Transcript Slide 1
Ecclesiastes Back to the 1960s Turn, Turn, Turn To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn) There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn) And a time to every purpose, under Heaven Turn, Turn, Turn A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep Turn, Turn, Turn To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn) There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn) And a time to every purpose, under Heaven Turn, Turn, Turn A time to build up, a time to break down A time to dance, a time to mourn A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together Turn, Turn, Turn • To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn) There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn) And a time to every purpose, under Heaven Turn, Turn, Turn A time of love, a time of hate A time of war, a time of peace A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing Turn, Turn, Turn To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn) There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn) And a time to every purpose, under Heaven Turn, Turn, Turn A time to gain, a time to lose A time to rend, a time to sew A time for love, a time for hate A time for peace, I swear it's not too late Paradox • Each table come up with a paradox. Paradox • Bailing out wall street • Wonder and Awe of God • Inconsistent premises always make an argument valid • Buying a lottery ticket to win • Practice moderation in all things. Including moderation Background on Ecclesiastes • • • • • Who: Qoheleth Why: to make commentary When: Second Century BC What: Wisdom Literature How: In Hebrew Who • Who: Qoheleth ko-HEHL-ehth – Son of David, Solomon Why • Commentary: This is the way life is… contridictory and challenging. When • Second Century BC Who • Wisdom Literature--reflections, aphorism, some poetry, paradox, seemingly opposites in comparisons How • According to Talmud, the point of Qohelet is to state that all is futile under the Sun. One should therefore ignore physical pleasures like and put all one's efforts towards that which is above the Sun. This is summed up in the second to last verse: "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep His commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone" Summary • Ecclesiastes: The book is concerned with the purpose and value of human life. While admitting the existence of a divine plan, it considers such a plan to be hidden from men and women, who seeks happiness without ever finding it below Ecclesiastes applies his “Vanity of vanities” to everything “under the sun,” even to that wisdom which seeks to find at last a semblance of good in the thing of the world. Merit does not yield happiness for it is often tied by suffering. Riches and pleasure so not avail. Existence is monotonous, enjoyment fleeting and vain; darkness quickly follows. Life, then is an enigma beyond human ability to solve. Outline • • • • • Outline: Prologue (1:1-20) Qoheleth’s Investigation of Life (1:12—6:9) Qoheleth’s conclusions (6:10—12:8) Epilogue (12:9-14) Today’s Reading 1:1 The words of David's son, Qoheleth, king in Jerusalem: Today’s Reading 1:2 • Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! Today’s Reading 1:3 • What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? Today’s Reading 1:4 • One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. Today’s Reading 1:5 • The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises. Today’s Reading 1:6 • Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds. Today’s Reading 1:7 • All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep on going. Today’s Reading 1:8 • All speech is labored; there is nothing man can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear filled with hearing. Today’s Reading 1:9 • What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun. Today’s Reading 1:10 • Even the thing of which we say, "See, this is new!" has already existed in the ages that preceded us. Today’s Reading 1:11 • 11 There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them. What’s Up • Next Week: January 20—Eccl 1:12-6:9 • January 27 The Parish Mission • February 3 Eccl 6:10-12-13