So apparently I missed the last Bible Study which was the last of the series on the Gospel of John. We will be starting the new study series on Ecclesiastes.
Bijan Mirtolooi did an hour study at Redeemer once. I have the pdf.
Some at Puritanboard suggested Luther's work on it (volume 15) I have all volumes on Logos.
Some suggested Hengstenberg's commentary, which I downloaded.
Based on Logos' 26 Volume on the subject, I also downloaded ALL of it ($260 worth or $51 on sales) Charles Bridges, Robert Buchanan, etc. commentaries. I can't believe this Logos charging so much on free materials. I'll put all these in a folder called Ecclesiastes in my E-library.
I just realized that I also have 賈玉銘's 聖經要義 series. Ecclesiastes is included in volume 4: Wisdom books: From Job to Song of Songs.
賈玉銘 like many believed that this is what Solomon wrote after his repentance. When I brought it up in GCC Bible study, it would seem like the pastor agreed but also alluded to the fact that some within Christendom believed otherwise, that either Solomon did not really write the whole of it or he did not write it at all, or possibly has nothing to do with his repentance because the strongest point that they have, so it would seem, is that Solomon's kingdom did not get any better after that. I think this is easy to rebut: David clearly shown repentance yet his Kingdom didn't do much better either. A curse is a curse. God never guarantees that He will remove ALL his punishments upon repentance. Yet, true saints would still persevere under hardship which is from God's discipline. Therefore, the reasoning that things must turn better upon repentance, is not a sound one. Repentance gets you closer to God and peace with God, not closer to self comfort.
Chapter 1: In absence of God, all is vain.
v.4: Earth does not care what you do/did, so why do anything? Even if it's for the next generations, they will still go away.
v.5-7: Everything is circular reasoning.
v.6: That the Earth is round
v.13: ...乃知神叫世人所经练的是极重的劳苦 ...It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. => Same original tasks, pre-fall, I think, but for fallen men.
v.15: Time cannot be turned back. We cannot change natural laws.
v.17-18: The best of the fallen, is still fallen, which cannot escape vexation.
Chapter 2:
"My Heart" several times. Usually referring to my conscience I think.
v.1-2: Against Epicureanism
v.4-5: Seems to be what many first world country's retirement hobby.
v.8: ..."many concubines", proof that Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes after he had fallen and repented.
v.9: I would even argue that "my wisdom remained" as after he repented, acknowledged that his wisdom was not taken, in spite of his fall once.
v.10-12: Could this be where Solomon sinned greatly.
v.10: Yet again, another argument for the authorship of this book post Solomon's fall and repentance, v. 11.
v.12: Second time (after 1:17) using "Wisdom and Madness and Folly" all together. Vexation expanded to: There's no way to escape the past, we're stuck with our limitation.
v.13-16: Though the wise is better in gain, yet, it's the same vain goal as the fools, and not be remembered. (Solomon's remembered because of the Lord)
v.17-19: If not for God, who else are we toiling for if not ourselves? We may think it's for others, for the future, but it's just vain assumptions at best. A vain pat in the back. Everyone in the world who thinks they are successful believes in that "legacy", but what legacy really? Those whom we remember never truly planned for legacy, we remember Abraham Lincoln for things he did for the Lord, the eternal value of things. But so many toils so hard to think that their progeny would inherit a legacy, but how vain it is.
v.21: The very result (evil) of today's concept of inheritance, specifically in societies that is much blessed with worldly gifts.
v.23: Contrasting v.21, it is evil to not toil, it is vexation to work.
v.24-25: Connection of all these to God - work -> joy. Common Grace's introduction: All good things come from God.
v.25: Interesting also the difference in KJV & CUV (who...more than I)vs. ESV, NASB, NIV (without Allah).
v.26: Basic moral principle in a fallen world: God is still operating, transferring blessings from the wicked to this children, yet this worldly stuff is still not enough, it is contingent.
Chapter 3
v.10-11: 圣经论苦难: 人要经历苦难...你从上帝领受了什么样的恩典?如果你把人生所追求的目标转向寻求创造你的上帝，那你所流过的眼泪和所发出叹息都是有价值的，它会带给你生命的改变和有益的果效...耶稣的死...是不得其所而死，是死在十字架上, 你孤单吗?没有人比耶稣更孤单;你贫穷吗?没有人比耶稣更贫穷;你是无产阶级吗?许多执行无产阶级专政的高官都是说谎的人，只有耶稣基督才是真正的无产者;你明白苦难吗?
v.12-13: Seems to be the end goal of life, for the common.
v.14: Eternal quality of things, related to God.
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
v3:人言可畏 三人成虎. 流言飞语.
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
v.1-5: Contrasting between that which is eternal and the temporal:
lasting: good name, pondering why death, contemplating mourning, right view of facing sorrow, receiving right rebuke
temporal: etc.
v.10: Older days, looks better, but actually due to complacency and such, is not necessarily a good thing if not treated properly back then.
v.13-14: Like Job's life.
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
v2,3: Thanks to the ESV on my LOGOS app, verse 2 refers to Job 9:22, which according to my own commentary of the verse (Job 9:21), gives insight to ECC 9:2-3. And even Jer 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Basically, the Book of Job is about the difference between having the knowledge of God and having the relationship with God. Job had the knowledge (having heard of God), and knew it quite well in spite of his friends' challenges. But his fear of God kept him away from having a relationship with God (seeing God face to face), and he repented later for that Job 42:5-6.
The righteous fear causes us to be in awe before God, even on all four. But the fear of the wicked is the cowardly kind. The kind that is out of being caught and not wishing to suffer the consequence of it, such fear is of no value.