commercial ethics, there is no justification whatever for any worker adopting similar principles in his life work. Because a man does not believe in the justice of our present system of doing business, it is no reason why he should play ducks and drakes with his employer. Assuming that the principle of competition is a cruelly oppressive one, and that many employers are heartless tyrants, a sensible worker will, nevertheless, while those evil conditions remain–and they may for some time yet–make the best he can of them. To worry employers for concessions that it would be suicidal to grant is, at best, a short-sighted policy. Better to attack the system to which both masters and men are victims. Employers of labour are sometimes made unnecessarily hard by the foolishness and inconsiderateness of workers. It may, for instance, be quite legitimate for a mill-hand to grumble over the poorness of his pay, but the justice of his plea becomes miserably weakened when he plays for a couple of days when work is abundant, with the consequence that that work is driven elsewhere. It may be quite lawful for a man to take a holiday at any time he pleases, but not expedient. Even in such a matter the higher law of brotherliness should prevail. In the ranks of manual labour, though not these exclusively, we find a lamentable want of thought, which in its results is often as bad as want of heart. It has been asserted that the British workman is the hardest of all masters when he reaches that position; that in his co-operative societies his divvy is often larger than it should be because of underpaid labour. Not difficult would it be to prove that the overwork of multitudes of shop assistants is caused by thoughtless working-folk who shop late when it would be as easy to shop early. A mans religion is seen in the byways of conduct, and if in these movements he is not above suspicion, he loses all claim to be called a Christian, for the spirit of Christs Gospel says, Deal with all men as with your brother, as with children of God, whose necessity is your sorrow, whose strength is your joy. (T. A. Leonard.)
.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 18. Behold that which I have seen] This is the result of my observations and experience. God gives every man, in the course of his providence, the necessaries of life; and it is his will that he should thankfully use them.
For it is his portion.] What is requisite for him in the lower world; without them his life cannot subsist, and earthly blessings are as truly the portion of his body and animal life, as the salvation of God is the portion of his soul.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That which I have seen, i.e. learned by study and experience.
Good and comely; good or comfortable to mans self, and comely or amiable in the eyes of other men, as penuriousness is base and dishonourable.
His portion, to wit, of worldly goods; for he hath another and a better portion in heaven. This liberty is given to him by God, and this is the best advantage, as to this life, which he can make of them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. Returns to the sentiment(Ecc 3:12; Ecc 3:13;Ecc 3:22); translate: “Beholdthe good which I have seen, and which is becoming” (in a man).
which God givethnamely,both the good of his labor and his life.
his portionlegitimately.It is God’s gift that makes it so when regarded as such. Such a onewill use, not abuse, earthly things (1Co7:31). Opposed to the anxious life of the covetous (Ecc 5:10;Ecc 5:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Behold that which I have seen,…. Observed, considered and approved of, and which he recommended and excited attention to, and is as follows;
[it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink; to make use of the creatures God has given for service in a free and liberal manner, without excess, and with moderation; and not deprive a man’s self of those things he may lawfully partake of, and are necessary for him: to do this is good for himself, and for the health of his body; and is right in the sight of God, and is comely before men; it is not only lawful, but laudable. There is another version and sense of the words, “it is good to eat and drink him that is fair” q, or comely; Christ, who is fairer than the children of men; to live by faith on him, to eat his flesh, and drink his blood; but this, however true, spiritual, and evangelical, it seems foreign to the text. It follows,
and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him; this last clause, “which God giveth him”, is not to be connected with “the good of all his labour”; though it is true, that whatever good is got by labour is the gift of God; but with “all the days of his life”; for the life of man, and all the days of it, be they more or fewer, are the gift of God, and according to his determinate will and pleasure; and throughout this time a man should enjoy, in a comfortable way, with thankfulness to God, the good things he has gotten by his labour and industry, through the blessing of God along with them. This Solomon frequently inculcates; Aben Ezra says, this is the third time, but it seems to be the fourth; see Ec 2:24;
for it [is] his portion; that is, in this life; for otherwise, if a good man, he has a better portion in another: this is the part which God has allotted to him here; and it is his duty, and for his good and comfort, to make use of it.
