Series: Ecclesiastes
Sermons #23-25:
Wisdom Makes a Difference
Ecclesiastes
8:1-14
Part Three, Sermon
#25: The End of the Wicked
Ecclesiastes
8:10-14
[Audio file from Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/Ecclesiastes810-14.]
1 Who is as the
wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh
his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. 2 I counsel
thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth
whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who
may say unto him, What doest thou? 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel
no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment. 6
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of
man is great upon him. 7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can
tell him when it shall be? 8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to
retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no
discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to
it. 9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done
under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own
hurt. 10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place
of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this
is also vanity. 11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed
speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do
evil. 12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged,
yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear
before him: 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he
prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God. 14
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto
whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked
men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that
this also is vanity.
Introduction:
These
fourteen verses bring us up 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 Face of the Wise (8:1)
II. The Word of the King (8:2-9)
III. The End of the Wicked (8:10-14)
Transition:
If we were to insert the title of this three part sermon
series on these verses into the points of the outline it would come out like
this:
I. Wisdom Makes a Difference in the Face of the Wise
(8:1)
II. Wisdom Makes a Difference towards the Word of the
King (8:2-9)
III. Wisdom Makes a Difference regarding the End of the
Wicked (8:10-14)
The plan is to deal with these fourteen verses in three
sermons, rather than one. Part One already dealt with the first verse, and Part
Two with verses 2-9. Now, for Part Three, let us limit our consideration to how
“Wisdom Makes a Difference regarding the End of the Wicked.”
III. The End of the Wicked (8:10-14)
10 And so I saw
the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they
were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. 11
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the
heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner do
evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it
shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13 But it shall
not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a
shadow; because he feareth not before God. 14 There is a vanity which is done
upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the
work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according
to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
1. The Passing of the Wicked (8:10)
2. The Need for Swift Justice, and the Consequence of
Failure (8:11)
3. There is a God in Heaven to Fear, and there shall be a
Day of Judgment (8:12-13)
4. The Very Real Inequities that are Observed in a Fallen
World (8:14)
1. The Passing of the Wicked (8:10)
And so I saw the
wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were
forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.
“this is also vanity” (8:10)
“I saw the wicked buried”
“the place of the holy”
Neh. 11:1 — And the rulers of the people dwelt at
Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell
in Jerusalem the
holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.
Mt. 24:15 — When ye therefore shall see the abomination
of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let
him understand:)
“forgotten in the city”
[There is a translation difference observed in this phrase in
our English translations:
One of the members of Wayside Gospel Chapel pointed out to me
after preaching this sermon that what Dr. Barrick was referring to as an
“emendation” is actually a textual emendation.[2]
There is a note
to this effect in the New King James Version: “Some Heb. mss., LXX, Vg. praised.” The English Standard Version has
praised as the translation with a note:
“Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts forgotten.”]
Eccl. 2:16 — For there is no remembrance of the wise more than
of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be
forgotten. And how dieth the wise
man? as the fool.
Eccl. 4:16 — There is no end of all the people, even of
all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in
him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation
of spirit.
Eccl. 9:5 — For the living know that they shall die: but
the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the
memory of them is forgotten.
Eccl. 9:15 — Now there was found in it a poor wise man,
and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor
man.
Pr. 10:7 — The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the
wicked shall rot.
2. The Need for Swift Justice, and the Consequence of
Failure (8:11)
Because sentence
against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons
of men is fully set in them to do evil.[3]
The responses to a call for swift justice
What’s the rush?
Take it easy!
What difference does it make?
Slow down!
What if…?
What might hinder justice from being dispensed swiftly?
Lack of love for righteousness
Lack of hatred for evil
Complicity
Guilt
Apathy
The consequence of failure to deliver swift justice:
“the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do
evil”
Emphasis on the “fully”!
And, why is this? “Because sentence against an evil work
is not executed speedily”
That is why!
