PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes
William J. Deane [1853-1943] · 304,106 words · 327 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 301
admonition, " Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. The uncertainty of life, e.g., renders it unwise in 11.ny who begin to realize their responsibilities, and to act for themselves, to postpone self-consecration to God. If not done now, when the affec- tions are fres?, w~e1:1- habits ~re beginning to form,…
917 wordsSECTION 302The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 302
soribecl in the following verses, though be so.id in its favour, e.nd me.ny gree.t writers whether the expressions therein used rege.rd have decle.red themselves on its side. Wright litere.l e.natomice.l fe.cts, or e.re e.llegorica.l supposes (o.n<I makes a good case for his represente.tions of the gre.due.l dece.y …
1,099 wordsSECTION 303The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 303
tol'pretation, we should see in these"kee-pcre" q_uam in 1trce, mii'ifl.be nd usus necessarios et the mensrrvnnts who keep watch before the facti et colloct\ti sunt. Na11.1·oculi, tamqunm houso. These menials are appalled by the speculatores, alt.issimum locum obtinent; ex approach of the tempest, and quake. And quo …
1,008 wordsSECTION 304The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 304
oessation would be e.n ominous sign (see makes a new stanza begin here: '' When Jer. xxv. 10; Rev. xviii. 22). Another one rises at the voice c,f the bird," and sees interpretation considers this ,clause to ex- here a description of tlie approach of spring, press the imperfeot vocal uttemnce of the as if the poet ea…
967 wordsSECTION 305The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 305
p88sage 88 denoting the fee.l'I! of the people these insects annoy the querulous aenior. at what is coming from on high-the gather- But who does not see the incongruity of ex• ing tempest, these fears extending to those pressing the disinclination for labour and on the highway,-whioh is feeble. And the exertion by the …
1,106 wordsSECTION 306The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 306
moet fat.al to old people, namely, the seven house appointed for all living," with which at the end of January and the beginning of Canon Churton (in loc.) compa.tes Job x. zl; February. Bo we now ho.ve the figure of the xxx. 23. So Ps. xlix. 11 (according to old man with hie snow-white hair, panting mauy versions), ''…
1,028 wordsSECTION 307The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 307
by which the lamp is hung in a tent or n demolition of the bowl denoted the sep1ne., · room. But of what in man are these sym- tion of soul nnd body; the breaking of tho bols? Many fanciful interpretations have pitcher and the destruction of the wheel been gi\·en. The "silver cord " is the spine, signify the overthr…
1,042 wordsSECTION 308The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 308
climly in nn immorte.lity, denied the person- the author, explain.iug his ete.nclpoint ancl 11lity of the eoul (see Eurip., • Suppl.,' 529 the object of the book, the great conclusion -534; Lucret., ii. 998, ,qq.; iii. 455, BqlJ,), to which it leads. Nor he.vo we e.ny opinion given. co~cemmg tl.to ndverse doctrines of …
1,013 wordsSECTION 309The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 309
lit.ersry composition, DelitZBoh oompares the of the treatise beoe.uae it was not the German word for" author" (Sohrijtst,eller). genuine work of the celebrated Solomon, The notion of the mai;hal being similitude, the writer olaims attention to his produc- comparison, the writer's pondering and tion on the ground of…
925 wordsSECTION 310The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 310
is o.pplied to choice proverbs. Thus he assertion (1 Cor. vii. 40), "I think that I would s11y that the words of the wise e.re e.s also have the Spirit of God." goads because they stimulate the intellect, Vera. 12----14.-The author warns age.inst e.s 110.ils because they readily find entrnnce, e.nd like mon in b11.tt…
1,775 wordsSECTION 311The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 311
HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-" Rememrer thy Orea tor." I. IlEMEMDEn: WHOM? "Thy Creator." The language implies: 1. That man has a Creator. It would certainly be strange if he had not, seeing that all things else have.. And that Creator is not himself, since ha OJI, XII, 1-14,] ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. 307 is at best a…
970 wordsSECTION 312The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 312
IV. REMEMBER: WRY? 1. Why remembei· one's Ci·eato,· 1 (1) Because he is infinitely worthy of being remembered. (2) Because he is entitled to be remembered on the simple ground of being Creator. (3) Because without this remembrance of him both happiness is impossible here and salvation hereafter. (4) Because the human …
868 wordsSECTION 313The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 313
is the old man, that if even a bird chirps he aw11kes, and, being put off his rest, is obliged to rise. (8) 'fhe daughters of music are brought low. Not so much the old man's powers of singing are diminished, his once strong and manly treble having become so feeble and low as to be scarcely audible (Isa. xxxviii. 14…
