Ecclesiastes 2:1-26
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Summary
- There is value in what we do, if it is done with wisdom. However, we also must remember that this present life is temporary and will come to an end. After that, nothing in this present world will have lasting meaning for us.
Details and/or Comments
- Though not the main focus, the eternal aspect of life is mentioned a few places in the book of Ecclesiastes. Yet here in chapter 2, we see that value exists even in this present life - even though it is temporary, ending at the point of death.
- What is the best good a person can pursue in this present life? This is one of the questions examined in this passage.
- The observations in chapter 1 must be remembered, when attempting to understand chapter 2. Don't take the chapter out of context!
- The futile aspect of life is one of the consequences of human sin. It is part of the burden placed upon us (see chapter 1, also Genesis 3:1-24), because we, the human race, rebelled against God. If death, the consequence of sin, had never entered the world, then this futility would have never come into existence.
Scripture
Ecclesiastes 2:1-26 – Great achievements, but without lasting meaning...
- See also: Futility in Life.
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Ecc 2:1 I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure;" and behold, this also was vanity.
Ecc 2:2 I said of laughter, "It is foolishness;" and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?" Ecc 2:3 I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives. |
Pleasure – no lasting meaning.
These three verses look at pleasure as one's primary emphasis or ultimate goal in life. It is the type of lifestyle that is characterized by wasteful frivolity - like the "prodigal son" in Luke 15:11-13. Resources are consumed, and in the end, there is nothing left. The productive lifestyle described in the rest of the chapter can also result in pleasure (v. 10, 24-26a); but in this case, it is the result of one's endeavors (and also a gift from God), not the ultimate goal itself. Note that the Teacher did not abandon himself to pleasure and folly. He held on to his wisdom while evaluating it, and so was able to give an accurate evaluation of this lifestyle
This lifestyle is a "dead end." The rest of the book focuses on wisdom. Even when concepts such as "pleasure" and "joy" are encouraged in later chapters, they are the type that is compatible with wisdom, and not the type described in these three verses. A failure to realize this will result in a misinterpretation of much of the book! |
| Ecc 2:4 I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.
Ecc 2:5 I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. Ecc 2:6 I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared. Ecc 2:7 I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem; Ecc 2:8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men--musical instruments, and that of all sorts. Ecc 2:9 So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. Ecc 2:10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn't keep from them. I didn't withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. Ecc 2:11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. |
The joy of accomplishment, the greatest of achievements – no lasting meaning.
These things are productive and can be quite good - and he experienced them more than any who would come after him. As seen below, they can result in joy, and can be an expression of wisdom. There is value; but not permanent value. As in v. 1-3, the evaluation of this lifestyle was controlled by wisdom. |
| Ecc 2:12 I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king's successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.
Ecc 2:13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness. Ecc 2:14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness--and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all. Ecc 2:15 Then said I in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then said I in my heart that this also is vanity. Ecc 2:16 For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool! |
When comparing the two lifestyles, the lifestyle guided by wisdom (v. 4-9) is better than the lifestyle guided by folly (v. 1-3).
However, in the end, both people (the wise and the foolish) die and are forgotten; so there is no lasting meaning under the sun in either case. (The matter of eternal destinies is not in focus here!) |
| Ecc 2:17 So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Ecc 2:18 I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who comes after me. Ecc 2:19 Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. Ecc 2:20 Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun. Ecc 2:21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. |
All of life is filled with pain, toiling, futility, etc.
Worse than that... once you die, all the "fruit" of your wisdom will be given to someone else. And you have no idea whether he will be a wise person (having a productive lifestyle, as in v. 4-9) or a fool (having a wasteful lifestyle, as in v. 1-3). You may spend a lifetime being wisely productive... and the person who gets it may waste it all in a matter of days! |
| Ecc 2:22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?
Ecc 2:23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity. |
Such issues may cause a person to question the value of life - or at least the value of pursuing wisdom (which can be very difficult to do). But there is an answer to all this. There is value even in this present life.
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| Ecc 2:24 There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
Ecc 2:25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? Ecc 2:26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind. |
Even though life is (and must be) a burden - see the comments at Ecclesiastes 1:13-15 - God offers joy to those who please him (those who do what is right). This is the "best good" that we ought to pursue in life. We ought to enjoy the fruit of our labor, and recognize that this enjoyment comes from God. (Recognizing this will influence how we do the enjoying. In other words, it will influence our values.)
This joy is related to the concept of contentment, described by the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11-12. It is not dependent on the accumulation of possessions - something that even wicked people - "sinners" - can do (v. 26)! The labor (and resulting joy) described in these passages are a reflection of the basic duties given to humans, back in Genesis 1:26-28, and are first illustrated in Genesis 2:15 and following. The burden that has become associated with it goes back to the consequences of human sin, described in Genesis 3:17-19. |
Scripture Passages
(Only books that have relevance to this study have active links. The others are in italics.)
Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy • Joshua • Judges • Ruth • 1 Samuel • 2 Samuel • 1 Kings • 2 Kings • 1 Chronicles • 2 Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther • Job • Psalms • Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon • Isaiah • Jeremiah • Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel • Hosea • Joel • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Malachi Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts • Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • 1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon • Hebrews • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter • 1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Jude • Revelation |
—— To avoid any copyright issues, all Scripture is either from a public domain translation (such as the World English Bible), my own translation, or a combination of these. ——
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The name "Yahweh," when present in an Old Testament passage, represents the Hebrew name for the God of the Bible.
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Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
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