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Through New Eyes Bible Commentary
Ecclesiastes Through New Eyes: A Table in the Mist
Bible-reading is more of an art than a science. The Bible is a story, not a lexicon of systematic theological definitions. With this in mind, The Through New Eyes Bible Commentary Series builds on the foundational Biblical-theology work of James B. Jordan and other like-minded scholars in bringing you a set of commentaries that will help you read, teach and preach through the Bible while picking up on the rich symphonic themes and the literary symbolism of the Scriptures. Because they are written for thoughtful Christians without being overly academic, these commentaries will serve as valuable resources for family worship, Sunday school or Bible studies.
219 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2007
71 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey J. Meyers
7 books18 followersJeff grew up in the Crestwood/Sappington area, graduated from Lindbergh High School ('75) and the University of Missouri at Columbia ('79). After serving as an officer in the U.S. Army for 4 years, Jeff attended Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, but took three years off to teach at a Christian school in Texas. Upon graduation from Covenant Seminary ('88), he served three years as an Associate Pastor in Huntsville, Alabama, and then three years as Pastor at Covenant Presbyterian in Houston, Texas. Since coming to Providence in 1994, Jeff has earned his Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M) and did Ph.D studies in Systematic Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary. Pastor Meyers enjoys walking, hunting, photography, science fiction, and cooking. Pastor Meyers is the author of The Lord's Service: The Grace of Covenant Renewal Worship, as well as a commentary on Ecclesiastes A Table in the Mist, and numerous other essays and articles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
March 6, 2013
This book is excellent. I finished it a few weeks ago. I have not written a full review because I am re-reading it with my wife, and I would like to digest the book a little further, then write a more detailed review.
In brief summary, the book presents a different account of Ecclesiastes then what I have typically heard. It starts with the interpretation of the Hebrew word "hebel" - often translated as "vanity" or "futility". Jeff Meyers argues convincingly that the proper translation is "vapor" or "mist". All of life is "vaporous", it is NOT vain, meaningless, futile, etc. The message of the book is that we cannot CONTROL life or our circumstances, and we often cannot even understand it based on our perspective here "under the sun". The book is about living by faith, while acknowledging that the "sight" we have of this life is often very confusing. Bad things happen to the righteous, good things happen to the wicked, and we are all alike trapped under the curse of death. We cannot gain leverage over our lives in such a way that gives us control, even by doing the right things and seeking wisdom. One of the great conclusions of the book is found in chapter 9, verses 7-9:
"Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun."
Meyers ultimately argues that Solomon investigated for and wrote the book of Ecclesiastes during the period of his great wisdom, something Solomon himself attests to (12:9-10, among others). It was not written from the perspective of the non-believer, nor by Solomon in his later period of hardness and idol worship, but during the height of his wise ruling as "the Preacher" of Israel.
In brief summary, the book presents a different account of Ecclesiastes then what I have typically heard. It starts with the interpretation of the Hebrew word "hebel" - often translated as "vanity" or "futility". Jeff Meyers argues convincingly that the proper translation is "vapor" or "mist". All of life is "vaporous", it is NOT vain, meaningless, futile, etc. The message of the book is that we cannot CONTROL life or our circumstances, and we often cannot even understand it based on our perspective here "under the sun". The book is about living by faith, while acknowledging that the "sight" we have of this life is often very confusing. Bad things happen to the righteous, good things happen to the wicked, and we are all alike trapped under the curse of death. We cannot gain leverage over our lives in such a way that gives us control, even by doing the right things and seeking wisdom. One of the great conclusions of the book is found in chapter 9, verses 7-9:
"Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun."
Meyers ultimately argues that Solomon investigated for and wrote the book of Ecclesiastes during the period of his great wisdom, something Solomon himself attests to (12:9-10, among others). It was not written from the perspective of the non-believer, nor by Solomon in his later period of hardness and idol worship, but during the height of his wise ruling as "the Preacher" of Israel.
August 8, 2023
The book you didn’t know you needed to read. So good!
September 10, 2025
Meyers' commentary on Ecclesiastes is engaging, winsome, and pastoral.
January 29, 2025
Really excellent, with a positive approach to Ecclesiastes as Christian Wisdom.
December 30, 2015
This is an excellent commentary on Ecclesiastes. The opening sections were stronger than his commentary on the later chapters, roughly chapters 8 through 12, but still on the whole a very useful aid to studying the book of Ecclesiastes.
