Ecclesiastes chapter 9

vs 1

I'm not sure how to read "love and hatred". I mean, the auto-reader in me just reads, "Oh, that must just mean good and bad, and he's being hyperbolic." And that's easy enough to read there. But what if he really does mean love and hate? I mean, it can't mean that we don't know whether we will face God's love or hate, can it? Scripture would say no. The love and hate of other people is surely fickle, so it could mean that. I'm going to stick with good and bad and hyperbole, but it's a little uncomfortable this morning.

vs 2

The common destiny of death awaits all regardless of their life. It's interesting that this sort of talk exists in the OT, where we struggle to find a well formed doctrine of heaven and afterlife, but what he really is saying is that death itself is not much of a punishment for evil, since even the righteous die. Whether the author was aware or believed in something beyond that is beyond me, but it would seem to be something necessary from his argument, if God is to remain good and just.

vs 3

Now here comes a distinct shank into the side of some people's theology. Those who argue that Adam and Eve were always going to die (because death was a part of God's creation, rather than a consequence of the fall - usually people who come from the evolutionary perspective) will have a little difficulty explaining how death can be evil, and an enemy of God (a la 1 Corinthians 15). You can do what I did, uncomfortably, in verse 1, and just shave the edge off it, and say, "It's hyperbole, he just means it's bad," but even then, why is it bad if it's part of God's perfect plan in creation? Why is death something we fight, something to be overcome? I can't answer that. I must say that I do sometimes find the whole idea of an evolutionary ktisiology attractive, but this is the bit that stumbles me.

vs 4

This is, interestingly, the opposite of the attitude of Job, who thinks it's better to be stillborn than have to live in a world of pain and suffering. Of course, I think Qoheleth actually says that somewhere too.

vs 5

Death is the end, at least for a while, according to Qoheleth. It's the end of cognition, as far as he's concerned. No disembodied floating spirits for Qoheleth, apparently.

vs 6

Well, that's possibly a more full definition, although to me it still reads as a pretty complete end of cognition, rather than, say, the idea that death separates us from the body, and therefore from feelings of love, hate and jealousy. That's totally dualistic, and unbiblical.

vs 7

This is one of those classic conclusive verses in Qoheleth, bringing out the conclusive summary of his thoughts. But the idea that God has approved our actions is somewhat odd. It could be a passive approval in the form of allowance, in which case it could mean that you can do whatever you want. Or it could be saying that he approves of good actions, and so you will be able to eat and drink with joy and gladness. This fits more with what he has said previously, but the wording is difficult to me.

vs 8

Wearing white and being anointed with oil is a celebratory thing. It happened when you went to a wedding or to someone's house, for example. The white can obviously also mean cleanness, but I don't think that fits so well here.

vs 9

The pointlessness of this life means that all you can do, in the end, is enjoy it. There's no other option - if, that is, you are even given the option of enjoying it, which really only comes from God.