q “Bonum est, cum qui pulcher est, edere et bibere, h. e. Christo per fidem frui; nova et singularis expositio”, Rambachius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“Behold then what I have seen as good, what as beautiful (is this): that one eat and drink and see good in all his labour with which he wearieth himself, under the sun, throughout the number of the days of his life which God hath given him; for that is his portion.” Toward this seeing, i.e., knowing from his own experience, his effort went forth, according to Ecc 2:3; and what he here, Ecc 5:17, Ecc 5:18, expresses as his resultat, he has already acknowledged at Ecc 2:24 and Ecc 3:12. With “behold” he here returns to it; for he says, that from the observations just spoken of, as from others, no other resultat befell him. Instead of (here and at Ecc 6:6), he as often uses the words , Ecc 3:13; Ecc 2:24, or , Ecc 2:1. In , the seeing is meant of that of mental apperception; in , of immediate perception, experience. Our translation above does not correspond with the accentuation of the verse, which belongs to the class of disproportionably long verses without Athnach; cf. Gen 21:9; Num 9:1; Isa 36:1; Jer 13:13; Jer 51:37; Eze 42:10; Amo 5:1; 1Ch 26:26; 1Ch 28:1; 2Ch 23:1. The sentence … (with pausal ani with Reba) constitutes the beginning of the verse, in the form, as it were, of a superscription; and then its second part, the main proposition, is divided by the disjunctives following each other: Telisha Gedhola, Geresh, Legarmeh, Reba, Tebir, Tifcha, Silluk (cf. Jer 8:1, where Pazer instead of Telisha Bedhola; but as for the rest, the sequence of the accents is the same). Among the moderns, Hengst. holds to the accents, for he translates in strict accordance therewith, as Tremmelius does: “Behold what I have seen: that it is fine and good (Trem. bonum pulchrum ) to eat … .” The asher in the phrase, tov asher – yapheh , then connects it together: good which is at the same time beautiful; Grtz sees here the Greek . But the only passage to which, since Kimchi, reference is made for this use of asher, viz., Hos 12:8, does not prove it; for we are not, with Drusius, to translate there by: iniquitas quae sit peccatum , but by quae poenam mereat . The accentuation here is not correct. The second asher is without doubt the resumption of the first; and the translation – as already Dachselt in his Biblia Accentuata indicated: ecce itaque quod vidi bonum, quod pulchrum ( hoc est ut quis edat ) – presents the true relation of the component parts of the sentence. The suffix of refers to the general subj. contained in the inf.; cf. Ecc 8:15. The period of time denoted by is as at Ecc 2:3; Ecc 6:12. Also we read … , Ecc 3:22, in the same connection.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Grateful Enjoyment. | |
18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. 20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Solomon, from the vanity of riches hoarded up, here infers that the best course we can take is to use well what we have, to serve God with it, to do good with it, and take the comfort of it to ourselves and our families; this he had pressed before, Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:22. Observe, 1. What it is that is here recommended to us, not to indulge the appetites of the flesh, or to take up with present pleasures or profits for our portion, but soberly and moderately to make use of what Providence has allotted for our comfortable passage through this world. We must not starve ourselves through covetousness, because we cannot afford ourselves food convenient, nor through eagerness in our worldly pursuits, nor through excessive care and grief, but eat and drink what is fit for us to keep our bodies in good plight for the serving of our souls in God’s service. We must not kill ourselves with labour, and then leave others to enjoy the good of it, but take the comfort of that which our hands have laboured for, and that not now and then, but all the days of our life which God gives us. Life is God’s gift, and he has appointed us the number of the days of our life (Job xiv. 5); let us therefore spend those days in serving the Lord our God with joyfulness and gladness of heart. We must not do the business of our calling as a drudgery, and make ourselves slaves to it, but we must rejoice in our labour, not grasp at more business than we can go through without perplexity and disquiet, but take a pleasure in the calling wherein God has put us, and go on in the business of it with cheerfulness. This it to rejoice in our labour, whatever it is, as Zebulun in his going out and Issachar in his tents. 2. What is urged to recommend it to us. (1.) That it is good and comely to do this. It is well, and it looks well. Those that cheerfully use what God has given them thereby honour the giver, answer the intention of the gift, act rationally and generously, do good in the world, and make what they have turn to the best account, and this is both their credit and their comfort; it is good and comely; there is duty and decency in it. (2.) That it is all the good we can have out of the things of this world: It is our portion, and in doing thus we take our portion, and make the best of bad. This is our part of our worldly possession. God must have his part, the poor theirs, and our families theirs, but this is ours; it is all that falls to our lot out of them. (3.) That a heart to do thus is such a gift of God’s grace as crowns all the gifts of his providence. If God has given a man riches and wealth, he completes the favour, and makes that a blessing indeed, if withal he gives him power to eat thereof, wisdom and grace to take the good of it and to do good with it. If this is God’s gift, we must covet it earnestly as the best gift relating to our enjoyments in this world. (4.) That this is the way to make our own lives easy and to relieve ourselves against the many toils and troubles which our lives on earth are incident to (v. 20): He shall not much remember the days of his life, the days of his sorrow and sore travail, his working days, his weeping days. He shall either forget them or remember them as waters that pass away; he shall not much lay to heart his crosses, nor long retain the bitter relish of them, because God answers him in the joy of his heart, balances all the grievances of his labour with the joy of it and recompenses him for it by giving him to eat the labour of his hands. If he does not answer all his desires and expectations, in the letter of them, yet he answers them with that which is more than equivalent, in the joy of his heart. A cheerful spirit is a great blessing; it makes the yoke of our employments easy and the burden of our afflictions light.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
GIFTS OF GOD
Verses 18-20 Introduce a contrast to the darkness and sorrow expressed in verses Ecc 10:17, which include no mention of God. Solomon here states his observations, that even under the sun, there is a happier life than that of those who lust for riches.
Verse 18 affirms that it is good and fitting for one to enjoy the fruit of his own labor, all the days of his life, a privilege that God gives him, see also Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:13.
Verse 19 declares that God gives some riches and wealth, also the power to eat thereof and rejoice in their labor. That such are gifts of God is twice mentioned in this verse, see also Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:13; 1Ch 29:12.
