The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 239

Vor. 7.-Go thy way, eat thy bread wHh "Though he in whitened toga celebratR joy. Thie is not an injunction to lead a His wedding, birthday, or high frstival." eel.fish life of Epicurean pleaaurr;,; but taking Let thy head lack no ointment. Oil anrl the limited view to which he here confines perfumes were used on festive occasions not himself, the Preiicber inculcates the prac- only among Ea.stem nations, but by Greeks tical wisdom of looking at the bright eide of and Romans (see on eh. vii. 1). Thus Tele- things; he eays in effect (though he takee machus is anointed with fragrant oil by the oarc afterwards to correct a wrong impres- fair Polyka.ste (Hnmcr, 'Ocl.,' iii. 466). sion which inight be given), " Let us eat and Sappho complains to Phaon (Ovid,' Heroid.,' drink; for to-morrow ,we die" (1 Cor. xv. 32). xv. 76)- We have had the ea.me counsel in eh. ii. 24; iii. 12, 13, 22 ; 0 v. 18; viii. 15. Drink ·, "Non Arabo nester rore capillus olet." thy wine .with a merry heart. Wine was "No myrrh of Araby bedews my hair." not an accompa:ri.imerlt' of meals llsnally; it was reserved for feasts and solemn occasions. Such allnsions in Horace are frequent and Bread· and wine are here :regarde\I- as the commonly cited (see 'Carro.,' i. 5. 2; ii. 7. necessary· meane of support and comfort 7, 8; ii. 11. 15, etc.). Thus the double (comp. eh. x. 19; Gen. xiv. '18; 1 Sam. xvi. injunction in this verse counsel, one to 20, etc.). The moderate use of wine is be always happy and cheerful. Gregory nowhere forbidden; there is no law in the Tba.umaturgns (cited by Plumptre) repre- Old Testament against the use of intoxis sents th'3 passage as the error of "men of eating. drinks; the employment of such vanity;" and other commentators have fluids as cordials, exhilarating, strengthen- deemed that it conveyed not the Preacher's ing and comforting, is often referred to own sentiments, but those of an atheist (comp. Judg. ix. 13; Ps. oiv. 15; Prov. whom he cites. There is, as we have xxxi. 6, 7; Ecclus. xxxi. 27, 28). Thus already seen, no need to resort to such an Koh-eleth's advice, taken even litemlly, is explanation. Doubtless the ndvice may not contrary to the spirit of his religion. For readily be perverted to evil, and made to God now (long ago) acoepteth thy works. sanction sensuality and licentiousness, as we '.rhe " works" are not moral or religious see to have been done in Wisd. ii. G-D ; doings, in reward of which God gives but Koheleth only urges the moderate use temporal blessings, which is plainly opposed of earthly goods as consecratecl by God's to Koheleth's chief contention in all this gift. p'ILBsage. '.rhe worlcs are the eating and Ver. 9.-Live joyfully with the wife drinking just mentioned. By the consti- whom thou lovest; literally, oee life with a. tution of man's nature, and by the ordering wife whom thou lovest. The article is omitted, of Providence, such oapacity of enjoyment as the maxim is to be taken generally. In is allowable, and there need be no scruple correction of the outspoken condemnation of in UBing it. Such things a.re God's good women in eh. vii. 26, Koheleth hero recog- gifts, and to be received with reverence nizes the happiness of o. home where is and thanksgiving; and he who thus employs found a helpmate beloved and worthy of lovs them.!~ well-pleasing unto the Lord (eh. ii. (comp. Prov. v. 18, 19; xvii. 22, on which 24; Vlll, 15). our passage seems to be founded; ancl Eccl us. Ver. 8.-Let thy garments be always xxvi. 13-18). (For the expression," see life," white. The Preacher brings into promi- vide note on ob. ii. 1.) St. Jcrome's comment nen_ce certain partioulars of enjoyment, more is misleading, 11 Qurocuwque 1ibi pfacuerit noticeable than mere eating and drinking. feminarum ejus gaude complcxu." Some White garments in the East (as among critics translate ishaliah here II woman." ourselves) were symbols of joy and purity. Thus Cox: "Enjoy thyself with any woman Thus the singers in Solomon's temple were whom thou lovest; " but the best com- ar1'Byed in white linen (2 Chron. v. 12). mentators agree that the married state is Mordecai wna thus honoured by Kiug meant in the text, not more sensual cu- Ahasn~n~s (Esth. viii. 15), the angels are joyment. All the days of the life of thy seen s1m_ilarl,: ~ecked (Mark xvi. 5), and vanity; i.e. throughout the time of thy the glorified sarnts are clothed in white quickly passing life. This is repe,ited afLer (Rev. iii. 4, 5, 18). So in the pseudepi- the next clause (though there owitted by thll graphal books the same imng'ery is retained. Septuagint and Syriac), in order to empha- •.rhose that "have fulfilled the Low of the size the transitoriuess of the present and t!io Lord have received glorious garments, and consequent wisduw of enjoying it while it a.re clothed in white" (2 Esdr. ii. 39, 40). lasts. So Horace bids man "ct\l'po ,1i,,m '' Among the Romans the same symbolism (' Carm.,' i. 11. 