Ecclesiastes; or, the Preacher
Ecclesiastes 3
Chapter III · Vol. II, p. 1119
1 By the necessary change of times, vanity is added to human travail. 11 There is an excellency in God's works. 16 But as for man, God shall judge his works there, and here he shall be like a beast.
1 To everya thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:1
a ver.17; ch.8.6; 7.14.
1 In the division of the book commencing here and terminating at ch.6.9, the starting-point of the philosophic inquirer is different, but the result is the same. Peace in this world is to be secured not from extravagant pursuit of any one object, not from undue indulgence in any one pleasure, but in a calm, judicious, and regular use of those things which nature and taste present to us.—P.
2 Ab time to be born,2 and a time to die: ac time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted:
5 Ah time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together:3 a itime to embrace, and a time to refrain4 from embracing:
h ver.2,3.
3 It may well imply a time to clear a field for husbandry, and collect the stones again for building.—C.
i Ex.19.15. Joel 2.16. 1 Co.7.3-5. Ca.2.6,9.
4 Heb. to be far from.
6 A time to get,5 and a time to lose: a time to keep, and ja time to cast away:
5 Or, seek.
j Jonah 1.5. ch.11.1. Ac.27.18,19. Mat.10.37. He.10.34. Ps.112.9.
7 A ktime to rend,6 and a time to sew: la time to keep silence, and a time to speak:
k Ge.37.29,34. Ac.9.39.
6 To rend a garment in sorrow, as was customary with the Jews.—C.
l Job 2.13. Ps.39.1,9. Am.5.10,13. Pr.17.28. Is.58.1. Job 32.4, &c.
8 An time to love, and a time to hate: a time of war, and a time of peace.
n Ex.20.12. Lu.14.20,26. Ps.139.21. Re.2.2.
10 Ip have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.7
p Ps.111.2. ch.1.13,14.
7 See note on ch.1.15.—C.
11 Heq hath made every thing beautiful in his time: ralso he hath set the world8 in their heart, so that sno man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
13 Andv also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.9
v ch.2.24; 7.9. Ps.128.2, with 6.2.
9 Let no one pervert these words to the sanction of unhallowed luxury. There is nothing good, but as it is done or enjoyed 'to the glory of God.' See ch.2.24. So to possess and enjoy is, however, not a tendency of the carnal mind, it is of grace, 'it is the gift of God.'—C.
14 I know that whatsoever God doeth, xit shall be for ever: ynothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, zthat men should fear before him.
x Ja.1.17. Ro.11.36. Ps.119.90,91. ch.1.4. Je.31.35,36; 33.20,21.
y Pr.30.6. Is.10.5,15. Jn.19.10,11.
z Is.59.18,19. Ps.64.9. He.12.28,29. Re.15.4. ch.12.13.
15 Thata which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.1
a ch.1.9; ver.14.
1 Heb. that which is driven away.
16 And, moreover, bI saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, cGod shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is da time there for every purpose, and for every work.
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that2 God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are ebeasts.3
2 Or, that they might clear God, and see, &c., Ps.51.4. Ro.3.4.
e Ps.32.9; 49.12,20; 73.21,22. Pr.30.2,3. Job 11.12. Is.1.3. Je.8.7. 2 Pe.2.12. Jude 10.
3 The problem solved in this verse may be thus stated: How can we account for the prosperity of the wicked under the supreme rule of a just God? The reply is introduced by the phrase, 'I said in my heart;' i.e. I came to this conclusion regarding it—'It is because of the state of mankind, that God might purify them (and humble them), by showing them that of themselves (when left to their own ways) they are (ignorant and depraved as) beasts.'—P.
19 Forg that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence4 above a beast: for all is vanity.
g Ps.49.12,14,20; 73.22. ch.2.16. Ge.7.21,22.
