Ecclesiastes 9 & 10. Week commencing 21 st March

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1 Ecclesiastes 9 & 10 Week commencing 21 st March Introduction Chapters 9 and 10 of Ecclesiastes are a mixed bag. Chapter 9 is a more considered reflection on the themes of our common destiny, living life to the full, and chance. The chapter ends with a story about a poor but wise man that left an impression on the Teacher. It seems to prompt him to speak about wisdom at greater length, but this time using standalone maxims and parables rather than with a more structured argument. For those who have found Ecclesiastes a little on the pessimistic side, I am happy to report that we are about to turn a corner! I say about to Some writers believe the first part of chapter 9 to be the most pessimistic passage in the entire book! I m not so sure. See what you think. On the bright side, there are some verses to make you smile in these chapters. A live dog is better off than a dead lion! If a man is lazy, the rafters sag. Getting going We are now well over half way through the book of Ecclesiastes. What have you learnt about the Teacher and his thoughts about life so far? Ecclesiastes 9 & 10 Page 1 of 5 Author: Roger Hubert

2 Study Question 1 Read Ecclesiastes 9:1-6. The Teacher reflects on the common destiny that comes to each one of us that we must all die one day. What does he feel about this fact? How do you feel about it? Notes With his under the sun perspective it seems evil to him. Like other writers in the Bible, he cannot accept the apparent injustice of God treating evil men in the same way that he treats the righteous (see, for example, Psalm 73). There is an opportunity to be honest with this question. We are not all fearless in the face of death, are we? Question 2 Read Ecclesiastes 9:7-10. From his rather gloomy perspective of a life without meaning (v9) the Teacher nevertheless concludes that life is better than death, and that it should be lived to the full. He picks out four ways to do this: enjoying food and drink (v7), adopting an attitude of celebration rather than mourning (v8), enjoying the blessings of marriage (v9), and giving your best when you work (v10). Ecclesiastes 9 & 10 Page 2 of 5 Author: Roger Hubert

3 The suggestion that God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17) is at odds with what some people outside (and inside!) the church imagine the Christian faith is about. Read the following verses and then answer the question that follows. John 10:10 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 Philippians 4: John 2:15 What does living life to the full mean for the Christian? Question 3 Read Ecclesiastes 9: Time and chance happen to all. When have you seen this principle work out in your own experience? Question 4 Read Ecclesiastes 9: In the section after these verses the Teacher is going to revert to listing some proverbs about life, but what leads him to that point is the story in verses What is clear is that a small city is under siege by a powerful army. And in that city is a poor but wise man. What is not clear is whether they turned to him and listened and took the action he suggested, so saving the Ecclesiastes 9 & 10 Page 3 of 5 Author: Roger Hubert

4 city, and then forgot him. That is how the NIV and RSV translate it. Or, as the GNB interprets it, perhaps they forgot he was there all along and, rather than turning to him at the crucial moment and saving themselves, they forgot him and so the city fell. Either way, the point is that they refused to remember this poor but wise man just when they needed to do so, either to express their gratitude or to follow his leadership. (Derek Tidball, That s Just The Way It Is) From the Teacher s conclusions (v16-18) which interpretation do you think is most likely? Do you have someone to turn to for the quiet words of the wise? Question 5 Read Ecclesiastes 10:1-20. Perhaps because of his reflections on the poor wise man in the verses just before, the Teacher now starts to list apparently unrelated maxims and proverbs, much as you would expect to find in the Book of Proverbs itself. Some commentators find a structure in this chapter about folly. For example Its potency (1, 5-7) Its pointlessness (2-4, 15) Its practice (8-10) Its publicity (11-14) Its politics (16-20) The principle of folly (1-3) The foolish ruler (4-7) Foolish workers (8-11) Foolish talkers (12-15) Foolish officers (16-20) Ecclesiastes 9 & 10 Page 4 of 5 Author: Roger Hubert

5 Alternatively, you might view this chapter as a tumbling out of the Teacher s observations on life without any pretence at a coherent argument. Having read the chapter, ask each member of your group to spend a few minutes reflecting on it, and then to choose a verse to focus on. They should choose one that they find helpful or intriguing. Then give them a few minutes to reflect on this verse. Ask each person to share the verse that they have been reflecting on, using the following questions as prompts. Why did you choose that verse? What does it mean to you? How might it shape how you think or act in the next few days? Response It s easier to apply some verses of Scripture to our lives than others, isn t it? Neverthless, All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). With that in mind, how will you apply some aspect of the truth that you have discussed in this session? Ecclesiastes 9 & 10 Page 5 of 5 Author: Roger Hubert