Verse 20 suggests that the joy of those conscious of God’s blessings, so outweighs any grievances experienced in life that the disagreeable is little noticed, Isa 61:10; Hab 3:17-18; 2Co 4:8-9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Ecc. 5:20. He shall not much remember the days of his life] An even joy is diffused through themthey pass smoothly and pleasantly along. Answereth him in the joy of his heart. Answers him by satisfying his desire, and thus prolonging his joy.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Ecc. 5:18-20
THE GIFTS OF PROVIDENCEA SOURCE OF SPIRITUAL CULTURE
The plentiful gifts of Providence only serve to develop the depravity of some. They give loose reins to the passions, lead to forgetfulness of God, to fretfulness and despair. But, to the wise, they are a source of spiritual culture. They learn,
I. To Use Them with Cheerfulness. (Ecc. 5:18.) They do not insult the Creator and Preserver of men by spurning His gifts, or by the voluntary humility of self-inflicted austerities. Their cheerfulness is not the transient rapture of the children of worldly pleasure, but a habit of the soul. It is,
1. The cheerfulness of pious gratitude. The wise and good accept the bounties of this life as from the hands of God. Admiration for the source of all good awakens gratitude, and gratitude becomes a luxury. The joy of pious breasts is thankful, it is a deep and perpetual spring. It is,
2. The cheerfulness of conscious integrity. The wise and good follow the path of duty. They work diligently at the tasks of life, not turned from their calm and steady purpose by a restless ambition, or by grasping avarice. Their joy is not the intemperate sallies of worldly mirth; it is controlled by wisdom, it is generated by the consciousness of duty performed. Conscious rectitude alone gives true and abiding cheerfulness. The worlds joy is a vanishing and unsubstantial thing. It is but gilding over a surface of misery which time will soon wear off. It is,
3. The cheerfulness arising from the possession of a high purpose. No man can have any deep and essential joy who is not conscious of possessing some high purpose in life. To him who can live above and beyond the world, who has higher aims than men around him, life becomes a sacred thing. The joy of his soul is invigorated by the imperial air of a better country. Feeling that his purpose is true and sublime, he has a sense of kinship with the most exalted ranks of Gods servants. They learn,
II. To Enjoy Them with Contentment. (Ecc. 5:19.) Whether their lot in life be poor and humble, or wealthy and distinguished, they take it as their portion, and rejoice in it as the gift of God. (Ecc. 5:19.) They are content with the appointments of Providence.
1. Because they are marked by Supreme wisdom. It is impotent and vain to rebel against our appointed portion in life, and to challenge the wisdom of Divine Providence. We are not proper judges of what is best for us, and our highest wisdom is to do our duty in that state to which we are called. The belief that the plan of our life is a Divine idea is the soul of contentment.
2. Because there are evils attendant on every condition of life. Both poverty and riches have their own peculiar evils and temptations. It is difficult to say what, on the balance, is the social condition most to be desired. Without Divine help, any condition of life must lead to fretfulness, vexation, and misery. But if God is acknowledged, and His gifts received with thankfulness, poverty is sweetened, and riches are enjoyed with moderation and prevented from becoming a vain confidence for the soul. When God is served with a willing mind, the evils of every condition are mitigated.
3. Because the present arrangements of Providence are not final. The outward conditions of men are not in accordance with their mental or spiritual characters. Great souls here are not always surrounded by the trappings of wealth, nor invested with the importance of station. But though the good man may feel that his present state is out of frame with Eternal Justice, he accepts the allotment of Providence with resignation, does his duty, and waits for the end. He who can look beyond the present life, and see the ultimate triumph of goodness and truth, easily learns the lesson of contentment with his portion in this world. The heir of immortality can wait in patience and hope for his full investiture and recognition. They learn,
III. That Piety is the Secret of True Happiness. (Ecc. 5:20.) Human life has many miseries for the poor, the rich have many cares; all have to bear some portion of the load of trouble. But there are Divine consolations. There is a way of happiness whose secret must be caught from Heaven.
1. Help granted in answer to prayer. The godly man feels that he has no native ability to do the work of life well, to overcome its temptations, and to bear its trials. Weak and helpless, he goes to prayer, and rises strong and full of hope. He draws a joy from above which abides with him through all the changes of life.
2. A life of inward peace is the gift of God to the good. They only have peace who have righteousness. He who is conscious that he has well discharged his duty by Divine help, and with a sublime motive, inherits the blessing of a deep and settled peace. He does not much remember the days of his life, it flows so smoothly on. A constant joy in the breast alleviates the sorrows of memory, and the impressions of the sharpest trials are worn down by a sense of the infinite goodness of God, and of the precious hopes inspired by religion.
3. God alone can satisfy mans deepest want. That deepest want is not happiness merely, but peace. We want a refuge from the upbraidings of the past, and the evil forebodings of the future. We want all thoughts and feelings resolved in one direction, and made to minister to one great aim and purpose of life. Then the soul rests truly in God. Peace gives the hand to true contentment, dwelling in the same breast. Then there is no discord between our desires and our outward lot; no discord between our affections and our mind; no painful doubts of the rectitude of Gods dealings. The scenes of life, however diversified by joy or sorrow, are turned for the pious into the school of religion where the spirit of man is fitted to be advanced to immortality.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Ecc. 5:18. The good things of this life should be the means of rational enjoyment, not the object of a grasping avarice.
There are some who rest in the present world, making it their chief end, and the highest object of the mind and heart. But the wise have made a better choice, passing through the world with higher aims and aspirations, yet tasting with gratitude the pleasures provided by the way.
The practical recognition of God imparts a beauty to the most common actions of human life.
The covetous man pursues wealth with such insane devotion that he shuts out all true happiness. It is folly to allow our labour to degenerate into a heartless slavery so as to leave no room for the wise enjoyment of the fruits of it.
Thankfully to use and enjoy the portion appointed by Providence is the easiest recompense we can render to heaven.
It was a sultry day, and an avaricious old man who had hoarded up a large amount, was toiling away and wasting his little remaining strength, when a heavenly apparition stood before him. I am Solomon, it said, with a friendly voice; what are you doing? If you are Solomon, answered the old man, how can you ask? When I was young you sent me to the ant, and told me to consider her ways; and from her I learned to be industrious and gather stores. You have only half learned your lesson, replied the spirit; go once more to the ant, and learn to rest the winter of your years and enjoy your collected treasures [Lessings Fables].
