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Ecclesiastes – Theme
What is the greatest good (summum bonum)? How can I find true fulfillment and happiness? How can I become whole? Why do I exist? What is my purpose in life? But it is equally important to understand that the writer, who might have been selfishly searching, is not selfish in his discoveries. He shares with others his conclusions so that they might be spared the pain he endured.
“Ecclesiastes is an inspired confession of failure and pessimism, when God is excluded, when man lives under the sun, and forgets the larger part, which is always over the sun, the eternal and abiding things. If you want to know what a man of great privilege, and of great learning and great wisdom can come to, read this record of a man who has put God out of count in his actual life.” (G. Campbell Morgan)
Is Ecclesiastes pessimistic? My father has two life philosophies that can be misunderstood as pessimistic, but I find them to be not only true, but true reality: 1) Life is not fair; 2) No one owes you anything.
Ecclesiastes does present a pessimistic view, but only for those consumed by trying to find fulfillment “under the sun.” Here are three reasons the Koheleth was pessimistic about life “under the sun” (J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, p.165)
- Life Lived Under the Sun is Lived Selfishly rather than Socially.
- Life Lived Under the Sun is Lived Apart from God rather than as Controlled by Him.
- Life Lived Under the Sun is Lived as Bounded by the Grave rather than as Having Destiny Beyond.
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