October 25, 2024
Excellent treatment of Ecclesiastes! While there were some parts of the book that seemed less helpful than others, much of the book hit the nail on the head. Meyers helpfully and accurately explained the Hebrew behind what is often translated “vanity”, as well as the phrase, “striving after the wind”…the former translation being far less helpful than the latter when it comes to understanding the message of the book. Ultimately, we cannot fully comprehend the plans and purposes of our Creator, and we cannot control what comes our way, so we should enjoy the good gifts that he graciously gives us as He enables us to, moment by moment.
(If you want a free introduction to the topic, you might wish to check out Jason DeRouchie’s essay and/or Ecclesiastes lectures at jasonderouchie dot com which was my first introduction to the beauty and joy of Ecclesiastes.)
(If you want a free introduction to the topic, you might wish to check out Jason DeRouchie’s essay and/or Ecclesiastes lectures at jasonderouchie dot com which was my first introduction to the beauty and joy of Ecclesiastes.)
February 21, 2022
Strong elements, especially near the end, but it just felt *long*. This probably could have been 70 pages shorter and still straddled the fence of popular commentary with strong exegetical insight.
April 7, 2025
Whether you find Ecclesiastes confusing or have always liked it, this commentary is excellent.
March 8, 2019
An enjoyable commentary with helpful insights for preaching.
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June 10, 2023“What the author intends to teach us is that real biblical wisdom is founded on the honest acknowledgment that this world’s course is enigmatic, that most, if not all, of what happens is quite inexplicable, incomprehensible to us, and quite out of our control….Therefore, all our attempts to influence or comprehend the world and the courses of our lives are futile, useless, vain, and empty. Vanity of vanities. The wise man learns to walk by faith and not by sight.”, p. 16
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January 10, 2010From page 59
"What this means is that when we read Ecclesiastes, we should give thanks that God put Solomon through the wringer so that we might partake in his wisdom. This is the purpose of wisdom literature, indeed of most books in general. They tell us what life is really like even before we have to experience it ourselves."
I have always found the book of Ecclesiastes to be confusing, it seemed to be contradictory. Reading this commentary has helped me to understand the language of Ecclesiastes as well as other "wisdom literature" better. Solomon does not contradict himself, nor does he contradict the rest of the Bible. At first I thought he was telling us work is in vain and enjoyment is in vain; so I was left thinking, "Well, what do I do?" As explained by Meyers, Solomon is teaching that work is in vain if we are trying to gain control complete control over our lives. We need to realize that if we work hard this does not give complete control over a situation; if we save our money, when we pass it on, it is out of our control what happens with it next. We don't even have complete control over our children's faith (certainly we can have influence). So we should work for the glory of God and enjoy what he has given; we need to work and enjoy, not just one or the other and both while recognizing God is in control and he has given us gifts to enjoy this life with.
I have not yet finished the book, but this in itself is a wonderful lesson learned.
"What this means is that when we read Ecclesiastes, we should give thanks that God put Solomon through the wringer so that we might partake in his wisdom. This is the purpose of wisdom literature, indeed of most books in general. They tell us what life is really like even before we have to experience it ourselves."
I have always found the book of Ecclesiastes to be confusing, it seemed to be contradictory. Reading this commentary has helped me to understand the language of Ecclesiastes as well as other "wisdom literature" better. Solomon does not contradict himself, nor does he contradict the rest of the Bible. At first I thought he was telling us work is in vain and enjoyment is in vain; so I was left thinking, "Well, what do I do?" As explained by Meyers, Solomon is teaching that work is in vain if we are trying to gain control complete control over our lives. We need to realize that if we work hard this does not give complete control over a situation; if we save our money, when we pass it on, it is out of our control what happens with it next. We don't even have complete control over our children's faith (certainly we can have influence). So we should work for the glory of God and enjoy what he has given; we need to work and enjoy, not just one or the other and both while recognizing God is in control and he has given us gifts to enjoy this life with.
I have not yet finished the book, but this in itself is a wonderful lesson learned.
June 17, 2024
I've always been intrigued by the biblical book of Ecclesiastes. It's message often seems unclear, seemingly alternating encouragement and despair. This commentary presents the wisdom in these words as a unified, realistic and ultimately hopeful and refreshing message. In spite of the inherent frustration, dependency and mortality of life there is hope in acceptance of the way God has made our lives in spite of it all. It's message is both sobering an comforting at the same time.
May 17, 2012
This is an excellent book that takes you passage-by-passage through the book of Ecclesiastes. The theology is solid, but the book is also very readable. This is a really tough book of the Bible to read and I have read a few different commentaries and Bible studies on Ecclesiastes and this one is by far the best. Highly recommended.