Ecc. 5:19. Religion does not prohibit the acquirement of wealth, but teaches how it may best be enjoyed and bestowed.
He who has wisdom with his riches guides himself between the two extremes of avarice and prodigality.
The acknowledgment of God in the plentiful gifts of His Providence prevents them from becoming a snare.
The adoration of the Highestthe spiritual vision of the Supremely Good One, preserves the soul from all degrading worship. He who acknowledges the Giver will not make His gifts the occasion of idolatry.
As mens wealth and riches are Gods gifts, so the power to use these for strengthening them in His service is a second gift; and wisdom to take their own due portion, neither depriving themselves of their own allowance, nor others to whom they are bound to give a part of theirs, is a third gift. And the grace to comfort themselves in so doing is a fourth. And so the Lord should be acknowledged and depended upon for our daily bread, for our appetite after it, for the heart to take and use it, for wisdom and grace to take neither more nor less than our allowance of it, and to take that cheerfully [Nisbet].
A wise man enjoys wealth by a thankful use of it himselfby making it a channel of good to othersby turning it into a means of self culture and improvement. It is a great favour of Providence when God gives both wealth and large-heartedness.
Ecc. 5:20. The way to sweeten mans short and sorrowful life, to banish the sad thoughts of by-past crosses, and the fearful forecasting of future, is much correspondence with God, frequent prayer for refreshment from Heaven, and taking every comfortable passage of Scripture or Providence, which cheers the heart in Gods service, for a joyful answer from God [Nisbet].
Prayer heals the sorrows of memory, lays the ruggedness of life even, and draws down from heaven a perpetual joy.
The attention of the wise man is not directed too much towards himself. He looks to God and to duty, not fretting nor worrying himself concerning the rest. No man can be healthy who is always thinking about his own health.
The sorrows of the past are perpetuated by handing them over to the care of memory. All our philosophy cannot banish them. But when a superior joy takes possession of our breast, they cease to torment. The old feeling is overwhelmed by the new.
The joy of God in the heart is a light which transfigures the whole scene of life, and makes it a more blessed and diviner thing.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
c. Exhortation to enjoy the riches God permits Ecc. 5:18-20
TEXT 5:1820
18
Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all ones labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.
19
Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
20
For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 5:1820
140.
List the four things which God does for, or gives to, men.
141.
What is it that Solomon here calls good?
142.
What is mans reward?
143.
Who gives every man riches and wealth?
144.
Can every man rejoice in his labor and his riches? Discuss.
145.
What does man forget when God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart?
PARAPHRASE 5:1820
What does any man gain? I have asked myself this question before. Now, I arrive at a similar conclusion. That which is satisfying and appropriate is to eat, and to drink, and to enjoy oneself in all the events of life under the sun. Let the labor of your hands bring you pleasure. That is really all one gets out of life. In addition, if your excessive wealth is indeed a gift from Godthat is, you can actually enjoy it and it makes you happy because God permits it, consider yourself fortunate. You have just received a bonus from God. Another blessing which will come to you is the fact that you will not be vexed over the past experiences of your life. You will have your mind occupied with happy thoughts and thus you will not sit and ponder the transitory nature of life.
COMMENT 5:1820
Solomon is still pursuing the profit that is available to one who labors under the sun and during the few years of his life. He speaks of such profit in these three verses as a reward or gift from the hand of God. He also instructs his reader to rejoice and discover the gladness of the heart that comes from his labor. This theme is an oft-repeated one that culminates in Ecc. 9:7 with the imperative form which states: Go then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Note also Ecc. 2:24; Ecc. 3:12-13; Ecc. 3:22; Ecc. 8:15. There is a sense in which man can find pleasure and some advantage in his labor. The qualifying mark appears to be that God must approve.
Ecc. 5:18 To find personal satisfaction in ones labor and the joys of living is the reward available to men. Yet, on the one hand there are very few who seem to find it. Much of what the Preacher has observed and experienced, has been the opposite of this. There has been the inescapable futility that has marked all his labors. Now, however, there is a shaft of light that reveals some cause for rejoicing and joy that can be shared. He calls it good and fitting. Actually the rendering is good and beautiful which implies personal satisfaction. What does one have to do to receive such a reward? Evidently avoid the attitudes which have been illustrated with such detail by Solomon in the preceding materials. (1) Eliminate the love for money and abundance. Use your wealth as a means to an end, and not an end in itself. (2) Do not offer hasty words before God. When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it. (3) Do not put your trust in the acclaims of men. Realize that men are fickle and drawn by success rather than integrity. (4) Avoid selfishness which results in loneliness. Choose friends over insatiable desires for wealth. (5) Admit to the anomalies of life. Sorrow over the oppression of the poor, but do not despair. (6) Do not fail to see the hand of God in control of His world. The prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous are not indicators of Gods justice, but rather His patience. God has made everything appropriate in its time. Thus, from Solomons own observations we draw the conclusion that there is a way to find a reward in the short years one has upon the earth.
Ecc. 5:19 As noted, riches and wealth are not evil of themselves. God gives them. When they are looked upon with a proper attitude and used in harmony with Gods ordained will, they bring joy. This is what is meant by the fact that God has empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward. Such behavior is also called a gift of God. It is surely available to every man, but some men choose the unrestrained, selfish pathway of avarice and greed. They miss the gift, the reward and the joy. The Preachers admonition is to the better way of life. Do not be carried away with excess. Rather, accept your life each day and live it to the fullest.
