1 Then I looked again [4:7] at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. [Extended Notes]

 2 So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living.

 3 But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.

Three Extremes of Labor:

 Two Wrong Motive, Laziness vv.4-8

 4 I have seen that every [hyperbole] labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind. [“Keeping up with the Joneses” is vanity.  This is a man who works for the wrong reason.]

 5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. [This is the other extreme, a man who refuses to work.]

 6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor [A man who works too much is hurting himself] and striving after wind. [This is the balance, which is missing in so many people’s lives.  One hand is full of rest is not the two hands folded in laziness.  God created people with the need to work. God created people with the need to rest.]

 7 Then I looked again [4:1] at vanity under the sun.

 8 There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task. [As v.4 declares a wrong reason for working, here is a man who does not have the right reason for working – to help others, especially family.  He is possessed by riches, and does not enjoy what the riches can bring him.  He does not understand that money is simply a means to an end, not the desired end itself.]

 9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.

 10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.

 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? [Amazingly this is used as a proof-text for homosexuality!]

 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

[What does the above have to do with the context?  At first it is not obvious, because the connection is indirect.  The point is that we need each other.  The Preacher has been trying to find the purpose of living.  While living and living out that purpose, we need to find the value in friends and relationships.]

 13 [The following foreshadows Jeroboam (1 Kgs.11:26ff)] A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.

 14 For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

 15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.

 16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. [People are fickle!  We need to remember this for self-sanity anytime we find ourselves popular.]

 (NAS95)

Tags: Commentary

This entry was posted by PHall on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 10:31 pm and is filed under Ecclesiastes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.