Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 7:15-29.
Ecclesiastes 7:15-18 (NIV)
15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
16 Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise– why destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool– why die before your time?
18 It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all [extremes].
On verses 15-18: It is difficult to know how to take these verses. What does Solomon mean by “do not be overrighteous” and do not be “overwise” ? If we want to give Solomon the benefit of the doubt, we could say that what Solomon means by “don’t be overrighteous” is don’t become so obsessed with piety and religion that they become idols that you worship, where your focus is now so much on yourself and your religious performance that you lose sight of the bigger picture, the point of faith, which is to love God and love people. This is what happened with the Pharisees. Their “overrighteousness” was not actually righteousness at all, but a misguided faith. When Solomon says, “it is good to grasp the one [i.e. righteousness and wisdom] and not let go of the other [i.e. wickedness and foolishness]” (v18), Solomon doesn’t mean “it’s okay to sin a little sometimes, just not too much”. Rather Solomon means that we should, on one hand, maintain devotion and piety to God while at the same time still valuing freedom and enjoyment of life.
Another way to take this verse is to say that Solomon is still in his jaded, disillusioned state and that he does not see the value in a person going “all the way” in fearing God, that for Solomon wisdom and religion are a means to an end, which is a joyful, long life, so “live in moderation” as they say. If that is what Solomon means, then it would seem to run counter to Jesus’ words when he says that he would rather that we would be hot or cold instead of lukewarm (Revelation 3:16).
Ecclesiastes 7:19 (NIV)
19 Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city.
On verse 19: This sounds more like the Solomon of Proverbs. He’s thankfully still hanging onto the value of wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NIV)
20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.
On verse 20: Amen. Because all of us are sinners, that is why we need a Saviour.
Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 (NIV)
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you–
22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
On verse 21-22: There is wisdom in these words. It is wise not to obsess over what people say, whether good or bad. For if you anchor your worth in what people say, you’ll never be satisfied. Only God’s Word is worth putting our hope in.
Ecclesiastes 7:23-25 (NIV)
23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said, “I am determined to be wise”– but this was beyond me.
24 Whatever wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound– who can discover it?
25 So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.
On verses 23-25: As much as Solomon values wisdom, he also finds it so elusive. That’s because no person can attain or acquire wisdom in their own strength. Wisdom comes from God, so look to God for the wisdom You need, and He’ll give it to you.
Ecclesiastes 7:26-28 (NIV)
26 I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.
27 “Look,” says the Teacher, “this is what I have discovered: “Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things–
28 while I was still searching but not finding– I found one [upright] man among a thousand, but not one [upright] woman among them all.
On verses 26-28: Here Solomon speaks from personal experience. Ensnared by a lust for women, Solomon married 700 wives in addition to keeping a harem of 300 concubines. Given the way he objectified and used women, it’s not a surprise that verses 26-28 are his experience.
Ecclesiastes 7:29 (NIV)
29 This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.”
On verse 29: We can say amen to this. God made us to be good, upright and holy, but we all choose to go our own way. Sin, like gravity, weighs us all down – it’s one of the big themes of Ecclesiastes.
Father, thank You that by Your grace it is possible to, on one hand, be devoted and faithful to You while at the same time living in the freedom and enjoyment of life that You make possible. May I not be all about one or the other, but both, for that is where Your glory is at its brightest and best. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
