Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs (Teach the Text Commentary Series) , livre ebook

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© 2013 by Edward M. Curtis
Captions and Illustrating the Text sections © 2013 by Baker Publishing Group
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2013
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4412-4269-3
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007
Scripture quotations labeled NAB are from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright holder.
Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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This volume is dedicated to my excellent wife, Joy who has patiently encouraged me in ministry and in projects like this one. Her wise insights in reading through the various drafts of t his commentary have made it a better volume. Her love for me gives me regular glimpses of what God’s hesed looks like, and I greatly appreciate her partnership for the last forty-seven years.
The volume is also dedicated to my two grandchildren, Ryken and Aven. They have brought immeasurable delight to their Pop-pop. I pray that they may continue to grow in their love for God and others and have the wisdom and courage to live out God’s truth in the world. I trust that they will find meaning and fulfillment in the world that Qoheleth describes as they live in trusting dependence on our sovereign Lord.
Contents
Cover i
Series Page ii
Title Page iii
Copyright Page iv
Dedication v
Welcome to the Teach the Text Commentary Series ix
Introduction to the Teach the Text Commentary Series xi
Abbreviations xiii
Introduction to Ecclesiastes 1
Qoheleth and the Issues of Life: A Broader Biblical Perspective
Ecclesiastes 1:1–11 8
Where All Is Hebel, Can Life Have Meaning?
Ecclesiastes 1:12–2:11 14
Qoheleth’s Futile Search for Meaning in a World Where All Is Hebel
Ecclesiastes 2:12–26 20
Enjoy Life Despite Its Difficulties and the Reality That All Will Die
Ecclesiastes 3:1–15 26
Everything Is Beautiful in Its Time, but We Cannot Understand God’s Work and Timing
Additional Insights 32
God’s Providence and the Limits of Human Understanding
Ecclesiastes 3:16–4:3 34
Tension between the Experiences of Life and the Assertions of Faith
Additional Insights 40
Justice after Death | The Dignity of Humans
Ecclesiastes 4:4–16 42
On Achieving the Balance That Reflects God’s Order
Ecclesiastes 5:1–9 48
Wisdom and Propriety in Dealing with God
Ecclesiastes 5:10–6:9 54
The Folly of Greed: Be Content with What God Provides
Additional Insights 60
The Mystery and Complexity of Life under the Sun
Ecclesiastes 6:10–7:14 62
Humanity’s Inability to Know What Is Good
Additional Insights 68
Teaching the Tensions of Life
Ecclesiastes 7:15–29 70
Affirming Human Limits and Fearing God
Additional Insights 76
Wisdom and Gender | The Scheme of Things
Ecclesiastes 8:1–17 78
The Power of Wisdom and Folly
Ecclesiastes 9:1–18 84
Live with Trouble and Uncertainty Then You Die
Additional Insights 90
Justice in Life and in Life after Death
Ecclesiastes 10:1–20 92
Embrace Wisdom as You Face Life’s Folly and Uncertainty
Ecclesiastes 11:1–12:8 98
Take Risks Wisely, Remember God, and Enjoy Life While You Still Can
Additional Insights 104
A Poem about Death
Ecclesiastes 12:9–14 106
The Conclusion of the Matter: Fear God and Keep His Commandments
Introduction to Song of Songs 113
The Greatest Song: A Song about Love
Song of Songs 1:1–2:7 120
Passion, Praise, and Delight
Song of Songs 2:8–3:5 126
My Beloved Is Mine, and I Am His
Additional Insights 132
Boundaries as Part of God’s Order
Song of Songs 3:6–5:1 134
You Are Beautiful, My Love: Delight and Consummation
Additional Insights 140
A Wedding Described | Beyond Physical Beauty
Song of Songs 5:2–6:3 142
What Is So Special about Your Beloved?
Song of Songs 6:4–7:13 148
The Spectacular Delights of Love
Additional Insights 154
Relationships That Reflect Yahweh’s Order | Moving beyond Song of Songs
Song of Songs 8:1–14 156
The Awesome Power of Love
Additional Insights 162
Love and the Choices We Make
Notes 165
Bibliography 170
Image Credits 174
Contributors 175
Index 176
Back Cover 179
Welcome to the Teach the Text Commentary Series
Why another commentary series? That was the question the general editors posed when Baker Books asked us to produce this series. Is there something that we can offer to pastors and teachers that is not currently being offered by other commentary series, or that can be offered in a more helpful way? After carefully researching the needs of pastors who teach the text on a weekly basis, we concluded that yes, more can be done; this commentary is carefully designed to fill an important gap.
The technicality of modern commentaries often overwhelms readers with details that are tangential to the main purpose of the text. Discussions of source and redaction criticism, as well as detailed surveys of secondary literature, seem far removed from preaching and teaching the Word. Rather than wade through technical discussions, pastors often turn to devotional commentaries, which may contain exegetical weaknesses, misuse the Greek and Hebrew languages, and lack hermeneutical sophistication. There is a need for a commentary that utilizes the best of biblical scholarship but also presents the material in a clear, concise, attractive, and user-friendly format.
This commentary is designed for that purpose to provide a ready reference for the exposition of the biblical text, giving easy access to information that a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. To that end, the commentary is divided into carefully selected preaching units, each covered in six pages (with carefully regulated word counts both in the passage as a whole and in each subsection). Pastors and teachers engaged in weekly preparation thus know that they will be reading approximately the same amount of material on a week-by-week basis.
Each passage begins with a concise summary of the central message, or “Big Idea,” of the passage and a list of its main themes. This is followed by a more detailed interpretation of the text, including the literary context of the passage, historical background material, and interpretive insights. While drawing on the best of biblical scholarship, this material is clear, concise, and to the point. Technical material is kept to a minimum, with endnotes pointing the reader to more detailed discussion and additional resources.
A second major focus of this commentary is on the preaching and teaching process itself. Few commentaries today help the pastor/teacher move from the meaning of the text to its effective communication. Our goal is to bridge this gap. In addition to interpreting the text in the “Understanding the Text” section, each six-page unit contains a “Teaching the Text” section and an “Illustrating the Text” section. The teaching section points to the key theological themes of the passage and ways to communicate these themes to today’s audiences. The illustration section provides ideas and examples for retaining the interest of hearers and connecting the message to daily life.
The creative format of this commentary arises from our belief that the Bible is not just a record of God’s dealings in the past but is the living Word of God, “alive and active” and “sharper than any double-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). Our prayer is that this commentary will help to unleash that transforming power for the glory of God.
The General Editors
Introduction to the Teach the Text Commentary Series
This series is designed to provide a ready reference for teaching the biblical text, giving easy access to information that is needed to communicate a passage effectively. To that end, the commentary is carefully divided into units that are faithful to the biblical authors’ ideas and of an appropriate length for teaching or preaching.
The following standard sections are offered in each unit.
1. Big Idea. For each unit the commentary identifies the primary theme, or “Big Idea,” that drives both the passage and the commentary.
2. Key Themes . Together with the Big Idea, the commentary addresses in bullet-point fashion the key ideas presented in the passage.
3. Understanding the Text . This section focuses on the exegesis of the text and includes several sections.
a. The Text in Context. Here the author gives a brief explanation of how the unit fits into the flow of the text around it, including reference to the rhetorical strategy of the book and the unit’s contribution to the purpose of the book.
b. Outline/Structure. For some literary genres (e