Ecc. 5:20 There is a bonus for those who seek such a life before God. Not only do they discover that they have a reward in finding joy in their labor and living, but they soon forget the undesirable experiences of the past which causes greater joy for the present. Since it is God who now controls his daily attitudes, it is also God who causes him to forget the sorrows of his past years. This verse does not speak to eternal life or the anticipated joys of some future state. This would be out of character for Ecclesiastes. However, it does suggest that ones present life can be rewarding and filled with joy. One way to accomplish this is to be busy doing what God desires. The memory that haunts the rich, lonely miser and brings him to a prison house of gloom and vexation has no part with the one who discovers Gods gift for living.
All men have past experiences that are better buried and forgotten. Some come as a result of external circumstances and pressures that are beyond the control of the individual but nevertheless erode his peace of mind when recalled. Other experiences are direct results of volitional folly or sin. These have a more damaging influence on the joy of the present. It is a much-desired blessing to be able to close the door to the past and find joy in the present. This is the promise the Preacher now offers to those who make an effort to be wise.
Since such a positive note is sounded regarding the possible rewards that one may find even under the sun, it might be expected that Solomon will turn to a new theme. This is not true, however. This rather refreshing observation that speaks of rewards and joy is to be looked upon as a temporary terminal in his reasoning. He dedicates the entire next section (Chapter Six) to the theme of the futility of riches. Let us close out this section with two observations. One comes from Jesus who speaks to this point with the words, Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Mat. 6:34). Also, the following quote from the Bereleburger Bible is very much to the point: To the pure all things are pure (Tit. 1:15), and so a pure man may undoubtedly use riches with purity; and it will, therefore, chiefly depend on each ones own heart, on how it stands before God. But if any person is unable to remain just as contented and calm, when house and home are burnt down, or when some other damage is done to his property, he proves himself to be not yet truly composed and satisfied: that is the test thereof.
FACT QUESTIONS 5:1820
259.
When and where does Solomon seek for a profit?
260.
What does he call this profit?
261.
What is the qualifying mark that makes mans labor profitable?
262.
To labor according to Gods will is said to be good and fitting. What is an alternative rendering for fitting?
263.
List the six reasons given why men can discover a profit from their labors.
264.
How can riches and wealth bring joy? (Cf. Ecc. 5:19)
265.
Why do some men miss the gift, reward and joy of life?
266.
Explain the bonus mentioned in verse twenty.
267.
Past, undesirable experiences come from what two sources?
268.
What general theme is discussed in chapter six?
269.
What did Jesus teach about anxiety over tomorrow?
270.
What does the Bereleburger Bible say is the true test of riches?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(18) The Preacher is led back to the conclusion at which he had arrived (Ecc. 2:24; Ecc. 3:12; Ecc. 3:22).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Good to eat drink Reference is here made to the proposition of Ecc 2:24. Having examined the various phases of business, ending with this last case of a man struggling vainly to recover a lost inheritance, Koheleth restates what he had proposed to prove. A better translation is, Behold, what I have seen is good: (logically sound:) it is comely, etc.
Better Than Seeking Riches Is To Seek To Enjoy Walking With God ( Ecc 5:18-20 ).
Once again he falls back on his idea of a godly man. Here is the one who does find blessing from God. We should note that what is in mind here is life within the covenant. It is the man who receives from God, acknowledges God, loves God and walks in His perceived will who is in mind. Even his food, drink and labour, which are central to his life and that of his family, are gifts from God.
It should be noted in this respect that in Ecc 5:1-2 worship of God was not being recommended, it was assumed, and the recommendation was as to how to approach it for it to be meaningful and beneficial. So all references to the life of the godly therefore assume this rightful worship of God. The writer is speaking of the full-orbed life of the godly.
Ecc 5:18-20
‘Behold, what I have seen to be good and beneficial (literally ‘beautiful’) is for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy good in all his labour in which he exerts himself under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him. For this is his allotment. Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him the power to eat of them, and to take his allotment, and to rejoice in his exertions, this is the gift of God. For he will not call to mind the days of his life a great deal, because God answers him in the joy of his heart.’
Once more the Preacher comes back to God as his solution. The sensible view of life is to walk with God on the daily journey, looking constantly to Him. It is to recognise what God has allotted and to be satisfied. We must remember that these would not be seen as platitudes. In those days to the ordinary man God was of great relevance. Thus they would interpret literally and meaningfully what the writer is saying.
What is good and beautiful for a man is to live a simple, ordinary life, to eat and drink without excess, to enjoy his work, and to look to God, accepting both at His hands. If he has been given wealth by God he should accept it joyfully as a gift, and he also should enjoy his food and drink and the work that he does, and look to God. Note the proliferation of the mention of God (four times), a direct contrast with what has gone before when the concentration has been on man. It is only in previous passages about the godly man (Ecc 2:24-26), the passage on everlastingness and judgment (Ecc 3:10-18), and the passage on worship (Ecc 5:1-7) that we otherwise have such constant mentions of God.
He is not here distinguishing between poverty and wealth. The idealistic view in Israel, if not always the reality, was of every man having his own vine and his own fig tree, and his own plot of land (1Ki 4:25). It was seen as so much a part of essential Israel that it was even the vision presented by the Assyrians when they sought to encourage Jerusalem to surrender (2Ki 18:31). Thus there would be levels of wealth, which were seen by each as his allotment from God, and with which each would be content.
But each was to look to God, worshipping truly (Ecc 5:1-2), waiting on God and absorbing His everlastingness (Ecc 3:11), and receiving the joy which God gives to His own in response to the fact that they are His (Ecc 5:20). It was a life of trust, and obedience to the covenant that God had made with Israel, with each man acknowledging and loving God with all his heart (Deu 6:4-6). This assumption lay behind the kind of life the Preacher is describing. For each man’s allotment in Israel came from the covenant with God.
