Ecclesiastes
When I was in the early part of college
obsessed with the Holocaust
The period of in German history where the Nazis
Systematically killed and tortured 6-10 million Jews in camps, Auschwitz &
Bergen-Belsen
in mobile units on the Eastern front
I took 3 separate courses in college,
in my particular program at school
dealing with different aspects of Holocaust
moral meaning of it, & how social systems were set up for mass murder,
& how Jewish religious
thought dealt with such horror
Some of the reasons I was so obsessed with it:
1) youth—it seems when you are young, a lot of us are more
enamored with shadows than light—and the Holocaust was very much
shadow, if not complete night: Getting acquainted with the shadows
2) The other piece was this question: what does it mean to be in
relationship with a God who would allow such horror to happen? What
kind of God allows something to happen to others, but especially God’s
covenant people, the ones God made a promise to and whom God has a
very special relationship to?
3) Heard all the excuses and defenses of God
a. Free will—humans make their choices, and God’s not
responsible. Problem: well, true, but in the end, this is still God’s world.
If a madman walked in, and you knew they were going to kill people, but
you did nothing, you would be held responsible by others. If you knew
someone was going to do harm to another, you would be held
responsible
b. A particular “punishment” for the Jews: incredibly offensive—
because of the seeming prejudice underneath, but also because this is
an incredibly unattractive picture of God.
c. In the end, if we believe that God does have power, some sort of
power, we must ask why chose to do nothing—and we must wonder what
kind of God we worship that would allow this to happen.
Eli Wiesel: the book NIGHT by Elie Wiesel
Read to me by Dr. Patrick Green—Intro in Religion class at Alabama.
Read excerpt from 60-62
Powerful story, unforgettable, haunting.
That story is why I took 3 courses in the Holocaust
Why bring this up?
Because we have to ask what is the meaning of belief? Does believing
in God mean anything?
If horror such as this happens in the world, in the presence of a good
God, what’s the point?
What the point of God, or believing in God, if it doesn’t effect the
universe, if such pain and loss can happen in the world, and such
incredibly unjust things can happen, when little boys can suffocate from
the gallows? And God is silent…or is at seemingly silent?
Jewish theology struggles with this immediately after the Holocaust—as
well Christian theology.
German Christians—haunts us the church, because we basically stood
by and let it happen.
That meaninglessness, the challenge is something that the ancient writer
of Ecclesiastes struggles with as well.
Some of the Wisdom Literature argues:
Proverbs—the world is moral, that
you reap what you sow,
the universe has a certain moral rhythm that goes beyond any particular
religion.
But events like Holocaust call that into question.
And books like Job call it into question this idea that the universe is
moral, as well—an innocent man suffers, for no reason, other than to
make a point to Satan. Job is accused of being immoral, of bringing this
onto himself somehow, but he knows he is an innocent man, or at least
innocent enough NOT to deserve this level of deep suffering.
Job receives an answer from God—I am God, the creator, and you are
my creator—know the difference between you and I.
Throughout, however, Job fights and argues with God, and with others,
and cries out for justice
But Ecclesiastes is different—the writer has no fight left in him.
And there are no answers, or response from God—
just painful, difficult questions.
God DOESN’T answer the writer of Ecclesiastes like God does in Job.
Disorientation happens: the world doesn’t work the way it should…and
we are left with his questions:
The painful, obvious dissocnance between the way the world should be
and…
the way the world actually is…becomes too much, and he is generally left
hopeless.
A personal Holocaust, or a set of small Holocausts, has happened…and
he sees no point anymore.
So, what was it, that drove him to the edge, to point of questioning the
point of it all, and the very point of believing in God?
What left him without a drop of hope about the meaning of life?
The question we are going to look at in this book…
But first, before we look at what has gotten him there…let’s look at some
base notes about this book.
First, who wrote this book?
Often attributed to Solomon, but more than likely it was someone taking
on the personal of Solomon.
Quoheleth = teacher
Attributing it to Solomon legitimatized it and probably got it into the
canon—if Solomon said it, its probably OK to hear these difficult
questions.
First chapter—Solomon hints at Solomon, but from chapter 2 on, the
pretense is dropped altogether.
