Series: Ecclesiastes
Sermon #26:
Making the Best of our Days in a Fallen
World
Ecclesiastes
8:15
[Audio file from Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/Ecclesiastes815.]
Then I commended
mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to
drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of
his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
Introduction:
We have now come to the conclusion of the third major section of
the book of Ecclesiastes in 8:15. This third section began with 6:1. The first
section ended with the conclusion of 2:24-26, and the second section concluded
with 5:18-20.
“The most satisfactory division is,
in our judgment, that into four parts, which was proposed by Vaihinger in the,
“Studien und Kritiken,” for 1848, and
has since been adopted by Keil
and others. It is a modification of
that of Ewald, (whom Heiligstedt
follows,) which is itself an improvement upon that of J Koster, all of whom
assume the same number of sections. "His scheme is the following, viz.
I. i. 2-ii. 26.
II. iii. 1-v. 20.
III. vi. 1-viii. 15.
IV. viii. 16-xii. 14.”
— William Henry Green, “Scope and Plan of the Book of Ecclesiastes,” Biblical Reparatory and Princeton Review
29 (1857), pp. 419-40; on Gordon Faculty
Online at http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/21-Ecclesiastes/Text/Articles/Green-ScopeofEccl-1857.pdf [accessed 7 NOV 2015].[1]
The conclusions of the four major
sections of Ecclesiastes are as follows:
2:24-26 — 24 There is nothing
better for a man, than that he should
eat and drink, and that he should
make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25 For
who can eat, or who else can hasten
hereunto, more than I? 26 For
God giveth to a man that is good
in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth
travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
5:18-20 — 18 Behold that which I have seen: it
is good and comely for one to eat
and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the
sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath
given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take
his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. 20 For he shall not much remember
the days of his life; because God answereth
him in the joy of his heart.
8:15 — Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under
the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with
him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
12:8-14 — 8 Vanity
of vanities, saith the preacher; all is
vanity. 9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still
taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was
upright, even words of truth. 11
The words of the wise are as
goads, and as nails fastened by the
masters of assemblies, which are
given from one shepherd. 12 And further, by these, my son, be
admonished: of making many books there is
no end; and much study is a weariness
of the flesh. 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of
man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every
secret thing, whether it be good, or
whether it be evil.
This last section conclusion also
serves as the epilogue of the entire book.
J. Sidlow Baxter refers to the
first three as Ad Interim Conclusions,
distinguishing them from the last which he calls the Final Conclusion.
— J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore The Book: A Basic and Broadly
Interpretive Course of Bible Study from Genesis to Revelation, 6 vols. in 1
ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d., 1960 printing), 3:148.
Outline:
I. The
Commendation of Joie de Vivre
II. Your Best Life Now?
III. The Gift of
Days
I. The Commendation of Joie de Vivre
Then I commended
mirth,
This is one time when I must take issue with the New
Living Translation. Other modern translations have departed from the King James
Version’s rendering of the Hebrew word here as “mirth” with their own take on
it as “pleasure,” “joy,” or “enjoyment.” The New International Version expanded
on it slightly with their “enjoyment of life.” If the significance of what
Solomon intended here is rightly understood in context I think “having fun,” as
the New Living Translation renders it might be included, but to leave it at
that in the translation diminishes the meaning. I have a great deal of respect
for the translators who contributed to the New Living Translation, but in this
case, it seems that their desire to provide a modern dynamic equivalent failed
to capture the full force of what is intended in the context, and would be
inappropriate in most of the usages of this noun in the Old Testament. We must,
therefore, ask ourselves two questions:
1) What exactly is being commended here?
and,
2) What is the connection between the “mirth” in this
phrase and “to be merry” in the next?
Answering the second question first:
They are the same root word, with the word translated
“merry” as the primitive root verb, and the noun “mirth” as derived from it.
I Ki. 4:20 —Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which
is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
[during Solomon’s united monarchy; this is the same
primitive Hebrew root as is found later in Eccl. 8:15]
Ex. 32:6 —And they rose up early on the morrow, and
offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink,
and rose up to play.
[The feast day after the molten calf and altar were
completed at the base of Sinai while Moses was on the mount. The context is Ex.