‘All the days of his life which God has given him. For this is his allotment — this is the gift of God.’ This very much has in mind man’s covenant relationship with God which lay at the root of Israel’s beliefs. The godly man looks to God, is faithful to God and receives with thanksgiving what God has given him. He trusts, obeys and enjoys, recognising that even his life has been given to him by God.
‘For he will not call to mind the days of his life a great deal, because God answers him in the joy of his heart.’ As a result he is not always looking back with regret, he is not worried about the future, he is not searching for what is meaningful. He will always have the joy of his continual walk with God, with the sense of everlastingness (ever undefined) in his heart.
Ecc 5:18. Behold that which I have seen, &c. Behold that which I have observed to be good; that which I have observed to be proper, &c.
Ecc 5:18 Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion.
Ver. 18. It is good and comely for one to eat, &c. ] Niggardice and baseness is an ugly evil, making a man, though never so rich, to be vilipended and despised of all. Nabal shall not be called Nadib – the vile person liberal, the churl bountiful. Isa 32:5 See Trapp on “ Ecc 2:24 “ See Trapp on “ Ecc 3:12 “
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Ecc 5:18-20
18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. 19Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. 20For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
Ecc 5:18-19 to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor. . .which God has given him Notice the contrast between Ecc 5:17-18! We need to be content with (1) knowing God and (2) enjoying what He has provided daily (cf. Ecc 2:24-26; Ecc 3:12-13; Ecc 3:22; Ecc 8:15; Ecc 9:7-9).
Ecc 5:18
NASB, NKJV,
NRSVgood and fitting
TEVhere is what I have found out
NJBso my conclusion is this
The literal phrase is, what I have seen myself to be good which is beautiful.
The term good (BDB 373 II) is used often in Ecclesiastes (45 times), but translated in several different ways (i.e., Ecc 2:1; Ecc 2:3; Ecc 2:24 [twice],26 [twice]).
The second term (BDB 421) is literally beautiful. It occurs eight times in Song of Songs. The NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 495 asserts that it is only in Ecclesiastes that this term means proper (cf. Ecc 3:11; Ecc 5:18), which makes it parallel to good. Remember words only have meaning in a given context. How and why Qoheleth changes the regular meanings (even in other Wisdom books) is uncertain.
NASBhis reward [margin share]
NKJVhis heritage
NRSV, NIVour lot
TEVour fate
NJBthe lot of humanity
JPSOAhis portion
This is a common Hebrew term (BDB 324) with a wide semantic range, but it is used in Ecclesiastes for temporal benefits for the labor of one who recognizes and respects God’s presence and His gifts (cf. Ecc 2:10; Ecc 2:21; Ecc 3:22; Ecc 5:18-19; Ecc 9:6; Ecc 9:9; Ecc 11:2).
Ecc 5:19 There are two Hebrew VERBS translated give:
1. BDB 678, KB 733, Qal PERFECT, very common VERB, cf. Ecc 2:26[twice]; Ecc 5:18-19; Ecc 6:2; Ecc 11:2; Ecc 12:11. God has given wealth and possessions.
2. BDB 1020, KB 1521, Hiphil PERFECT, much rarer VERB which denotes giving power or enabling, Ecc 2:19; Ecc 5:19; Ecc 6:2; Ecc 8:9
This second VERB is followed by three Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTS that describe what God has given those who respect and obey Him. Ecc 5:18-20 is similar to Ecc 2:24-26 :
1. to eat, BDB 37, KB 46
2. to receive his reward (lit. to lift), BDB 669, KB 724
3. to rejoice in his labor, BDB 970, KB 1333
This series is parallel to Ecc 5:18 :
1. to eat, BDB 37, KB 46, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT
2. to drink, BDB 1059, KB 1667, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT
3. to enjoy (lit. to see), BDB 906, KB 1157, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT
man This is the generic term for mankind from Adam (BDB 9). It is often used synonymously with ish (BDB 35, cf. Ecc 6:2; Isa 2:9).
Ecc 5:20
NASB,
NRSV, NIVGod keeps him occupied
NRSV, JPSOA God keeps him busy
TEV——-
NJBGod keeps his heart occupied
REBGod fills his time
The one VERBAL (BDB 772 I, KB 854 III, Hiphil PARTICIPLE means to keep someone busy [from KB]. This same root is used in Ecc 1:13; Ecc 3:10 and translated task. God gives both the grievous task and the relief from it! Again the worldview (i.e., under the sun) without God brings vanity and meaninglessness, but the worldview of awe, respect, truth, and obedience brings a God-given joy in one’s daily labors and family life (be the person wealthy, wise, or poor).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Why is this book so hard to interpret?
2. Why does the Author seem so bitter and pessimistic?
3. What is his final answer to life in Ecc 5:18-20?
comely = well.
Ecc 5:18-20
Ecc 5:18-20
THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD HEALTH AND WEALTH
“Behold, That which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor – this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life: because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.”
There is a melancholy leveling of all life, embracing all classes from the laboring man to the king on his throne, in these verses. God is the giver of all things, both to the working man and the ruler; and, from the purely earthly viewpoint, about all that anyone gets out of life is what is mentioned here.
“And hath given him power to eat thereof” (Ecc 5:19). Christ taught men to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” The rich man indeed may have bread stored up for a long time; but whether he has the health and opportunity to eat it, or to profit by it if he does eat it, is altogether a gift of God, granted one day at a time!
We especially appreciate the Anchor Bible’s rendition of this, even if there should be an element of paraphrase (rather than translation) in it.”
