Ecclesiastes: The Philippians of the Old Testament

by William D. Barrick

What is the purpose of life? The preacher in Ecclesiastes, just like many today, is in search of life's meaning. But as they look through their limited worldview all they find is "vanity, vanity". Pure emptiness! They are in search for something which will have eternal value. To find it, we need to look beyond ourselves. This is what the preacher discovers; that man is powerless, yet God has a design and purpose for all things. He is the giver of all life. Ecclesiastes gives teaching on doctrines such as man, salvation and future judgment.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Theology, Christian

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Michael Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely one of the top 3 commentaries in print on the book of Ecclesiastes. Barrick is a top-notch exegete and theologian, interacting with the Hebrew text at a level any serious student of the Bible could understand. He takes Solomon as the author (making his case with external and internal reasons) and sees the book as having a positive, optimistic theme. Highly recommended for anyone studying Ecclesiastes.

[Jonna Ventura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fear God and obey his commandments. We are called to enjoy the good gifts from God while living under the sun as we prepare for our eternal life beyond the sun.

[Paul Lamey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barrick's work is concise, clear, and richly biblical. This is the best shorter commentary available on Ecclesiastes. It will be a tremendous aid to anyone teaching a study, preparing to preach or wanting to go deeper in their understanding of Solomon's Ecclesiastes.

[Kristopher Schaal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very solid little commentary. My favorite to recommend to people. Good theology. Not as detailed as some other commentaries, but touches on all of the important points.

[Lawson Hembree · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful and accessible resource for navigating the complexities of Ecclesiastes while consistently reinforcing the key themes of the book: fear God, obey His commands, enjoy life and God’s gifts, and live in light of certain death and judgment.

[Hannah C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Came away with a much bigger view of God in the words of Ecclesiastes. Will definitely keep as a reference for future readings of Ecclesiastes. A dense read but worthwhile!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent treatment of Ecclesiastes. Faithful to LGH

[Cameron Barham]

“Ecclesiastes puts mankind in their proper place theologically—subordinate to God and accountable for how they live ‘under the sun.’”, p. 215