Most scholars date the book to between 300-200 BCE
An obvious time of stress going on, probably in the culture at the time—
or maybe in the writers life—a time of hopelessness and incredible
stress.
There is not real structure to this book—the teacher teaches, but it’s a
mess internally, jumping over the place.
The teacher wonders about this: what’s the point if it all, what the point of
being wise and moral if the universe or God doesn’t respond by doing
right by the person who is trying to be moral and wise?
If you are good man, why are you in a camp at Buchenwald or
Auschwitz? What’s the point of being moral if God doesn’t act morally
towards you, doesn’t do right by you?
Why does the writer of Ecclesiastes think this?
Three main reasons:
1) To the writer, its clear that God’s governance, God’s running of
the universe is hidden, and doesn’t have anything to do with the way we
live our lives.
Ecclesiastes 2:14b-15
The wise have eyes in their head, but fools walk in darkness.
Yet I perceived that the same fate befalls all of them. Then I said to
myself, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also; why then have
I been so very wise?”
And again:
Ecclesiastes 7:15-18
15In my vain life I have seen everything; there are righteous people who
perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked people who prolong
their life in their evildoing. 16Do not be too righteous, and do not act too
wise; why should you destroy yourself? 17Do not be too wicked, and do
not be a fool; why should you die before your time? 18It is good that you
should take hold of the one, without letting go of the other; for the one
who fears God shall succeed with both.
Ecclesiastes: there is a fatalism, this resignation that life is not fair, that it
won’t deal a fair hand, necessarily, and that there is nothing I can do to
change, including being a good person.
No point in arguing with God, what will be will be.
Job fights—but Ecclesiastes just doesn’t fight with God anymore. No
fight left in him anymore.
God has essentially become irrelevant to the Teacher. I can’t influence
God, so what’s the point of even trying to hold God accountable.
2) Conclusion of the logic is that what we do in this life doesn’t really
have much relevance to God or programming the outcome of our lives.
Ecclesiastes 1:2
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
Vanities = Hebrew word hevel = breath
Chasing after the wind—un-catch able
Everything I do to be happy is useless, its like trying to capture the wind
Wisdom is useless! (1:12-18)
Hard work is useless! (2:18-23)
will read for the above example
18I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must
leave it to those who come after me 19—and who knows whether they
will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master of all for which I toiled and
used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20So I turned and
gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labors under
the sun, 21because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and
knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not
toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22What do mortals get from
all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? 23For all their
days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their
minds do not rest. This also is vanity.
The self-indulgent “good life” is useless! (2:24-26)
Money is useless! (4:4-8)
its all pointless, says the writer—cynical words
Stunning because in Hebrew thought, human life is invested with
incredible significance by God
And yet the writer of Ecclesiastes will have not of it…all of it is useless.
Ecclesiastes 3:18-20
18I said in my heart with regard to human beings that God is testing
them to show that they are but animals. 19For the fate of humans and
the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all
have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the
animals; for all is vanity. 20All go to one place; all are from the dust, and
all turn to dust again.
Hebrew thought: we are the crown of creation, but the writer of
Ecclesiastes is a little cynical about that idea.
So, where does this leave us?
3) Yet, even though the writer is resigned to the unfairness of life,
he has not become hopeless.
Pretty crucial point here…
He still affirms life, by telling his readers to make the best of the situation.
The way he does this is by acknowledging the time and place for
everything—
Listen to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Sound familiar—Pete Seeger song that Byrds sang?
1For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under
heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Yes, he seems to be saying, resign yourself to the unfairness of life, but
respond accordingly.
Whether unfair or not, life demands a response—sometimes you must
weep, sometimes you must laugh—but remain engaged in life!
Don’t give up—remain in the muck of it and the beauty of it, no matter
how unfair it may be.
To affirm life is to react to it—to engage it when your cynical heart wants
to just give up on the meaning of it all!
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
7Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry
heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. 8Let your garments
always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. 9Enjoy life with
the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you
under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at
which you toil under the sun. 10Whatever your hand finds to do, do with
your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in
Sheol, to which you are going.
Again, Sheol—no Jewish afterlife, the place of the dead, very Egyptian.