March 23, 2024
Ecclesiastes is a difficult book and there are lots and lots of opinions about what it is saying. This book is totally saturated with the rest of the Bible which is the only way to read Ecclesiastes and Meyers does a remarkable job bringing it all together!
January 20, 2009
Excellent read - I recommend reading it in conjunction with Doug Wilson's book Joy at the end of the Tether.
June 25, 2013
Excellent. And again in 2013.
May 12, 2009
Outstanding commentary on the book of Ecclesiastes.
December 21, 2009
Fabulous!!! The best commentary I've read to date.
January 29, 2015
Very helpful at some points, but often with many more words than needed. My favorite part was his study of Ecclesiastes 7 and the implications for living in a world filled with fallen people.
October 21, 2024
(6 stars!!)
This is definitely my book of the year. This will be a long review so my tl;dr version is: "A must read if you want to understand life as it is and not how you think it should be."
Onward...
I've always been attracted by the books that one thinks shouldn't be in Scripture, Esther, Song of Solomon, and of course Ecclesiastes. Almost every time I've read Ecclesiastes I've been frustrated because the generally understood purpose is something along the lines of: "This is Solomon looking at life as someone who doesn't follow Yahweh and revealing the purposelessness of life." Really? This is the best we can do with Ecclesiastes?
Jeffrey Meyers is here to save us from that faulty view of Ecclesiastes, and he does an admirable job of it.
Mr. Meyers starts out with a needed corrective. "Vanity of vanities," is the way the book starts out in most English translations. Mr. Meyers points out that this is a poor translation. The Hebrew word is "hevel" and it means smoke, mist, or vapor (Thus the title of the book). So Solomon doesn't start out telling us how useless and vain life is, (and then keep repeating it through the entire book), he tells us that life is a vapor, a mist, something that is here and then gone, and this should inform our view of how we ought to live.
Solomon's goal in the book is to tell his readers not to waste their time trying to figure out what God is up to in this life because he has tried and he has failed, and if he has failed, then you will also, dear reader. You just cannot apply your wisdom to life and all of the good and bad events that happen to you and say, "Aha, here is what the Lord is up to that makes sense of all of this," or as Mr. Meyers puts it:
"What the author intends to teach us is that real biblical wisdom is founded on the honest acknowledgment that this world’s course is enigmatic, that most, if not all, of what happens is quite inexplicable, incomprehensible to us, and quite out of our control."
Live for any length of time and you will understand exactly Mr. Meyers' point (not to mention Solomon's).
What to do in light of this problem? Solomon answers for us, and to put it in baseball terms Solomon says: "Don't go for the homers, you're not going to get them and even when you DO occasionally get them, you'll probably have the wrong answer for WHY you got them. Instead, play small ball. Get some bunts and some singles and be satisfied with that."
What does Solomon mean by this? He means that, even though we are not going to figure out what God is up to, even though much of what he does is inexplicable and incomprehensible, what we do know is that he gave us this life, our family, our wife, our finances, to be enjoyed...so enjoy them! Mr. Meyers puts it this way:
"Solomon argues consistently and well for his conclusion: Christians will confess their ignorance and impotence and yet nevertheless receive and rejoice in everything God gives them in life, fearing him and keeping his commands."
As I've read through this book, it's really changed my outlook on how I understand life. What was God doing when he blew up my son's plans to adopt four children? I don't have a clue. It's inexplicable, but it's an Ecclesiastes moment. God will do what he is going to do and most of the time we won't know why he does it.
However, I was out on a night hike last week and I climbed up to the top of a hill near me and on one side the sun was setting and when I turned around, on the other side, the moon was rising. This too was an Ecclesiastes moment. It was meant to be experienced as a good gift from a good God and I understood that and I reveled in the moment, the sun lighting up the underside of the clouds in a fiery red, and the deepening purple as the sun slowly set. But this is hevel. It's vapor. The moon is going to rise later and later and sometimes there will be clouds, so I have to receive the moment as it is, a good gift from God that, like the rest of life, will not last. Take joy in it now. Play small ball.
Mr. Meyers finishes this excellent commentary with these words:
"With these final words Solomon reaches the pinnacle of believing wisdom. These are truly words of faith. Solomon had learned, as we all must, that he was not in control. Thus we learn that as creatures we cannot trust time and events. We have no leverage over them. As we are time-bound, dust-bound creatures living under the sun, and as we are sons and daughters of Adam who will never escape God’s comprehensive curse in this life, so we will never be completely “in the know,” never satisfied, never free from the trouble and calamity, never escape death in this life.
