Reflections on Ecclesiastes

Many fine commentaries on Ecclesiastes when making a concise summary concerning the book state it something like this: "Life not centered on God is futile". However, a cursory reading of Ecclesiastes does not reveal this realization so much as the more stark impression that "Life is futile". That is to say, it seems to tell the reader that meaning is beyond the reach of mere man and that all are destined to live their short, frustrating lives for the achievement of naught. The book states that life is vanity some thirty-five times and not once clearly states that a meaningful life can be had.

Few would be prepared to accept life as unequivocally meaningless so the natural desire is to press for a more palatable interpretation; namely, something along the lines of that concise summary mentioned above. As this search is conducted the thoughts arise, "How does Ecclesiastes, with all its despair, encourage the faithful to focus on God? How can someone insure that his life is not spent frivolously? Where can one discover meaning and immerse herself in it?" Fortunately, Ecclesiastes answers these very important questions and in so doing reveals, ironically, great meaning. Let us see how these answers present themselves:

In Search of Meaning

Solomon states clearly the thesis of his masterpiece from his first words, "Meaningless! Meaningless! …. Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." I find the NIV translation represented here helpful because the word "Meaningless" makes it apparent to the reader that somewhere there must be meaning. After all the root of "Meaningless" is "to mean", so surely something, somewhere must have meaning so as to make possible the definition of "Meaningless". To begin this search for meaning it is important to consider how Solomon defines it.

In Search of Meaning: Can Meaning be Found in Permanence?

Solomon waxes elegantly on the permanent cycle of nature from 1:5-7:

The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

These cycles are recognized as permanent - a necessary building block to meaning - but as they have no purpose in and of themselves they hold no meaning as Solomon defines it. That is to say, though the sun rises and sets ad nausea, it is not a sentient creature thinking to itself each morning "I think I'll rise today" and each evening "I shall now set".

In Search of Meaning: Can Meaning be Found in Purpose?

In 1:11 this thought expertly segues into the consideration of man:

There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.

Each day a man says to himself "I think I'll rise" and each evening "It is now time for bed". (Or, if he wishes, he is perfectly capable of saying "Today I'll simply stay in bed!") Now this is exciting for now we have discovered something in which purpose exists: Man! This is so exciting that Solomon spares no effort in exploring purpose through every conceivable effort as recording in 2:1-10.

I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly--my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well--the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

Unfortunately Solomon runs into a wall: man has no permanence.

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

And, to add insult to injury, a man, whether wise or foolish, is not even remembered!

The stage has now been set. In order for there to be meaning, there must be both permanence and purpose. Where do both of these characteristics abide together? The obvious answer is revealed in 3:14.

I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

The Definition of Meaning

Solomon defines meaning as that with permanence and purpose. With that thought a great truth in Ecclesiastes begins to reveal itself: God reserves all meaning for himself. He holds in one hand permanence, and in the other purpose. Or to put it another way, everything God does has meaning and no meaning exists outside of him. God in his graciousness will often use man as a tool to bring about His meaning. Man, however, is no more responsible for the meaning that takes place through him than is a screwdriver in the hands of a mechanic responsible for fixing an automobile.

So what is the applicable lesson for man? Each man should submit to God so that His meaning can establish itself through him. Each person, though incapable of producing meaning in and of himself, can have the privilege of being a conduit through which meaning provided by the Almighty flows.