32:1-5. The word play has to do with playing musical instruments, but is also
used for laugh, mock, and sport.]
Eccl. 2:1 — I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee
with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is
vanity.
[This is the same Hebrew word as in 8:15.]
Then, as to the meaning to understand precisely what is
being commended here perhaps Dr. Bruce Waltke can shed some light on that for
us.
“2268b שִׂמְחָה (śimḥâ) joy, mirth.
The root ś-m-ḥ denotes being glad or joyful with the whole disposition as indicated by its
association with the heart (cf. Ex 4:14; Ps 19:8 [H 9]; 104:15; 105:3), the
soul (Ps 86:4); and with the lighting up of the eyes (Prov 15:30).
Many occasions
and objects cheer a man: wine (Ps 104:15; Jud 9:13; Eccl 10:19), ointment and
perfume (Prov 27:9); a wise son (Prov 15:20; 10:1; 27:11); a kind word (Prov
12:25), meeting a loved one (Ex 4:14): God’s law (Ex 19:8 [H 9]), and the
increase of the righteous (Prov 29:2), and God’s feasts (Neh 12:43; cf. śimḥâ).
But the Lord and
his salvation are cited most frequently as the reason for joy (II
Chr 20:27; Ps 5:11 [H 12]; 9:2 [H 3]; 16:9; 32:11; 40:16 [H 17]; 63:11 [H 12];
64:10 [H 11]; 86:4; 90:15; 92:4 [H 5]). Indeed the joy of the Lord is a man’s
strength (ḥedwâ, Neh 8:10). Moreover, many of these passages call upon man to
share this joy. Thus Israel is called upon to rejoice at its festivals and
central sanctuary (Deut 12:7; 14:26; 16:11; 26:11; 27:7). Israel’s joy will be
complete with their restoration (Ps 14:7; 126:2 [H 3]; Isa 9:2; 25:9; 35:10;
51:3, 11; 65:14–19; Zech 2:10 [H 14]).
On the other hand
sometimes the wicked rejoice wrongfully at the affliction of the righteous (Ps
35:15).
Finally, many
subjects rejoice: the Lord (Ps 104:31); Zion (Ps 97:8); the humble (34:2 [H
3]); the king (Ps 21:1 [H 2]): the heavens (I Chr 16:31); fir trees (Isa 14:8);
and Egypt (105:38). But the prophets forbid Israel’s enemies to rejoice (Hos
9:1; Ob 12).
The occasions for
joy are manifold: against God, apart from God, and with God.
The heathen
rejoice when they triumph over Israel (Jud 16:23) and the fool finds joy in his
folly (Prov 15:21). But such joy must end, for the righteous will find
everlasting joy (Isa 51:11).
Joy characterizes
wedding (Jer 25:10) and farewell festivities (Gen 31:27), but most frequently the
word is used for joy in the Lord on holy days (Num 10:10), sacred
occasions of many sorts (cf. II Sam 6:12; Ezr 3:12). Because Israel is a sacred
community, however, one cannot sharply divide secular from sacred festivities.
Thus the people rejoice in the day of Solomon’s coronation (I Kgs 1:40), and
Israel rejoices in victory (II Chr 20:27). Failure
to worship the Lord with gladness will bring his judgment (Deut 28:47), and
David appointed Levites to sing with joy at the temple (I Chr 15:16). Mirth
apart from God may come to grief (Prov 14:13) and does not satisfy (Eccl
2:1ff).”[2]
I think that the
New International Version was on the right track in their “enjoyment of life”
even if they had to add words in their translation that are not found in the
Hebrew text to bring the idea out. What their English rendering hints at is the
French expression joie de vivre. And
it is this which captures best what “mirth” means here.
French, literally,
joy of living
First Known Use: 1889
a feeling of happiness or excitement about life
keen or buoyant enjoyment of life[3]
literally, joy
of living[4]
1889, French, literally
"joy of living."[5]
joy of living; enjoyment of life; ebullience[6]
A love of life. From French, meaning “joy of
living.”[7]
a feeling of great happiness and enjoyment of life[8]
Hearty or carefree enjoyment of life.[9]
a delight in being alive; keen, carefree enjoyment of living.
