Ecclesiastes; or, the Preacher
Ecclesiastes 1
Chapter I · Vol. II, pp. 1116–1117
1 The Preacher showeth that all human courses are vain: 4 because the creatures are restless in their courses, 9 they bring forth nothing new, and all old things are forgotten, 12 and because he hath found it to be so in the studies of wisdom.
1 The words of athe Preacher,1 the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
A.M. cir. 3029. B.C. cir. 975.
a ver.12; ch.7.27; 12.8-10. Pr.25.1.
1 In Hebrew, either he that gathers, or he that addresses an assembly.—C.
2 Vanityb of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.2
b Ps.39.5,6; 62.9,10; 144.4. ch.10.8; 2.11,15,17,19,21,26. Ro.8.20. Mar.8.36,37.
2 The first two chapters of this book bear the aspect of a personal confession, the record of the writer's experience. The great burden of it is vanity—the vanity of everything earthly. He searches after happiness, but his search is vain. He searches after wisdom, but he only finds sorrow; for the utmost limit of human wisdom is the grave. The conclusion he arrives at is, that man ought to be contented, so far as this life is concerned, with the calm, prudent, and rational enjoyment of such things as are placed within his reach.—P.
3 Whatc profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
c ch.2.22; 5.15; 3.9. Hab.2.13. Pr.23.5. Job 1.21. Ps.49.16,17. 1 Ti.6.7.
4 Oned generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: ebut the earth abideth for ever.
d Ps.89.47,48; 90.10. Job 14.2,20. Zec.1.5.
e Ps.104.5; 119.90. 2 Pe.3.10-13. ver.9.
5 Theg sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth3 to his place where he arose.
g Ps.19.5,6.
3 Heb. panteth.
6 Theh wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
h Jn.3.8. Job 37.9,17; 38.24. Ac.27.13,14.
7 Alli the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.4
i Job 38.10. Ps.104.8,9; 107.26,35.
4 Heb. return to go.
8 Allj things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: kthe eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.5
j ver.9,10; ch.ii.iii.vi. with 1 Co.2.9. Phi.3.8-14; 4.11,12.
k Pr.27.20.
5 The meaning seems rather to be, 'All words become weary;' human misery is so great—human experience so sad and uniform, that when we attempt to describe it in words we are wearied with the recital—man cannot utter it.—P.
9 Thel thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done, is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
l ch.3.14,15; 6.10; 7.10. Ge.8.22. Je.31.35,36. 2 Pe.2.1, with 2 Co.5.17. Re.21.4,5.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? mit hath been already of old time, which was before us.
m Mat.5.12; 23.32. ver.9. Lu.17.26-30. Ac.7.51.
11 Theren is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.6
n Ps.103.16. Job 18.17. Pr.10.7. ch.2.16.
6 Hengstenberg translates: 'No memorial have they of old; nor shall they who are to come have any remembrance of those that shall come after.' A fond dream of this world, he remarks, is to possess the immortality of renown. Even this barren consolation is here taken away, and so a conclusion is made to the development of the thought contained in ver. 3, that man has no profit of all the labour which he taketh under the sun.—P.
12 Io the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem:
o See ver.1. 1 Ki.4.1,21. Pr.1.1; 25.1.
13 Andp I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: qthis sore travail hath God given to the sons of man, to be exercised therewith.7
14 Ir have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
r Ac.4.28. ver.17,18; ch.2.11,17,26. 1 Ki.4.29-33.
16 It communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten umore wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart had greatv experience9 of wisdom and knowledge.
17 Andx I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
x ch.2.12; 7.23,25. 1 Th.5.21.
18 Fory in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
y ch.12.12. 1 Co.1.20,21. 1 Ti.1.4.
Notes
Ver. 2. Vanity—a vapour, emptiness, an object destitute of real good, a statement destitute of truth—an idol, because destitute of that life and power which its ignorant worshippers ascribe to it. C.
Ver. 4. For ever. This earth abideth through 'all generations:' and 'we, according to God's promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,' 2 Pe. 3. 13, so that the earth literally 'abideth for ever.' C.
Ver. 9. There is no new thing under the sun. There is nothing new in nature, in moral principles, in sciences, or in arts. New discoveries are but the adoption of principles already in full operation in nature, or the revival of things forgotten. New combinations and applications, however, of old principles there may be, and this is the utmost novelty that human ingenuity may claim. C.
Ver. 13. I gave my heart to seek, &c. Not by vain philosophy, falsely called wisdom; but by that which begins in the 'fear of the Lord,' and embraces all that is revealed of the 'manifold wisdom of God' in Jesus Christ, Ps. 111. 10; Ep. 3. 10. C.
Ver. 15. A world where everything crooked, inconvenient, annoying, adverse, could be made straight—and where everything wanting in wishes, desires, accomplishments, possessions, could be obtained—would not be suited to the present fallen state of man. God has therefore in mercy, while he inflicted the curse, suited this 'sore travail' as a check to the natural and a discipline to the renewed man. C.
Ver. 17. Madness—sometimes applied to great and unreasonable anger; more frequently to persons who understand and can discourse well upon all subjects but one. And such ever is the mere intellectual and moral man, wise upon all subjects but one, the knowledge of God in Christ, 1 Co. 1. 18-24; 2 Co. 5. 19, 20. C.
Ver. 18. The reason of this is that human wisdom can only demonstrate the vanity of all earthly things. It proves that pleasure is short-lived, that fame soon passes away, that wealth cannot prolong life, that no source of human enjoyment is or can be lasting. The more man knows of these things—the more he reflects upon them, if he have no higher source of happiness, the more miserable must he become. P.
Reflections.—How feelingly a true penitent, from his own experience, preaches that vanity and vexation which attend created enjoyments! All things indeed in nature concur to manifest this humbling truth, though it is very hard to convince most men of it: for, notwithstanding the perpetual flux, returns, and oblivion with which created things are marked, we are too apt to be resting in them. Neither our own observation nor experience, nor the dictates of the Spirit of God, are credited by us. Take heed, my soul, never more to esteem or desire them as God; never more depend on or delight in them as thy God. If, by all my labours for human knowledge, I can neither satisfy my mind, rectify my nature or lot, nor amend the world, let me study to know Christ and him crucified; thus shall I be changed into the same image from glory to glory. And let this knowledge, which is eternal life, be the chief object of my pursuit.