Never.
This is just as much true for those who are believers as anyone else! Our only hope is in the living God, our Maker and our Savior. Our hope now is clearer than it was for Solomon, but our calamitous, vaporous situation under the sun is no different."
I loved this book very much indeed.
This is definitely my book of the year. This will be a long review so my tl;dr version is: "A must read if you want to understand life as it is and not how you think it should be."
Onward...
I've always been attracted by the books that one thinks shouldn't be in Scripture, Esther, Song of Solomon, and of course Ecclesiastes. Almost every time I've read Ecclesiastes I've been frustrated because the generally understood purpose is something along the lines of: "This is Solomon looking at life as someone who doesn't follow Yahweh and revealing the purposelessness of life." Really? This is the best we can do with Ecclesiastes?
Jeffrey Meyers is here to save us from that faulty view of Ecclesiastes, and he does an admirable job of it.
Mr. Meyers starts out with a needed corrective. "Vanity of vanities," is the way the book starts out in most English translations. Mr. Meyers points out that this is a poor translation. The Hebrew word is "hevel" and it means smoke, mist, or vapor (Thus the title of the book). So Solomon doesn't start out telling us how useless and vain life is, (and then keep repeating it through the entire book), he tells us that life is a vapor, a mist, something that is here and then gone, and this should inform our view of how we ought to live.
Solomon's goal in the book is to tell his readers not to waste their time trying to figure out what God is up to in this life because he has tried and he has failed, and if he has failed, then you will also, dear reader. You just cannot apply your wisdom to life and all of the good and bad events that happen to you and say, "Aha, here is what the Lord is up to that makes sense of all of this," or as Mr. Meyers puts it:
"What the author intends to teach us is that real biblical wisdom is founded on the honest acknowledgment that this world’s course is enigmatic, that most, if not all, of what happens is quite inexplicable, incomprehensible to us, and quite out of our control."
Live for any length of time and you will understand exactly Mr. Meyers' point (not to mention Solomon's).
What to do in light of this problem? Solomon answers for us, and to put it in baseball terms Solomon says: "Don't go for the homers, you're not going to get them and even when you DO occasionally get them, you'll probably have the wrong answer for WHY you got them. Instead, play small ball. Get some bunts and some singles and be satisfied with that."
What does Solomon mean by this? He means that, even though we are not going to figure out what God is up to, even though much of what he does is inexplicable and incomprehensible, what we do know is that he gave us this life, our family, our wife, our finances, to be enjoyed...so enjoy them! Mr. Meyers puts it this way:
"Solomon argues consistently and well for his conclusion: Christians will confess their ignorance and impotence and yet nevertheless receive and rejoice in everything God gives them in life, fearing him and keeping his commands."
As I've read through this book, it's really changed my outlook on how I understand life. What was God doing when he blew up my son's plans to adopt four children? I don't have a clue. It's inexplicable, but it's an Ecclesiastes moment. God will do what he is going to do and most of the time we won't know why he does it.
However, I was out on a night hike last week and I climbed up to the top of a hill near me and on one side the sun was setting and when I turned around, on the other side, the moon was rising. This too was an Ecclesiastes moment. It was meant to be experienced as a good gift from a good God and I understood that and I reveled in the moment, the sun lighting up the underside of the clouds in a fiery red, and the deepening purple as the sun slowly set. But this is hevel. It's vapor. The moon is going to rise later and later and sometimes there will be clouds, so I have to receive the moment as it is, a good gift from God that, like the rest of life, will not last. Take joy in it now. Play small ball.
Mr. Meyers finishes this excellent commentary with these words:
"With these final words Solomon reaches the pinnacle of believing wisdom. These are truly words of faith. Solomon had learned, as we all must, that he was not in control. Thus we learn that as creatures we cannot trust time and events. We have no leverage over them. As we are time-bound, dust-bound creatures living under the sun, and as we are sons and daughters of Adam who will never escape God’s comprehensive curse in this life, so we will never be completely “in the know,” never satisfied, never free from the trouble and calamity, never escape death in this life.
Never.
This is just as much true for those who are believers as anyone else! Our only hope is in the living God, our Maker and our Savior. Our hope now is clearer than it was for Solomon, but our calamitous, vaporous situation under the sun is no different."
I loved this book very much indeed.