[literally,
joy of living][10]
“Joie de vivre (French pronunciation:
[ʒwa də vivʁ], joy of living) is a
French phrase often used in English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life; an exultation of
spirit.
It "can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy
of anything one might do… And joie de
vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy of
life, a Weltanschauung. Robert's Dictionnaire says joie is sentiment exaltant ressenti par toute la
conscience, that is, involves one's whole being."”[11]
The focus on this word throughout Ecclesiastes is on the
enjoyment of the fruit of one’s labor. It is emphasized as here in the conclusions
of each of the first three major sections of Ecclesiastes, what J. Sidlow
Baxter referred to as the “ad interim
conclusions.”
Eccl. 2:24 — There
is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make
his soul enjoy good in his labour.
This also
I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
[As in 8:15 this parallel statement is found in the
conclusion of a major section of the book, in this case at the end of the first
of the four sections.]
Eccl. 5:18 — Behold
that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to
enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of
his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
[As in 8:15 this parallel statement is found in the
conclusion of a major section of the book, in this case at the end of the second
of the four sections.]
Examples from elsewhere in Ecclesiastes:
Eccl. 3:12-13 — I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to
rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13 And also that every man should eat and
drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
[The word translated “rejoice” here is the same Hebrew
root word, in this case same primitive verb form as is rendered “merry” later
in 8:15.]
Eccl. 9:7-9 — 7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with
a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. 8 Let thy garments
be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou
lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under
the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which
thou takest under the sun.
[The word translated “joy” in 9:7 is the same as that
translated “mirth” in 8:15, but the Hebrew words translated “merry” in verse 7,
and “joyfully” in 9:9 are both different.]
We may be sure that any who teach contrary to what is
found here in the Word of God are apostates who are under the influence of evil
spirits, and teaching demonic doctrines.
1 Tim. 4:1-5 — 1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that
in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to
abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of
them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and
nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is
sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
The joie de vivre
taught here is not to be confused with the accumulation of worldly riches, or
“keeping up with the Joneses”! It is keyed on faith in God, and recognition of
His gifts to us.
1 Tim. 6:17 — Charge them that are rich in this world,
that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living
God, who giveth
us richly all things to enjoy;
II. Your Best
Life Now?
because a man hath
no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry:
no better thing — If there is
nothing better than this, than what is being referred to is the best.
To state it positively rather than negatively as it is in
this verse — “no better thing” — would be expressed as “because the best thing
for a man under the sun is to eat, and to drink, and to be merry.”
Is this the same “best thing” as in the best selling
title, Your Best Life Now?
For recommended critical reviews of Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now (New York: Warner
Faith, 2004) see the following:
Tim Challies,
“The Bestsellers: Your Best Life Now” (13 APR 2014), on Challies.com at
http://www.challies.com/articles/the-bestsellers-your-best-life-now [accessed 30 APR 2016].
Greg Gilbert, Book Review: Your Best Life Now, by Joel
Osteen (8 MAR 2001), on 9Marks at
https://9marks.org/review/your-best-life-now-joel-osteen/
[accessed 30 APR 2016].
Daryl Wingerd, “Joel
Osteen’s Your Best Life Now — A
Critical Review” (2013), on Christian Communicators
Worldwide (CCW) at http://www.ccwtoday.org/article/joel-osteens-your-best-life-now-a-critical-review/ [accessed 30 APR 2016].
Bob Hunter, “Your
Best Life Now: Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential” (11 JUN 2009; article
ID: JAO170), on Christian Research
Institute (CRI) at http://www.equip.org/article/your-best-life-now-seven-steps-to-living-at-your-full-potential/ [accessed 30 APR 2016]; originally published
in Christian Research Journal 28:2 (2005).
John MacArthur, “Your Best Life: Now or Later?” (1 Peter
1:3-5; sermon 80-334, preached 23 MAR 2008), on Grace to You at http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/80-334/your-best-life-now-or-later
[accessed 30 APR 2016].
“Lately I've had the occasion to fly a lot around the
country, preaching here and there. Even though I'm here on Sundays, it seems
like my weeks have been spent in airports, sometimes for a long time, as I've
had mechanical delays and things like that. And I've become very much aware of
a book that I knew was out there but I see literally all over all the airports
that I've been in, in the last month or so, it has been labeled, at least, the
best selling religious book of the time. The title of it is Your Best Life Now.