How do the wicked respond to the longsuffering of the Lord?
Ex. 34:6 — And the LORD passed by before him, and
proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth,
Ps. 86:15 — But thou, O Lord, art a God full of
compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Rom. 2:4-5 — 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his
goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of
God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest
up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God;
2 Pet. 3:9 — The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Eccl. 9:3 — This is an evil among all things that are
done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the
sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while
they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Ps. 10:6 — He hath said in his heart, I shall not be
moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
[context of entire psalm]
Is. 26:10 — Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will
he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly,
and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
3. There is a God in Heaven to Fear, and there shall
be a Day of Judgment (8:12-13)
12 Though a sinner
do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it
shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13 But it shall
not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a
shadow; because he feareth not before God.
“fear God” (8:12)
On the fear of
the Lord see especially Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., “The Theology of the Old
Testament,” in The Expositor's Bible
Commentary with The New International Version of the Holy Bible, Vol. 1,
Introductory Articles: General, Old Testament, New Testament, gen. ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979), pp. 300-301:
“The theme is both pervasive and strategically located in the wisdom
literature.” (pg. 300)
“Live could also make sense, if the quest to know began with the fear
of the Lord. So argued the writer of Ecclesiastes in his stirring conclusion.”
(pg. 300)
“Man, therefore, while hungering, as a creature made in the image of
God, to know how all the pieces of life and truth fitted together in their
“wholeness,” was continually unable to come to any satisfying synthesis till he
discovered the “fear of God” and the joy of keeping his commandments.
The “vanity” of “futility” of life was simply that life in and of
itself could not supply the key to its meaning. Only in the fear of God did one
begin to apprehend the unification of truth, learning, and living (Eccl 7:14;
8:14). Consequently, instead of Ecclesiastes yielding a negative or
naturalistic judgment on life, it affirms eating, drinking, marriage (cf. S. of
Sol.), and earning one’s pay check as gifts of God that could be integrated
into a total world-and life view if the proper key—the fear of God—was found.”
(pg. 301)
It do does not matter how many times a sinner appears to
get away with sin.
It does not matter how long a sinner lives.
These inequities may give some the impression that God is
not aware of what is going on, or is somehow not in control. However, repeated sin,
and aged sinners change nothing about the nature of ultimate reality, and any
impressions to the contrary are premature and misguided.
Eccl. 7:15 — All things have I seen in the days of my
vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a
wicked man that prolongeth
his life in his wickedness.
Is. 65:20 — There shall be no more thence an infant of
days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an
hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
“…it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear
before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked….because he feareth not
before God.”
The emphasis on those who fear God is found in the
repetition:
“which fear before
him.”
The emphasis on those who do not fear God is found in the
assessment of their lives:
“…his days, which are as a shadow…”
God fearers: “It is well with my soul.”
The wicked: “It is not well with my soul.”
Why not? Because you do not fear God. You do not see your
life as He does. You have failed to weigh your life in the balances of eternity
and the judgment of God. You have not considered your end.
God fearers: “It is well with my soul.”
12 Though a sinner
do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it
shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
Dt. 4:40 — Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and
his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee,
and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.
Dt. 12:25 — Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and
with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the
sight of the LORD.
Ps. 37:11 — But the meek shall inherit the earth; and
shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Ps. 37:18-19 — The LORD knoweth the days of the upright:
and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the
evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
Is. 3:10 — Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well
with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Pr. 1:32-33 — 32 For the turning away of the simple shall
slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso
hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Mt. 25:34 — Then shall the King say unto them on his
right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world:
Mt. 25:41 — Then shall he say also unto them on the left
hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil
and his angels:
Rom. 2:5-7 — 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent
heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation
of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to
his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory
and honour and immortality, eternal life:
The wicked: “It is not well with my soul.”
Why not? Because you do not fear God. You do not see your
life as He does. You have failed to weigh your life in the balances of eternity
and the judgment of God. You have not considered your end.