December 21, 2022
Ecclesiastes has long been a favorite of mine, if one is allowed to have favorite books of the Bible. For me, Ecclesiastes is the key to understanding and living the "deeper magic" as Lewis would say. I've read a few studies and heard many talks and sermons on the book. Usually, I'm left at least partially dissatisfied. (If I never hear the word "vanity" again...) It never quite seems like the fullness or nuances of the book are explored and taught, and I'm usually left with, "Read/listen to this, BUT...."
It turns out, though, someone did it. Pastor Meyers wrote what I've long wished would be written about the book of Ecclesiastes. It does and says exactly what I often want to impart about life and Ecclesiastes to others but have never been knowledgeable or articulate enough to accomplish. I'm SO grateful he did! I took my time working through this profound yet accessible little study guide, my Bible open, side-by-side through each chapter. My Bible's margins in Ecclesiastes are now full of penciled in notes marked, "J.M. pg. xx." All that I've vaguely felt to be there was laid out and explained in a way that the average reader like myself could digest and rejoice over.
A deeper understanding of the book of Ecclesiastes will change your life. Every Christian should study this book and use Pastor Meyer's book to do it. In an age of identity and power-dynamics ruling the cultural conversation, Ecclesiastes is the place to ground yourself and know your God. Pastor Meyers will help you do it.
It turns out, though, someone did it. Pastor Meyers wrote what I've long wished would be written about the book of Ecclesiastes. It does and says exactly what I often want to impart about life and Ecclesiastes to others but have never been knowledgeable or articulate enough to accomplish. I'm SO grateful he did! I took my time working through this profound yet accessible little study guide, my Bible open, side-by-side through each chapter. My Bible's margins in Ecclesiastes are now full of penciled in notes marked, "J.M. pg. xx." All that I've vaguely felt to be there was laid out and explained in a way that the average reader like myself could digest and rejoice over.
A deeper understanding of the book of Ecclesiastes will change your life. Every Christian should study this book and use Pastor Meyer's book to do it. In an age of identity and power-dynamics ruling the cultural conversation, Ecclesiastes is the place to ground yourself and know your God. Pastor Meyers will help you do it.
May 7, 2023
Life is impossible to control; it is like trying to shepherd the wind. The difference between a believer and an unbeliever is this: the believer receives everything as a gift from God, recognizes their purpose in life before Him, and toils all their days under the sun with joy, while the unbeliever toils without purpose.
A man's heart is deceitfully wicked; who could know it? Trying to fully understand the ways of a man is like shepherding the wind. God's ways are too high for us; we cannot comprehend them. Trying to understand God's ways is also like shepherding the wind. A man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.
We are all at the mercy of the Lord. We do not gain leverage over Him by doing good deeds, as if to say, "I did this, Lord. You owe me!" No. It doesn't work like that. God does what He wills, and we either submit or rebel.
Scripture is filled with tension. Wisdom exists in the midst of this tension. Being dogmatic on one side or another often lends itself toward error. Fear God, keep His commandments, and enjoy the lot He has distributed to you under the sun. This is God's gift to man.
A man's heart is deceitfully wicked; who could know it? Trying to fully understand the ways of a man is like shepherding the wind. God's ways are too high for us; we cannot comprehend them. Trying to understand God's ways is also like shepherding the wind. A man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.
We are all at the mercy of the Lord. We do not gain leverage over Him by doing good deeds, as if to say, "I did this, Lord. You owe me!" No. It doesn't work like that. God does what He wills, and we either submit or rebel.
Scripture is filled with tension. Wisdom exists in the midst of this tension. Being dogmatic on one side or another often lends itself toward error. Fear God, keep His commandments, and enjoy the lot He has distributed to you under the sun. This is God's gift to man.
February 7, 2021
Meyers absolutely rejects a cynical, unorthodox take of Qohelet and Ecclesiastes. Hebel is not meaninglessness or vanity, but is vapor or mist. He robustly interprets this biblical text as the work of Solomon faithfully embracing the earthly realities of a fallen world. This isn’t to say we blindly or sinfully indulge because all is vanity, but it does imply believers receive and seek joy as a true gift from God while we yearn for redemption and recreation. It’s clear he’s spent time reading the technical modern commentaries, but this is not composed as a point by point rebuttal. The text is nicely adapted from his sermon transcripts. Pastor Meyers spends more time helping the reader see the forest than the bark of each tree, yet he still provides many intriguing insights on the enigmas of the text.