I have seen stacks and stacks and stacks of those books everywhere I've gone.
Out of curiosity, I want to know what's in the book and
so I found this on page 5, “God wants this to be the best time of your life.”
On another page it says, “Happy, successful, fulfilled individuals have learned
how to live their best life now. On another page it says, “As you put the
principles found in these pages to work today, you will begin living your best
life now.” And that is absolutely true if you're not a Christian. This is it,
you better get the book because your next life is going to be infinitely worse
than this one.
This is your best life now. In fact, it's your only life
because in the world to come, you will only exist in a perpetual state of dying
with no hope, no satisfaction, no meaning, no joy and no future and no relief
from eternal suffering. That's the worst life possible. And this is your best
life, if your next life is in hell.
But, on the other hand, if you are a child of God and
your sins are forgiven and you've come to embrace Jesus Christ as your Lord and
Savior, this is not even close to your best life. You can't even comprehend
what your best life looks like because “Eye hasn't seen, nor has ear heard the
things that God has prepared for them that love Him.”
Contrary to what is popular today, even in religious
circles, even in quote/unquote religion circles, even in the name of Jesus, the
Lord is not promising you here and now a full, happy, rich, satisfying,
trouble-free life of health, wealth and success. Oh He does promise that.
Absolutely...a full, rich, satisfying, trouble-free life of health and wealth
and success and absolute joy and peace and perfection...but not now...not now.
In fact, quite on the other hand, our Lord has promised to those who know Him
and love Him in this life...trouble, persecution, rejection, difficulty,
trials, temptation, pain, suffering, sorrow, sickness and even physical death.
So, for Christians, this is our worst life now. It isn't
that it's bad, but comparatively it's the worst when you think about the life
to come, which is the best. Your best life as a Christian begins when this life
ends. Christians through the centuries have understood this, certainly the
early Christians understood it. The Bible makes it clear. You just can't expect
all the promises that God has made to you for heaven to necessarily show up
here. Any sensible Christian understands that. Don't expect more than this life
can deliver.”
III. The Gift of Days
for that shall
abide with him of his labour the days of his life,
which God giveth
him under the sun.
1. “Solid joys
and lasting treasure” — for that shall
abide with him
2. “Work, for the
night is coming” — of his labour
3. “Day by day
and with each passing moment” — the days
of his life
4. which God
giveth him under the sun
1. “Solid joys and lasting treasure” — for that shall abide with him
“Fading is the worldling's pleasure,
All his boasted
pomp and show:
Solid joys and lasting treasure,
None but Zion's
children know.”
— John Newton, “Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken,” in Olney Hymns (1779).
“the greatest of all the hymns of John Newton”
— Amos R. Wells, A
Treasure of Hymns (Boston: United Society of Christian Endeavor, 1914), pp.
294-297; on Google Books at https://books.google.com/books?id=9ZJGAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 30 APR 2016]; cited on Wholesome
Words at http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bnewton8.html
[accessed 30 APR 2016].
What will abide with you and I?
2. “Work, for the night is coming” — of his labour
Work, for the night is coming,
Work through the morning hours;
Work while the dew is sparkling,
Work ’mid springing flowers;
Work when the day grows brighter,
Work in the glowing sun;
Work, for the night is coming,
When man’s work is done.
Work, for the night is coming,
Work through the sunny noon;
Fill brightest hours with labor,
Rest comes sure and soon.
Give every flying minute,
Something to keep in store;
Work, for the night is coming,
When man works no more.
Work, for the night is coming,
Under the sunset skies;
While their bright tints are glowing,
Work, for daylight flies.
Work till the last beam fadeth,
Fadeth to shine no more;
Work, while the night is darkening,
When man’s work is o’er.
What will abide of our work?
3. “Day by day and with each passing moment” — the days of his life
Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.
Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till with Christ the Lord I stand.
Our lives are measured in days, and our days are measure
in hours, minutes, moments, breaths. What is marked on our graves is the day
our life began, and the day our life ended. The days of our lives are not many
when measured in the span of the ages, and especially when compared to the
measureless eternity surrounding creation’s time/space framework.
4. which God giveth him under the sun
Every breath, every moment, every hour and day is a gift
from God.