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(John xi. 31), gi,c expression to their sadness by going about the streets in the garb of sorrow. 2. ExciNng the sympathy of the living. 'l'his is one reason why private griers are parnded in public. The heart in times of weakness, such as those occasioned by bereavement, instinctively craves the compassion of others, …
825 wordsSECTION 315The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 315
moderation,it first enlightens the understanding, next quickens the whole spiritual nature, and finally tends to stirnulnte the health of the body. •• A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine" (eh. viii. 1). II. "WRITING MAKES A CORDECT MAN." If professional authorship in the Preacher's day was a nuisance, much more is…
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long ob~erved the growth of human character under diverse principles and influences, he was able to offer to the young counsel based upon extensive knowledge and deliberate reflect.ion. I. 'l'HE DESCRIPTION HERE GIVEN OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. Amplifying this terse and impressive langnage, we may hear the wise man add…
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of that wisdom which the experience of long years is particularly fitted to cultivate. 3. The aged are especially bound to offer to the young an example of cheerful obedience, and to encourage them to a life of piety and usefulness. V. THE CONSOLATIONS OF AGE. Cicero, in a well-known treatise of great beauty, bas set …
793 wordsSECTION 318The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 318
V. THE WORDS OF THE RELIGIOUS TEACHER MAY DE 'l'HE MEANS OF RELI<lIOUB 1 SPIRITUAL, IMPERISHABLE BLESSING. If his word be the vVord of God, who commissions and strengthens every faithful herald and ambassador, then he may comfort himself with the promise, "My Word shall not return unto me void; it shall ncoomplish .tha…
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that to the weariness of the flesh there is added the sadness of the spirit, that finds, in the memorable language of Pascal, the larger the circle of the known, the vaster is the circumference of the unknown that stretches beyond.-'!'. , Vers. 13, 14.-Religic,n, rightcO'll,sness, and rttrioution. After all the questi…
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and "fading into the light of common day." Yet is there-and it is the truer and deeper thought- H. THE GLORY OF YOUTH. Whatever may be said of youth in the way of qualifioation, there is one thing that may be said for it which greatly exalts it-it may be wise with a prefound and heavenly wisdom, for it may be spent …
898 wordsSECTION 321The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 321
ehall return to the earth as it was." Our body, however fair and strong it may be, however trained, clothed, adorned, admired, must return to "dust and ashes," must. be resolved into the elements from which it was constructed. 5. It means departure. "The epirit ehall return unto God who gave it." This is by far the mos…
1,041 wordsSECTION 322The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 322
Vers. 13, 14.-Divine requirement and human i·esponse. What is the conclusion of this inquiry? what result may be gained from these inconsistencies of thouaht and variations of feeling? Deeper down t-han anything else is the fact that there a;e- 1. Two GREAT DIVINE REQUffiEMENTs. God demands of us·: 1. Reve,·ence. We…
720 wordsSECTION 323The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 323
because sin in every shape moves toward exposure and penalty, while righteousness in all its forms travels toward its recognition and reward, therefore let tne spirit be reverent in presence of it~ Maker, let the life be filled with purity and worth, with integrity and goodness. let man be the dutiful child of his Fath…
1,006 wordsSECTION 324The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 324
Yers. 13, 14.-The last word. In the passage with which the Book of Ecclesiastes concludes, the clue is found which leads the speaker out of the labyrinth of scepticism in which for a time he had gone astray. He at last emeraes from the dark forest in which he had long wandered, and finds himself under the ;tars of h…
809 wordsSECTION 325The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 325
methinks no addition to complete our afilictions. That terrible term hath never detained me from sin, nor do I owe any good action to the name thereof. I fear God, yet am not afraid of him; his mercies make me ashamed of my sins, before his judg- ments afraid thereof. These are the forced and secondary methods of his w…
1,091 wordsSECTION 326The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 326
THEKE PAG& TUE MB PA.GD The Purposos of Providence 76 'l'he Picture ofa" Good and Comely" Man's Vu.righteonsness contrasted Life ... 123 with God's Righteousness 76 The Temple and the Worshippers ... 124 The Common Destiny of Death 77 Reverence, Reticence, aud Brevity in The Earthly Portion 78 Devotion 125 Opportnnity…
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THRlllt l'AGR TREHE P~OR Social Paradoxes... 263 Incentives to Christian Work 287 The Rebound of Evil 263 The Troe Workman 288 Force and Wisdom 264 The Shadow of the Tomb ... 289 The Obt.rasiveness and the Condem- Ruman Joy and Divine Jndgmcnt ... 290 nation of Folly 264 The Vanity and Glory of Youth 290 Statesmanshi…
295 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.