April 7, 2023
I kept notes on the first 8 chapters, but then bogged down and just finished reading without taking anymore notes. These are just a few observations of the many I wrote down while reading. Anything in quotes is a direct quote from the book:
Solomon’s office is as a shepherd king. Some see the book of Ecclesiastes as having been written by Solomon as an “embittered cynic” or someone who has abandoned his faith. Not so. The beginning of the book makes clear that the book is being “commended to the reader as the work of God’s king.” The book is addressed to the people of God and has a pastoral purpose. It is making an argument as a coherent whole, not a book of “loosely associated aphorisms.” “Solomon examines life from multiple perspectives…each time he reaches a tentative conclusion, he sums it up.”
There are four movements or sections, with four conclusions. In order to understand it, you have to read it and enter into his argument and experience. “At the end of the process you will have a better grasp of the truth. Enjoy God’s gifts of life while fearing him and keeping his commandments. God is in control. He will bring everything to a fitting a just conclusion. Faith will be satisfied with that.”
Both “vanity” and “meaningless” are terrible translations of the word used by Solomon in this book. A better word is “vapor,” or “wisp.” The book is about the “ephemeral nature of man’s endeavors,” not that our endeavors are in vain or meaningless. The statement that there “is nothing new under the sun” doesn’t mean that we don’t create or invent anything in imitation of our Creator, but that we cannot create anything truly new. Whatever we do has been done since the beginning of time. “Everything goes on the same as it has because everything is out of our control! Unbelievers do not accept this fact, but faithful Christians who have acquired wisdom know that it is true. And they trust God and enjoy life just the same.”
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and it gave me a new perspective on the enigmatic book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.
Solomon’s office is as a shepherd king. Some see the book of Ecclesiastes as having been written by Solomon as an “embittered cynic” or someone who has abandoned his faith. Not so. The beginning of the book makes clear that the book is being “commended to the reader as the work of God’s king.” The book is addressed to the people of God and has a pastoral purpose. It is making an argument as a coherent whole, not a book of “loosely associated aphorisms.” “Solomon examines life from multiple perspectives…each time he reaches a tentative conclusion, he sums it up.”
There are four movements or sections, with four conclusions. In order to understand it, you have to read it and enter into his argument and experience. “At the end of the process you will have a better grasp of the truth. Enjoy God’s gifts of life while fearing him and keeping his commandments. God is in control. He will bring everything to a fitting a just conclusion. Faith will be satisfied with that.”
Both “vanity” and “meaningless” are terrible translations of the word used by Solomon in this book. A better word is “vapor,” or “wisp.” The book is about the “ephemeral nature of man’s endeavors,” not that our endeavors are in vain or meaningless. The statement that there “is nothing new under the sun” doesn’t mean that we don’t create or invent anything in imitation of our Creator, but that we cannot create anything truly new. Whatever we do has been done since the beginning of time. “Everything goes on the same as it has because everything is out of our control! Unbelievers do not accept this fact, but faithful Christians who have acquired wisdom know that it is true. And they trust God and enjoy life just the same.”
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and it gave me a new perspective on the enigmatic book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.
August 12, 2021
A Table in the Mist makes some fantastic observations on the book of Ecclesiastes and I found alternative translations and explanations of its refrains (vapour, shepherding the wind etc.) really helpful. The exploration of the themes of shepherding and kingship was great.
I'm not sure the applications drawn out from the text (which make up the bulk of this book) were that helpful and often felt contrived. Some of the pre-assumptions concerning areas of wider Biblical theology were a bit baffling too.
But nonetheless, this book was certainly a helpful start into studying the Ecclesiastes, I just suspect that there's probably quite a lot more thinking to be done to really crack the book.
I'm not sure the applications drawn out from the text (which make up the bulk of this book) were that helpful and often felt contrived. Some of the pre-assumptions concerning areas of wider Biblical theology were a bit baffling too.
But nonetheless, this book was certainly a helpful start into studying the Ecclesiastes, I just suspect that there's probably quite a lot more thinking to be done to really crack the book.
September 21, 2024
A great commentary! I really enjoyed this book, and the insights in provided. The last chapter was the best one! So glad to have Christian friends surrounding me, sending me books to challenge me.
March 26, 2018
Absolutely excellent. I'll edit this with more later, but I cannot possibly recommend it highly enough to everyone.
May 11, 2018
Meyers puts the wisdom of the text front and center.
September 30, 2019
Good, probably better than most of the material on Ecclesiastes that's out there.
May 26, 2020
Excellent.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews