Ecclesiastes Lesson 1

Ecclesiastes

Lesson 1: Wisdom and the Wisdom Literature

Introduction: Why study this book?

• Time…the Destroyer?

• Mid-century angst? (“A feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general.” From German “fear”)

• Life doesn’t seem to make sense…am I missing something?

• The Rembrandt analogy.

What are the Wisdom Books?

• The Jews organized the OT Bible (the Tanakh) into the Torah (Penateuch), the Nevi’im (Early, Major and Minor prophets), and the Ketuvim (the “Writings” which include the five wisdom books and the latter histories).

• In the Christian organization of the OT, the “Wisdom Books” are the five books near the center of the Bible: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs and Job.

What is Wisdom?

• The word in Hebrew is hokma, and is in its earliest forms is used to mean “skill”, and is used of craftsmen who are to make beautiful objects for the Tabernacle. Ex 31:3,6. Ex 35:26, 31, 35 and Ex 36:2.

• Consider in English the difference between our words “skill” and “knowledge”. Skill requires knowledge, but is a different thing, and one can have lots of knowledge but little skill.

• Skill always relates to an activity of some sort, to a doing of something or a making of something.

• In its use as meaning “wisdom”, therefore, there is a strong subtext of skillfulness, and the activity referred to in this way is some aspect of living, or ultimately of living itself. A wise person knows how to live well, to live skillfully. Solomon asked for and received wisdom specifically to govern.

• In a yet higher sense, Wisdom is being in right relationship with God. We distinguish this usually as saying, “Godly wisdom” as opposed to simply “wisdom”. This follows naturally from the understanding that we, and everything around us, are designed and upheld by God. To live most skillfully in such a created world, we have to relate correctly to the Creator. (1 Cor 1:18-30) Compare Solomon’s wisdom (“worldly”) with David’s wisdom (“Godly”).

• Finally, in its highest sense, Wisdom is seen as God Himself (or perhaps in this case, “Herself” as we shall see!)

Some passages on Wisdom:

• Dt 4:6 (the Law as wisdom)

• Pro 9:10 (why is fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom?)

• Pro 4:7 (beginning of wisdom…get wisdom)

• Pro 2:1-6 (attitude: seeking diligently. But comes from the Lord)

• Pro 8-9. (Read all of chapter 8. Note the connection with creation. Wisdom is always portrayed as female…why?)

• Describing Jesus as the Logos through whom all creation was created (Jn 1:1-3) parallels this description of Wisdom in Proverbs 8, leading many to see Proverbs 8:22-31 as describing a manifestation of Jesus, the Logos, hence Wisdom as a manifestation or aspect of God himself.

Questions:

Next week: Ecclesiastes chapter 1