13 But it shall
not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a
shadow; because he feareth not before God.
Eccl. 8:8 — There is no man that hath power over the
spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and
there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are
given to it.
Is. 3:11 — Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his
hands shall be given him.
Eccl. 6:12 — For who knoweth what is good for man in this
life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after
him under the sun?
Job 14:2 — [Job] He cometh forth like a flower, and is
cut down: he
fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
4. The Very Real Inequities that are Observed in a
Fallen World (8:14)
There is a vanity
which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth
according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it
happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is
vanity.
“There is a vanity” (8:14)
“this also is vanity” (8:14)
Remember:
“This term is repeated in 38 times in the book, e.g., 2:1; 4:16; and 11:10. However, two
other terms occur 52 times each, and two others 40 times each, so serious
consideration must be given to these other subjects as being given more
emphasis throughout the book.”[4]
[from the first sermon in this series on Ecclesiastes
1:1-11 preached 4 OCT 2015]
“…just men…wicked…wicked men…righteous…”
There appears to be a movement within the book of
Ecclesiastes where now the focus of the vanity so often mentioned throughout
has shifted.
At the very end of Jacques Ellul’s Reason for Being — A Meditation on Ecclesiastes he writes:
“Now we have the answer to our
question: Who can distinguish folly from wisdom? Where will such wisdom come
from? Qohelet knows wisdom can follow only one first step: a true relationship
with God. We almost need to read Qohelet backwards! For clearly, everything
begins with this fear of God. All the rest flows from it: vanity and fleeting
pleasure, as well as the recognition of the God who gives and the discernment
of foolish human behavior. God has led us by the hand to this last door, which
is the first door to life.”[5]
[from the first sermon in this series on Ecclesiastes
1:1-11 preached 4 OCT 2015]
This is in fact
what Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. does in his Ecclesiastes: Total Life, in Everyman’s Bible Commentary (Chicago:
Moody Press, 1979), pp. 13-14, 43, 61, 78-79, and 93.
After what was just presented in verses 10-13, along with
what has been considered from the beginning of the book to this paragraph, from
1:2-8:9, it appears that now the focus of the “vanity” is not on some absolute
assessment, or all-encompassing expression. What is vain here is any attempt to
draw ultimate conclusions merely from what is observed “under the sun.” The
destiny of the just and righteous versus the destiny of the wicked is what is
weighed in the balances. Any conclusions about the value of fearing God versus
succeeding at sin bases solely on what is observed in this life is now seen as
premature, and as empty of meaning, meaningless, absurd, in other words,
“vain.”
On the connection
between vanity and the fear of the Lord regarding the key to a total world and
life view see especially Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., “The Theology of the Old
Testament,” in The Expositor's Bible
Commentary with The New International Version of the Holy Bible, Vol. 1,
Introductory Articles: General, Old Testament, New Testament, gen. ed. Frank E.
Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979), pg. 301 (cited previously in
footnote 8):
The “vanity” of “futility” of life was simply that life in and of itself
could not supply the key to its meaning. Only in the fear of God did one begin
to apprehend the unification of truth, learning, and living (Eccl 7:14; 8:14).
Consequently, instead of Ecclesiastes yielding a negative or naturalistic
judgment on life, it affirms eating, drinking, marriage (cf. S. of Sol.), and
earning one’s pay check as gifts of God that could be integrated into a total
world-and life view if the proper key—the fear of God—was found.” (pg. 301)
Eccl. 7:15 — All things have I seen in the days of my vanity:
there is a just
man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life
in his wickedness.
Ps. 73:14 — For all the day long have I been plagued, and
chastened every morning.
Job 21:7 — [Job] Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are
mighty in power?
Ps. 73:3 — For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw
the prosperity of the wicked.
Ps. 73:12 — Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world;
they increase in riches.
Jer. 12:1 — Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with
thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked
prosper? wherefore are all they happy
that deal very treacherously?