Some use that breath to blaspheme and insult the God who
gave it to them.
Psalm 150
[Sermon preached 1 MAY 2016 by Pastor John T. “Jack”
Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]
Complete Outline:
I. The
Commendation of Joie de Vivre
II. Your Best Life Now?
III. The Gift of
Days
Select Sources on Ecclesiastes:
J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore The Book: A Basic and Broadly
Interpretive Course of Bible Study from Genesis to Revelation, 6 vols. in 1
ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d., 1960 printing).
William D. Barrick, Ecclesiastes:
The Philippians of the Old Testament, Focus on the Bible series
(Fearn, Ross-Shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2012).[12]
Charles Bridges, An
Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes (New York: Robert Carter &
Brothers, 1860).[13]
C. Hassell Bullock, An
Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books: The Wisdom and Songs of Israel
(Chicago: Moody Press, 1979).
Franz Delitzsch, “Commentary on The Song of Songs and
Ecclesiastes,” trans. M. G. Easton, in Commentary
on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Vol. VI: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon:
Three Volumes in One (Grand Rapids:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., n.d., 1975 reprint), III:179-442.
Michael A. Eaton, Ecclesiastes:
An Introduction and Commentary, Vol.
16, Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries (Downers
Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity, 1983).
Sinclair B.
Ferguson. The Pundit's Folly: Chronicles
of an Empty Life (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1995).
Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Vol. 14, New American Commentary
(Nashville: Broadman, 1993).
Donald R. Glenn,
“Ecclesiastes,” in The Bible Knowledge
Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. J. F. Walvoord, and R. B.
Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1985).
William Henry
Green, “Scope and Plan of the Book of Ecclesiastes,” Biblical Reparatory and Princeton Review 29 (1857), pp. 419-40; on Gordon Faculty Online at http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/21-Ecclesiastes/Text/Articles/Green-ScopeofEccl-1857.pdf [accessed 7 NOV 2015].[14]
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Coping With Change: Ecclesiastes (Fearn,
Roth-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2013).[15]
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Ecclesiastes:
Total Life, in Everyman’s
Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979).
Derek Kidner, The Message of
Ecclesiastes: A Time to Mourn, and a Time to Dance, in The Bible Speaks Today, Old Testament series ed. J. A. Motyer (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity
Press, 1976).
H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Ecclesiastes (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1952).
Tremper Longman III, The Book of Ecclesiastes, New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
John MacArthur, MacArthur Study Bible, rev. ed.
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997).
Roland Edmund
Murphy, Ecclesiastes, Vol. 23A, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas:
Word, 1992).
John G. Reisinger, Studies in
Ecclesiastes (Frederick, MD: New Covenant Media, 2008).
Philip Graham Ryken, Ecclesiastes:
Why Everything Matters, in Preaching the Word, gen. ed. R. Kent Hughes
(Wheaton: Crossway, 2010).
Philip
G. Ryken, Why Everything Matters: The
Gospel in Ecclesiastes (Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus
Publications, Ltd., 2015).
Benjamin Shaw,
“On Reading Ecclesiastes,” in The Hope
Fulfilled: Essays in Honor of O. Palmer Robertson, ed. Robert L. Penny
(Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2008), pp. 47-58.
Peter B. Steese,
ed., Ecclesiastes, gen. ed. Leonard
F. Dean (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1966).
Tom V. Taylor, Studies in
Ecclesiastes (Port Colborne, Ontario, CA: Gospel Folio Press, 2013).[16]
Addison G. Wright, “The Riddle of the Sphinx: The
Structure of the Book of Qoheleth,” in Reflecting
with Solomon: Selected Studies on the Book of Ecclesiastes, ed. Roy B. Zuck
(Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), pp. 45-66; originally published in Catholic Biblical Quarterly 30 (1968),
pp. 313-334.
J. Stafford
Wright, “Ecclesiastes,” in Psalms-Song of Songs, Vol. 5, Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed.
Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991).
J. Stafford Wright, “The Interpretation of Ecclesiastes”, in Classical Evangelical Essays in Old
Testament Interpretation, ed. Walter C. Kaiser Jr. (Grand Rapids: Baker,
1972), pp. 135-150; from J. Stafford Wright, “The Interpretation of
Ecclesiastes,” Evangelical Quarterly
18 (1946), pp. 18-34; on Rediscovering
the Bible at http://rediscoveringthebible.com/InterpretationOfEcclesiastes.html
[accessed 7 MAY 2015].