Now, this whole passage is very Jewish, I think, very affirming of life in the
midst of hopelessness.
Even in the midst of the unfairness of life,
you be fair
you be good
you take care of yourself
you work hard.
Even amidst the cynicism comes these words of life
Life may be unfair but you don’t have to be.
Life may not do your right, but you can do right by life and by others.
Now, there is a final thing that I want to point out about Ecclesiastes
Mentioned before that there is not real structure to book—a hodgepodge
of different things.
But the last part of the book becomes much more hopeful than the first
2/3 of the book.
Chapters 11 & 12 are much more hopeful
Most scholars, if not all of them, think the last part of Ecclesiastes was
tacked on later.
It was almost too hopeless, too cynical…and so some ancient writer
ended it on a much more hopeful note.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-8
1Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of
trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no
pleasure in them”; 2before the sun and the light and the moon and the
stars are darkened and the clouds return with the rain; 3in the day when
the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the
women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who
look through the windows see dimly; 4when the doors on the street are
shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound
of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; 5when one is
afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms,
the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because all must go
to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets;
6before the silver cord is snapped, and the golden bowl is broken, and
the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern,
7and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to
God who gave it. 8Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity.
Wise ending words—get it right when you are young—save your self the
heartache of having to learn it at an older age.
Even amidst the cynicism, the writer says:
Look…fear God—or have deep respect for God—and you won’t have to
learn all these difficult lessons when you’re older.
The beginning of wisdom is fear/respect for God.
Goes back to voice of Proverbs—the wisdom of Proverbs.
But the more positive ending shows up in the last 2 lines of Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
13The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his
commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. 14For God will
bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether
good or evil.
This ending feels very different than the rest of the book, which is why
people think it was tacked on so the rest of the book wouldn’t make the
Jewish people so uncomfortable.
Orthodoxy swoops in and tempers the radical edge of Ecclesiastes.
Still, this book is incredible—incredible in its frankness, its openness, its
bluntness.
And it tackles the hard questions—questions that arise anytime you look
hard at the way life really is.
And it gives us permission to look hard at the Holocaust…and ask the
difficult question of
Where was God in all this?
How could God have let this happen?
We can ask that same questions about our own personal Holocausts.
Where was God when I needed God?
I wonder why we feel so uncomfortable asking the hard questions like
that?
Maybe some of us feel that to be a person of faith, we can’t ask those
questions—but if the Bible can ask those questions, certainly we can.
Who are we protecting by not asking God the hard questions?
God?
If people even think about it, what will they end up thinking about the
character of God?
I have a feeling God can take care of God’s own self…God can handle
it.
If Job and Ecclesiastes can ask those questions, so can we…
But to be honest, I don’t think its God that we are trying to protect…
I think its us…we’re really trying to protect ourselves from asking about
Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen and the horrors of Nazi concentration
camps.
We’re scared that we’re going to going to be the ones saying with Elie
Wiesel…
Where is God…he is up there, hanging from the gallows…and somehow
we will lose our faith in God and God’s goodness.
And some people did lose their faith, but not all…faith is powerful, and it
is not easily bowed, easily broken.
The reason: God, ultimately can take our hard questions, our
accusations, our disappointments in God.
And, if God can take those same questions and accusations, and we
have been created in God’s image, we can handle them as well…we can
say them aloud and know that it will be OK. And the very saying them is
also an act of incredible faith in God.
The central symbol of the Christian faith is not, NOT an empty tomb, but
a cross.
Means that the very heart of our faith acknowledges the deep,
undeserved suffering of the innocent.
Why? Because for most of us, the story of the cross is our story as
well—the story of the Crucified One is the story we all know too well.
We know pain, and we know when others see our pain, and the cross of
Jesus reminds us that God sees our pain, that God gets it in ways that
only in ways that experience can teach us.
God gets it now…God gets us, and God gets the horror of the Holocaust
because of the cross.
The why question is never quite answered…and we are left with the reply
that God gives Job, in the end.
I am God, your Creator. You are my creation.
That’s all—will that be enough for you, for Wiesel, for me?
In the end, the answer is no answer…mystery remains.