Mal. 3:15 — And now we call the proud happy; yea, they
that work wickedness
are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Eccl. 2:14 — The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the
fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth
to them all.
Ps. 17:9-10 — From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly
enemies, who compass me about. 10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with
their mouth they speak proudly.
Eccl. 9:1-3 — 1 For all this I considered in my heart
even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are
in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before
them. 2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous,
and to the wicked;
to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and
to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that
sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. 3 This is an evil among all things that
are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart
of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they
live, and after that they go to the dead.
Conclusion to Part Three:
10 And so I saw
the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they
were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity. 11
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the
heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner do
evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it
shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13 But it shall
not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a
shadow; because he feareth not before God. 14 There is a vanity which is done
upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the
work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according
to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
[Sermon preached 24 APR 2016 by Pastor John T. “Jack”
Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]
Complete Outline:
1. The Passing of the Wicked (8:10)
2. The Need for Swift Justice, and the Consequence of
Failure (8:11)
3. There is a God in Heaven to Fear, and there shall be a
Day of Judgment (8:12-13)
4. The Very Real Inequities that are Observed in a Fallen
World (8:14)
Complete Outline for all three sermons preached 10,
17, and 24 APR 2016 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel,
Greentown, PA.:
I. The Face of the Wise (8:1)
1. The Comparison of the Wise —
Two Rhetorical Questions About the Wise
2. The Countenance of the Wise —
Two Visible Effects Upon the Wise
II. The Word of the King (8:2-9)
1. The Wisdom of Submission
(8:2-7)
1) How to Submit to the Higher
Powers (8:2-3b)
(1) Obedience (8:2)
(2) Patience (8:3a-b)
2) Why to Submit to the Higher
Powers (8:3c-7)
(1) The Power of the King
(8:3c-4)
(2) The Penalty for
Disobedience (8:5a)
(3) The Timing of Wisdom
(8:5b-6)
(4) The Ignorance of the Future
(8:7)
2. The Limitation of Human Power
(8:8)
3. The Reality of Harmful Rule
(8:9)
III. The End of the Wicked (8:10-14)
1. The Passing of the Wicked
(8:10)
2. The Need for Swift Justice,
and the Consequence of Failure (8:11)
3. There is a God in Heaven to
Fear, and there shall be a Day of Judgment (8:12-13)
4. The Very Real Inequities that
are Observed in a Fallen World (8:14)
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).[6]
Charles Bridges, An
Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes (New York: Robert Carter &
Brothers, 1860).[7]
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].[8]
Walter C. Kaiser,
Jr., Coping With Change: Ecclesiastes
(Fearn, Roth-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2013).[9]
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).[10]
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] William
D. Barrick, Ecclesiastes:
The Philippians of the Old Testament, Focus on the Bible series
(Fearn, Ross-Shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2012), pg. 146, note 28.
[3] Warfield cites this verse
with others as a basis for the doctrine of immediate imputation. “According to
a student’s class notes, Warfield offered the following biblical passages in
this connection: Jer. 17:9; Eccles. 8:11; Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Matt. 7:16-19; 12:33;
Ps. 51:5; Job 14:4; 15:14; John 3:6; Eph. 2:3.” Fred G. Zaspel, The Theology of B. B. Warfield: A Systematic
Summary (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), pg. 401n75.
[4] Barrick, op. cit., pp. 12-13.
[5] Jacques Ellul, Reason for Being — A Meditation on
Ecclesiastes, trans. Joyce Main Hanks (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), pg.
303.
[6] Barrick’s lecture notes (PDF files) and
audio (mp3) are on Dr
Barrick at http://drbarrick.org/teaching/ecclesiastes/ [accessed 3 FEB 2016].
[7] 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].
[8] 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).
[9] 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].
[10] See also the “Thomas V.
Taylor Library” on the Interdisciplinary
Biblical Research Institute at http://www.taylorlib.ibri.org/ [accessed 27 NOV 2013].