4 That is, he has no pre-eminence in exemption from suffering and death. See ch.2.24.—C.
Notes
Ver. 1-11. However disjointed, useless, and afflictive the events of Providence may appear to us, God has connected them together in the most amazing beauty and harmony, and orders the season of each as tends most to advance his glory and the good of the people. And whatever worldly wisdom men may have, they will never be capable of comprehending the astonishing extent of the mysteries which God exhibits to their view in his works of creation and providence. 12, 13. It is therefore best in itself, and a benefit from God, to use worldly enjoyments moderately, and to improve them for the advantage of others. 14. God, in his wisdom and providence, seeks to train and discipline men in righteousness, and therefore we ought not to quarrel with but kindly submit to his pleasure. 15. In every age God, by new returns of things, governs the world with great uniformity of appearances. 16, 17. The very power which he has bestowed upon men as a remedy for grievances, is often used to oppress and injure the innocent; and therefore there must be a future general judgment by God himself, in which all things shall be rectified, by clearing the innocent, rewarding the righteous, and condemning the wicked. 18-21. Affected with these views, I wished that God would make men, particularly those who haughtily oppress others, to consider how mean and brutish they are, and to ponder the nature of that immortal soul which chiefly distinguishes them from beasts, whose life entirely vanishes in death.
Ver. 1. 'A time for every purpose,' unfavourable as well as favourable to the man that thinks to get profit of his labour; that is, solid, abiding satisfaction, which he can call, and keep as his own: the one stands at all times over against the other, Ec. 7. 14. C.
Ver. 2. A time to plant, &c. Among the horrors of war is the destruction of woods. A great man who had been at much pains to ornament a wild mountain district with buildings and trees, exclaimed when all had been destroyed, 'I care nothing for the house—I can soon raise a new one; but the trees! the trees! when will they be grown again!'—Note, How grateful should a people be when a land continues to enjoy peace and advance in improvement! This also is of God. C.
Ver. 8. A time to hate. Not a time permitted to hate, but which the carnal mind so perverts, Tit. 3. 3. C.
Ver. 11. More correctly, 'He hath also set eternity in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God doeth from the beginning to the end.' Luther remarks on this passage: 'Man cannot hit upon the work which God does; that is, no man can know beforehand the hour which is ordained above; and however much he may plague himself, he can never know when it will begin or come to an end. It behoves us therefore to say, O Lord, to thee belongs the supreme direction, in thy hand it rests entirely to order and settle everything in the future; under thy control is my life and my death; so long as I need my life, so long thou givest it. And inasmuch as in respect of them no care or thought is of any use, I will act then in regard to other gifts, using them as they come; care and anxiety I will cast to the winds, and commit all to thee.' P.——Everything beautiful. Among the innumerable evidences of the being and goodness of God, is the beauty which he has so widely diffused. The heavens, the earth, the plants; the birds, the beasts, the insects, the fishes; the eye of affection, and the smile of friendship—all are beautiful—so suited not merely for being, but for well-being, that it is impossible for any but the fool, Ps. 14. 1, to observe them, and remain insensible to the perfections of the Maker of all. C.
Ver. 17. God shall judge the righteous and the wicked. From the present unequal distribution of good and evil, some philosophers have attempted to deduce the doctrine of a future judgment; while others have replied, that if the distribution have continued unequal through so many thousand years, there is therefore the more reason to conclude it will so continue for ever. In the face of this incapacity on the one hand, and sophistry on the other, revelation shows it to be not a questionable inequality of good and evil, but the long-suffering of God with sinners: and establishes the doctrine of future judgment upon his word of truth, and attributes of wisdom and justice. C.
Ver. 22. Rejoice in his own works. True joy in a man's own works lies (1) In the humble acknowledgment that he is 'an unprofitable servant,' Lu. 17. 10, for joy ariseth not from a proud assertion of merit. (2) In discovering that while his own works produce no righteousness, a believer is 'justified without the deeds of the law,' Ro. 3. 28. (3) In finding that, in all he has wrought, not he but grace has been the real worker, 1 Co. 15. 10. C.
Reflections.—We live in a world of changes; but all things outside man's will are governed by God's will. It is absurd then to choose it for our portion, or to take up our rest in it. Readily should we believe, that whatever God has given us is best for us, accommodate ourselves to it, and wait with patience for the full unravelling of what seems intricate and perplexed. Yea, to be entirely satisfied with God's providential disposals is highly necessary, as they neither can be illegible be altered. And let us study to answer his end in his providences, which is to make us truly religious. Amidst all the changes which we either feel or fear, let us believe and acknowledge the inviolable steadiness of his government. Let us constantly live in the faith of his future judgment of the world, that no oppression may sink our spirits, and no power nor honour render us proud, mischievous, or impious. Let us always maintain a deep sense of our own meanness, stupidity, and unruliness before God; and study to use whatever God gives us for our own comfort, and for the real benefit of others.