“So I reached the conclusion that what is satisfying and suitable is to eat and drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s struggle under the sun, during the few years which God grants a man; that is what one gets out of it. Furthermore, every man to whom God grants riches and possessions, and enables him to benefit from them, and to possess his share and to be happy in his work – he has a bonus from God. Such a man will not brood over the shortness of his life, when God keeps his mind occupied with happy thoughts.
Solomon is still pursuing the profit that is available to one who labors under the sun and during the few years of his life. He speaks of such profit in these three verses as a reward or gift from the hand of God. He also instructs his reader to rejoice and discover the gladness of the heart that comes from his labor. This theme is an oft-repeated one that culminates in Ecc 9:7 with the imperative form which states: Go then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Note also Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:12-13; Ecc 3:22; Ecc 8:15. There is a sense in which man can find pleasure and some advantage in his labor. The qualifying mark appears to be that God must approve.
Ecc 5:18 To find personal satisfaction in ones labor and the joys of living is the reward available to men. Yet, on the one hand there are very few who seem to find it. Much of what the Preacher has observed and experienced, has been the opposite of this. There has been the inescapable futility that has marked all his labors. Now, however, there is a shaft of light that reveals some cause for rejoicing and joy that can be shared. He calls it good and fitting. Actually the rendering is good and beautiful which implies personal satisfaction. What does one have to do to receive such a reward? Evidently avoid the attitudes which have been illustrated with such detail by Solomon in the preceding materials. (1) Eliminate the love for money and abundance. Use your wealth as a means to an end, and not an end in itself. (2) Do not offer hasty words before God. When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it. (3) Do not put your trust in the acclaims of men. Realize that men are fickle and drawn by success rather than integrity. (4) Avoid selfishness which results in loneliness. Choose friends over insatiable desires for wealth. (5) Admit to the anomalies of life. Sorrow over the oppression of the poor, but do not despair. (6) Do not fail to see the hand of God in control of His world. The prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous are not indicators of Gods justice, but rather His patience. God has made everything appropriate in its time. Thus, from Solomons own observations we draw the conclusion that there is a way to find a reward in the short years one has upon the earth.
Ecc 5:19 As noted, riches and wealth are not evil of themselves. God gives them. When they are looked upon with a proper attitude and used in harmony with Gods ordained will, they bring joy. This is what is meant by the fact that God has empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward. Such behavior is also called a gift of God. It is surely available to every man, but some men choose the unrestrained, selfish pathway of avarice and greed. They miss the gift, the reward and the joy. The Preachers admonition is to the better way of life. Do not be carried away with excess. Rather, accept your life each day and live it to the fullest.
Ecc 5:20 There is a bonus for those who seek such a life before God. Not only do they discover that they have a reward in finding joy in their labor and living, but they soon forget the undesirable experiences of the past which causes greater joy for the present. Since it is God who now controls his daily attitudes, it is also God who causes him to forget the sorrows of his past years. This verse does not speak to eternal life or the anticipated joys of some future state. This would be out of character for Ecclesiastes. However, it does suggest that ones present life can be rewarding and filled with joy. One way to accomplish this is to be busy doing what God desires. The memory that haunts the rich, lonely miser and brings him to a prison house of gloom and vexation has no part with the one who discovers Gods gift for living.
All men have past experiences that are better buried and forgotten. Some come as a result of external circumstances and pressures that are beyond the control of the individual but nevertheless erode his peace of mind when recalled. Other experiences are direct results of volitional folly or sin. These have a more damaging influence on the joy of the present. It is a much-desired blessing to be able to close the door to the past and find joy in the present. This is the promise the Preacher now offers to those who make an effort to be wise.
Since such a positive note is sounded regarding the possible rewards that one may find even under the sun, it might be expected that Solomon will turn to a new theme. This is not true, however. This rather refreshing observation that speaks of rewards and joy is to be looked upon as a temporary terminal in his reasoning. He dedicates the entire next section (Chapter Six) to the theme of the futility of riches. Let us close out this section with two observations. One comes from Jesus who speaks to this point with the words, Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Mat 6:34). Also, the following quote from the Bereleburger Bible is very much to the point: To the pure all things are pure (Tit 1:15), and so a pure man may undoubtedly use riches with purity; and it will, therefore, chiefly depend on each ones own heart, on how it stands before God. But if any person is unable to remain just as contented and calm, when house and home are burnt down, or when some other damage is done to his property, he proves himself to be not yet truly composed and satisfied: that is the test thereof.
