RE: It is a bit frustrating reading through Ecclesiastes
August 19, 2025 at 3:28 am
(This post was last modified: August 19, 2025 at 3:30 am by GrandizerII.)
So having read through Ecclesiastes further, the pattern is even clearer (and of course, I have confirmed this with scholars who have written stuff on Ecclesiastes, though they being Christians often have differing conclusions from what I’m holding to).
Basically, there are at least two different voices in this work. The pessimist Teacher (or, as sophisticated people like to call him, Qohelet/Qoheleth) and whoever is providing an opposing/negating/reframing view. Let’s call the latter the Commentator because that’s what I believe is going on here, someone (or some group) commentating on the Teacher’s philosophy.
And no, the Teacher is not Solomon. That’s just something that was added implicitly later, perhaps by the same Commentator (or otherwise, added even later).
Now the Teacher is someone who is cynical as fuck. He makes observations about the affairs of the world and how it’s all meaningless anyway. You can be the most righteous or wealthiest person in the world, and you won’t necessarily enjoy a better life than someone who is wicked or poor. And you can be suffering hard work for the rest of your life as well. And no amount of wealth or fruits of labour will last forever. All will have the same fate. So what is the point? So make the best out of what you have and enjoy life however it is. Eat, drink, and be merry. Then when you die, you die. There is nothing else to all this.
The Commentator disagrees with this philosophy and appears to have little respect for it even, so he adds his commentary throughout his copy of this initial work in order to clarify that while the Teacher’s message is good to hear, it is missing some important details. The Commentator writes as if the Teacher agrees with him, but what he has done is simply reframe the Teacher’s message so it can be reinterpreted as saying something in line with the orthodox Jewish belief.
Thus, you see Proverbs creep in to the text of Ecclesiastes. Instead of just merely cynical observations, you see a lot of moralising statements. You see God being more involved, as someone who has a plan for mankind and will make things right eventually. And all this toil you’re going through, don’t worry because God has made it so that you get to enjoy life here and there. The ability to enjoy life is a gift from God.
For the Teacher, wisdom is pointless and people are just pretending to be wise.
For the Commentator, there is true wisdom, but remember it only comes from God, so fear him.
In Chapter 8, it is made clear all this is commentary for those serving the king. Ecclesiastes is not really about what the Teacher said. It’s about turning what he said into something of better use for the servants of the king.
This added commentary then eventually was considered part of the text instead of just commentary and that’s how we get Ecclesiastes in its final form.
Basically, there are at least two different voices in this work. The pessimist Teacher (or, as sophisticated people like to call him, Qohelet/Qoheleth) and whoever is providing an opposing/negating/reframing view. Let’s call the latter the Commentator because that’s what I believe is going on here, someone (or some group) commentating on the Teacher’s philosophy.
And no, the Teacher is not Solomon. That’s just something that was added implicitly later, perhaps by the same Commentator (or otherwise, added even later).
Now the Teacher is someone who is cynical as fuck. He makes observations about the affairs of the world and how it’s all meaningless anyway. You can be the most righteous or wealthiest person in the world, and you won’t necessarily enjoy a better life than someone who is wicked or poor. And you can be suffering hard work for the rest of your life as well. And no amount of wealth or fruits of labour will last forever. All will have the same fate. So what is the point? So make the best out of what you have and enjoy life however it is. Eat, drink, and be merry. Then when you die, you die. There is nothing else to all this.
The Commentator disagrees with this philosophy and appears to have little respect for it even, so he adds his commentary throughout his copy of this initial work in order to clarify that while the Teacher’s message is good to hear, it is missing some important details. The Commentator writes as if the Teacher agrees with him, but what he has done is simply reframe the Teacher’s message so it can be reinterpreted as saying something in line with the orthodox Jewish belief.
Thus, you see Proverbs creep in to the text of Ecclesiastes. Instead of just merely cynical observations, you see a lot of moralising statements. You see God being more involved, as someone who has a plan for mankind and will make things right eventually. And all this toil you’re going through, don’t worry because God has made it so that you get to enjoy life here and there. The ability to enjoy life is a gift from God.
For the Teacher, wisdom is pointless and people are just pretending to be wise.
For the Commentator, there is true wisdom, but remember it only comes from God, so fear him.
In Chapter 8, it is made clear all this is commentary for those serving the king. Ecclesiastes is not really about what the Teacher said. It’s about turning what he said into something of better use for the servants of the king.
This added commentary then eventually was considered part of the text instead of just commentary and that’s how we get Ecclesiastes in its final form.
