The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 208

hence that nothing may be outstanding which he has not experienced." This interpre• tation of the various events of life, joyous and sombre, as forming a complete disciplinary course, through which it is an advantage for us to pass, is the most worthy of the explanations of the words that they have received. .And if we accept it as truly repre- senting the author's thoughts, we may say that our author's researches were not so fruitless as he himself seems sometimes to assert. This recognition of a Divine purpose rnnning through all the events of life is calculated to sanctify our enjoyment of the blessings we receive, and to comfort and sustain us in the day of sorrow and adversity.--:-J. W, Vera. 15-18.-Righteousness and wickedness. This section is one of the most diffi- cult in the whole Book of Ecclesiastes, though there are no various readings in it to perplex us, and no difficulty in translating it. Neither the Authorized Version nor the Revised Version has alternative renderings of any part of it in the margin. The difficulty lies in the uncerta.inty in which we are as to the writer's standpoint in making out what form of religious life or what phase of thought or conduct he refers to when he says, "Be not rigb_teous overmuch." It is equally humiliating to attempt to explain his words away-to read into them a higher meaning than they evidently bear, or to confess regretfully that we have here a cynical and low-toned depreciation of that which is in itself holy and good. Both courses have been followed by commentators, and both do dishonour to the sacred text. I. In the first place, the Preacher states in plain terms THE GREAT AND PERPLEXING PROBLEM WHICH so OFTEN TROUBLED THE HEBREW lllND-that of the adversity of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked. In his experience of life, in the days of his vanity, in the course of his troubled pilgrimage, he had seen this eight: "There is a just man that perisheth in his rigbteousness"-in spite of his righteousness; "and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness " -in spite of bis wickedness (ver. 15). It is the same problem of which varying solutions are attempted in the Book of Job and in the thirty-seventh and seventy- third psalms. The old theory, that the good find their reward and the wicked their punishment in this life, was not borne out by bis experience. He haJ seen it violated so often that he could not hold it as even an approximate statement of the facts of the case. What, then, is his iufcrence from his own experience? Does he say, "Cleave to righteousness in spite of tho misfortunes which often attond it?" or, "Believe that somehow and somewhere the apparent inequalities of the present will ultimately be redressed, and both righteousness and wickedness will meet with the rewards and punishments they merit"? No; whether he might acquiesce in one or other of these inferences or not, we cannot tell. Other thoughts are in his mind. A third inference he draws, which would not naturally have occurred to us, but which is as legitimate as ours. II. FROM BIS EXPERIENCE llE DEDUCES THE LESSON: "Be not righteous overmuch i neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? Be not over- much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? " Neither the righteous nor the wicked being able to count upon reward for goodness or punishment for evil in this life as certain, both are exposed to certain risks-the one is tempted to adopt an exaggerated and feverish form of religious life, the other to ent-er on a course of unbridled wickedness. That there is a tendency to exaggeration in matters of religion is abundantly proved by the history of asceticism, which has made its appearance in every religion, true or spurious, The ascetic is the man who ia "righteous overmuch." He denies himself all pleasures through the fear of sin ; he separates himself, not merely from vicious indulgences, but from occupations and amuse- ments which he admits are innocent enough and lawful enough for those who have not the end in view he has set before himself. He is not content with the good works commanded by the Law of God; he must have his works of supererogation. The Pharisee in the parable (Luke xviii. 9-14) is a typical person of this class. He claimed merit for goinu beyond the requirements of the Law. Moses appointed but one fast-day in the year, th~ great Day of Atonement! he boasted that he ~asted twice in the week, 'l'he Law commanded only to tithe the fruits of the field nnd mcrease of the cattle; but he no doubt tithtd !lliut aucl cummin, aU that came into his possession, down to the veriest 196 ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. [011. \'II, 1-20,