Awe of God; Riches – Ecc 5:1-20
Open It
1. What does it mean to be happy?
2. What best helps you worship God?
3. What is your most treasured possession?
4. Why do most people want more money than they already have?
Explore It
5. How should a person go to the house of God? (Ecc 5:1)
6. How did Solomon encourage us to conduct ourselves in the house of God? (Ecc 5:2-3)
7. What did Solomon say about vows made to God? (Ecc 5:4-6)
8. Why should we stand in awe of God? (Ecc 5:7)
9. What should not surprise us? (Ecc 5:8-9)
10. What unflattering truths hold for the person who loves money? (Ecc 5:10-12)
11. What grievous evil did Solomon notice? (Ecc 5:13-17)
12. What is good and proper for a person to do? (Ecc 5:18)
13. What sort of experience did Solomon describe as a gift from God? (Ecc 5:19)
14. What happens to the person who has wealth and possessions? (Ecc 5:20)
Get It
15. Why is it important to approach God with the right attitude?
16. Why do people make rash vows to God?
17. Why is it hard to keep the promises we make to God?
18. What does it mean to stand in awe of God?
19. Why is money unable to bring happiness or contentment?
20. If we cannot take anything with us when we die, why do we work so hard to acquire things?
21. How should we go about finding satisfaction in our work?
22. What does it mean to accept ones lot in life?
23. What is the connection between accepting ones lot in life and finding happiness?
24. Why is it so hard for us to accept our lot in life?
Apply It
25. What vow that you have made to God do you need to fulfill?
26. What is one thing you will change about your life-style to reflect the unimportance of money and things?
27. What can you do this week to accept and better appreciate the things that God has given to you?.
it is good and comely: Heb. there is a good which is comely, etc. Ecc 2:24, Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:13, Ecc 3:22, Ecc 8:15, Ecc 9:7, Ecc 11:9, 1Ti 6:17
the days: Heb. the number of the days
it is his: Ecc 2:10, Ecc 3:22, Jer 52:34
Reciprocal: Gen 48:15 – fed me Neh 8:10 – Go your way Psa 128:2 – thou shalt eat Ecc 1:3 – under Ecc 2:18 – I hated Ecc 6:9 – Better Ecc 9:9 – for Ecc 11:8 – rejoice 1Co 7:31 – use 1Ti 4:3 – which
Ecc 5:18. Behold that which I have seen That is, learned by study and experience; it is good and comely Good, or comfortable to a mans self, and comely, or amiable in the eyes of other men, as penuriousness is base and dishonourable; for one to enjoy the good of his labour Both for the constant supply of all the necessities of nature, and for the entertainment of his friends, and the relief of his poor neighbours; all the days of his life All the time God shall be pleased to continue him in this world. For it is his portion This is all that falls to his share of the good things of this life. It is his portion of worldly goods: if a truly pious man, he hath a better portion in heaven. This liberty is given him by God, and this is the best advantage, as to this life, which he can make of them.
5:18 Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and proper [for one] to {o} eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion.
(o) Read Geneva “Ecc 3:22”
The Conclusion.
Ecc 5:18-20
For himself Coheleth has a very decided opinion on this point. He is quite sure that his first conclusion is sound, though for a moment he had questioned its soundness, and that a quiet, cheerful, and obedient heart is greater riches than the wealthiest estate. With all the emphasis of renewed and now immovable conviction he declares, Behold, that which I have said holds good; it is well for a man to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labours through the brief day of his life. And I have also said-and this too is true-that a man to whom God hath given riches and wealth-for even a rich man may be a good man and use his wealth wisely-if He hath also enabled him to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour-this too is a most Divine gift. He does not fret over the brevity of his life; it is not much, or often, or sadly in his thoughts: for he knows that the joy his heart takes in the toils and pleasures of life is approved by God, or even, as the phrase seems to mean, corresponds in some measure with the joy of God Himself; that his tranquil enjoyment is a reflection of the Divine peace.
II. There are not many Englishmen who devote themselves solely or mainly to the acquisition of Wisdom, and who, that they may teach the children of men that which is good, live laborious days, withdrawing from the general pursuit of wealth and scorning the lures of ease and self-indulgence; such men, indeed, are but a small minority in any age or land. Nor do those who give themselves exclusively to the pursuit of Pleasure constitute more than a small and miserable class, though most of us have wasted on it days that we could ill spare. But when the Hebrew Preacher, having followed his quest of the supreme Good in Pleasure and Wisdom, turns to the affairs of Business-and I use that term as including both commerce and politics-he enters a field of action and inquiry with which we are nearly all familiar, and can hardly fail to speak words which will touch us close home. For, whatever else we may or may not be, we are most of us among the worshippers of the great god Traffic-a god whose wholesome, benignant face too often lowers and darkens, or ever we are aware, into the sordid and malignant features of Mammon.
Now in dealing with this broad and momentous province of human life the Preacher exhibits the candour and the temperance which marked his treatment of Wisdom and Mirth. Just as he would not suffer us to think of Wisdom as in itself an evil, nor of Pleasure as an evil, so neither will be allow us to think of Business as essentially and of necessity an evil. This, like those, may be abused to our hurt; but none the less they may all be used, and were meant to be used, for our own and our neighbours good. Pursued in the right method, from the right motive, with the due moderation and reserve, Business, as he is careful to point out, besides bringing other great advantages, may be a new bond of union and brotherhood: it develops intercourse among men and races of men, and should develop sympathy, goodwill, and a mutual helpfulness. Nevertheless, thrift may degenerate into miserliness, and the honest industry of content into a dishonest eagerness for an excessive devotion to it. These degenerate undue gains, and a wise attention to business into tendencies had struck their roots deep into the Hebrew mind of his day, and brought forth many bitter fruits. The Preacher describes and denounces them; he lays an axe to the very roots of these evil growths: but it is only that he may clear a space for the fairer and more wholesome growths which sprang beside them, and of which they were the wild bastard offshoots.
Throughout this second section of the Book, his subject is excessive devotion to Business, and the correctives to it which his experience enables him to suggest.
1. His handling of the subject is very thorough and complete. Men of business might do worse than get the lessons he here teaches by heart. According to him, their excessive devotion to affairs springs from a “jealous rivalry”: it tends to forth in them a grasping covetous temper which can never be satisfied, to produce a materialistic scepticism of all that is noble, spiritual, aspiring in thought and action, to render their worship formal and insincere, and, in general, to incapacitate them for any quiet happy enjoyment of their life. This is his diagnosis of their disease, or of that diseased tendency which, if it be for the most part latent in them, always threatens to become pronounced and to infect all healthy conditions of the soul.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary