Ecclesiastes 9:13-11:10

Now that the Teacher has reached the climax of his teaching (9:7-10), the rest of the book consists of a hodge-podge of other bits of observation and wisdom he wants to share before concluding.

The next thing he has observed about wisdom is that recognition for wisdom may be fleeting or absent altogether. If a wise but poor man saves his village against an invasion by a powerful king, he may well be ignored afterwards. Because he’s poor, he’s considered unimportant and ignorant–even if he saved the town! Wisdom is better than strength, but if wisdom is located in a poor person it is likely to be missed. This is just as true today. Wealthy and powerful people are assumed to be smart (how else did they become wealthy and powerful?), but wealth and power may have nothing to do with wisdom or intelligence. Wealth is most likely the result of financial inheritance and inherited advantages, and power is most likely the result of wealth, connections, and ruthlessness–not wisdom. The poor are as likely to be wise as the rich and powerful–maybe even more so since they aren’t as likely to be blinded by their own arrogance. I’m always mystified and exasperated when movie stars and singers are asked for their insights into life. Why are entertainers assumed to have access to more truth than the rest of us? I see no evidence for it.

Chapter 10 serves up one supposedly wise proverb after another, but they strike me as so obvious as to be tedious, and one of them strikes me as pompous and prejudicial. The Teacher has seen “an evil under the sun”: fools in high position while the rich are in low positions–how dare they! Even worse: slaves riding horseback while princes walk–what’s the world coming to! The Teacher is upset that the caste system sometimes gets overturned. The rich and aristocrats should stay on top and the slaves should remain humbled. This is the very opposite of what is proclaimed by Mary when she finds out she is pregnant with Jesus: “My soul magnifies the Lord … for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. … He has scattered the proud …. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:46-53). Jesus in his teachings and actions often lifts up the poor while criticizing the rich, and in the early church slaves became equals with their masters when they are “in Christ.” The author of Ecclesiastes is a rich, powerful, privileged person, and he reflects the common perceptions of that social class. The New Testament, on the other hand, is written by–or at least about–peasants and servants and day laborers. For the people of the New Testament, a social (not just spiritual) revolution is exactly what the kingdom of God calls for. God wants a world where privilege is eliminated, all receive the same value, and everyone has enough.

Chapter 11 begins with the famous proverb: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.” Bread is a metaphor for one’s wealth or resources. To cast it upon the waters is probably a reference to engaging in trade across the sea. If one does so, one may get it all back in the form of profits. In other words, this verse is urging the reader to take risks with what they have. Life should not be lived entirely in a bubble, nor is it wisest to simply bury what you have to keep it safe. Verse 2-6 are all making this point in one way or another. Yes, risks are risky–no one knows the future or what God may do; but if you’re paralyzed by worry and second-guessing you’ll accomplish nothing. Sow your seed when you can.

The chapter ends by reflecting how much better life is for young people–they are healthy and have so many more years ahead. Enjoy life while you can, but stay aware of the fact that it doesn’t last forever. Ultimately, God judges us. The Teacher does not say on what basis God judges us, or what the consequences of that judgment may be–he doesn’t presume to have such divine knowledge. But the fact that God judges us means that our “pointless” hebel life isn’t quite pointless after all. God expects something from us. There is such a thing as a life well lived.