Life Under the Son: Counsel from the Book of Ecclesiastes

by Jay E. Adams

Book by Adams, Jay Edward

122 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Jay Edward Adams is a Reformed Christian author. He has written over 100 books and these have been published in sixteen languages.
He received a Bachelor of Divinity from Reformed Episcopal Seminary, a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Johns Hopkins University,a Masters in Sacred Theology from Temple University, and a PhD in Speech from the University of Missouri.
Adams' book Competent to Counsel launched the nouthetic counseling movement, a movement whose aim was to use strictly biblical counseling methods. He is the founder of the Intitute for Nothetic Studies.

Reviews

[Joseph Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, Jay E. Adams exegeted the Book of Ecclesiastes from the counselling perspective, and derived many insightful applications. The book is good, but could be better if Adams explained more on the flow of the book, which would help the readers understand the thoughts and intentions of the Solomon in writing the Book.

[Eric Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adams, in his own translation, comments on the book of Ecclesiastes. His audience is Christian counselors, and he endeavors to encourage these counselors to employ Ecclesiastes in their ministry. Adams has many good things to say and helpful insights about how we live life in this world, "under the sun." Our focus must not be wrapped up in this present age where all is vanity, but rather we must direct our labors for the glory of God.

I must admit that I am probably a bit prejudiced against Mr. Adams, but I do interpret his style as being slightly condescending. I think he also references his own works more than he ought.

Overall, a good book, but its audience is fairly specific.
(Please forgive any prejudices I may have against Mr. Adams, for I am sure he loves The Lord dearly.)