Ronald F. Youngblood, “Qoheleth's 'Dark House' (Eccl.
12:5),” in A Tribute to
Gleason Archer, eds. Walter C. Kaiser and
Ronald F. Youngblood (Chicago: Moody Press, 1986), pp.211-228; also published
in Journal of the Evangelical Theological
Society 29:4 (DEC 1986), pp. 397-410; on Biblical Studies at http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/29/29-4/29-4-pp397-410_JETS.pdf
[accessed 4 APR 2016].
Notes:
[1] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. inexplicably refers to this as
an “unsigned article” on at least two occasions in his commentary despite the
facts that: 1) William Henry Green is clearly indicated as the author under the
title on the first page of the article (pg. 419), and 2) one of his own faculty
members (Ted Hildebrandt) has posted the article on the school’s web site where
Kaiser has served as both a faculty member and as President. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Ecclesiastes:
Total Life, in Everyman’s Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979);
and Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Coping With Change: Ecclesiastes (Fearn, Roth-shire, Scotland:
Christian Focus, 2013).
[2] Waltke,
B. K. (1999). 2268 שָׂמַח. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke
(Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 879).
Chicago: Moody Press.
[3] Merriam-Webster's
Learner's Dictionary on Merriam-Webster
at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joie%20de%20vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[4] Dictionary.com Unabridged; Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House,
Inc. 2016; on Dictionary.com at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/joie-de-vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[5] Online
Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper; on Dictionary.com at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/joie-de-vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[6] Collins English
Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons
& Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000,
2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012; on Dictionary.com
at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/joie-de-vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[7] The American
Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
© 2005 by Houghton Mifflin
Company; on Dictionary.com at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/joie-de-vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[8] Cambridge
Advanced Learners Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/joie-de-vivre;
on Cambridge Dictionaries Online at http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/joie-de-vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[9] American Heritage®
Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2011 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company; on The Free Dictionary at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/joie+de+vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[10] Random House
Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991; on The Free
Dictionary at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/joie+de+vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[11] Shibles, Warren (1997). Humor Reference Guide: A Comprehensive Classification and Analysis.
Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press; cited by Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joie_de_vivre [accessed 30 APR 2016].
[12] Barrick’s
lecture notes (PDF files) and audio (mp3) are on Dr Barrick at http://drbarrick.org/teaching/ecclesiastes/ [accessed
3 FEB 2016].
[13] On Internet
Archive at https://archive.org/details/expositionofbook00bridrich [accessed 11 MAY 2015]; on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=e4kOAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 11 MAY 2015]; and linked on Precept Austin at http://preceptaustin.org/proverbs_commentaries.htm#cb [accessed 11 MAY 2015].
[14] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. inexplicably refers to this as
an “unsigned article” on at least two occasions in his commentary despite the
facts that: 1) William Henry Green is clearly indicated as the author under the
title on the first page of the article (pg. 419), and 2) one of his own faculty
members (Ted Hildebrandt) has posted the article on the school’s web site where
Kaiser served as both faculty member and President. Walter
C. Kaiser, Jr., Ecclesiastes: Total Life,
in Everyman’s Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979); and Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Coping
With Change: Ecclesiastes (Fearn, Roth-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus,
2013).
[15] Although not indicated on the copyright page, this
appears in all respects to be a revised edition (2nd ed.) of the Moody Press
1979 original. The relationship to the original is referenced in the “Preface,”
where the author mentions the inclusion of his own translation of Ecclesiastes
in this revision as one significant change. “Dale Ralph Davis compares the two
and says, “the ‘bones’ are much the same but the whole has been updated and
expanded.” Source: Tim Challies, “Best Commentaries on Ecclesiastes” (18 NOV
2013), on Challies at http://www.challies.com/resources/best-commentaries-on-ecclesiastes [accessed 7 NOV 2015].
[16] See also the “Thomas V. Taylor Library” on the Interdisciplinary Biblical Research Institute at http://www.taylorlib.ibri.org/ [accessed 27 NOV 2013].
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