8), "enjoy each atom of t'.10 obtained. Horace (' Sat.,' ii. 2. 60)- clay;'" and Martial sings (' Epigr.,' vii. " Ille r~potia, nata.les aliosve dicrnm 47. 11)- Fcstos albatus celebrnt." " Vivo volut mpto fugitiva<pte g,1uclia c,npc."  ECCLESIASTES ; OR, THE PREACHER. [ell. IX, 1-18, • ------------------------------------ "Li vc thou thy life as stolen, and enjoy in the continued existence of the soul as be Thy quickly fading pleasures." differentiates its life in 8lieo! from its hre on Which he (God) hath given thee under the earth, the energies and operations which ai·e sun. The relative may refer to either the carried on in the one oase being curtailed or w wife_" or" the da_ys of life." The Septuagint eclipsed in the other. Of any repentance and, ulga.te take it as belonging to the latter or purification, or progress, in the unsee~ a~<l this ~ms most ~ui~ble (comp. eh. v'. world, Koheleth knows and says nothing. J , )- That 1s thy portion m this life, and in He would seem to regard existence there as thy labour, etc. Such moderate enjoyment a sleep or. a state of insensibility ; at any is_ the !ecompense ~llowed by God for the rate, such 18 the natural view of the p1·esent toil which accompanies a properly spent life. passage. "'Iler. 10.-Whatsoever thyhed :flndeth to Vera. II, 12.-Section 8. It i8 impossible do, .!.o it with thy might. In accordance to calculate upon the issues and duration oj with what has been already said and to life. combat the idea that, as man cannot control his fate, he should take no pains to work bis Ver. ll.-He reverts to the sentiment of wo~k, but fold his hands in resigned in- ver. 1, that we cannot calculate on the action, Kohe~eth urges him not to despair, issues of life. Work as we may and must ~ut _to do his p~t manfully as long as life and ought, the results are uncertain and is g1rnn, and with all the energies of his beyond our control. This he shows by his soul carry out the purpose of his being. own personal experience. I returned, and The Septuagint gives, "All things whatso- saw under the sun. The expression here ever thy hand shall nnd to do do it as does not indic!"!e a new departure, but thy power is (&s 71 l;6vaµls <Tov); ,,'Vulgate, merely a repetition and confirmation of a Quodcumque facere poust manus tua, in- P:1:viou~ thought-the dependence and co11- sta11ter operare. The expression at the dit1onahty of man. It implies, too a eor- c??Imcncement may be illustrated by Lev. recti?D: of ~ possible misunderstanding of XI~- 8; ~_v. 28; Jndg. ix. 33, where it im- the lDJUnction to labour, as if one's own plies ability to cany out some intention efforts were sure to secw·e success. The race and in some passages is thus rendered, "i; is not to the swift. One is reminded of the able," etc. (comp. Prov. iii. 27). It is there- fable of the hare and tortoise; but Kohe- fore erroneona to render it in this place leth's meaning is different. lu the instances " ·whatever by chance cometh to hand·" o; given he intimates that, though a man is " Let might be right." Rather it is ;, call well equipped for his work and uses all to w~rk as the prelude and accompaniment possible exertions, he may incur failure. So of enJoyment, anticipating St. Paul's ma:i:im one may be a fleet runner, and yet, owing (2 _These. iii 10), "If any wonld not work, to some untoward accident or disturbing neither should he eat." Ginsbnrg's inter- circumstance, not come in fir:st. Thus pretation is dishonouring to the Preacher Ahimaaz brought to David tidings of .Absa- and foreign to his real sentiments, "Have lom's defeat before Cushi, who had had the start of him (2 Sam. xviii. 27, 31). There reco?rse _ to e'.ery source of voluptuous is no ocoasion to invent e.n allusion to the gre.tificat1on, while thou art in thy strength." foot-iace in the forme.l Greek go.mes. The The true meaning of the verse is confirmed battle to the strong. Victory does not by such references as John ix. 4 "I must always accrue to mighty men, heroes. As work the works of him that sent 'me while David, himself e.n instance of the truth of it is day: the night cometh, when ~o man the maxim, says (1 So.m. xvii. 47), ''The can work;" 2 Cor. vi. 2, "Now is the Lord saveth not with sword and spelll' • for accept~d time; now is the day of salvation;" the battle is the Lord's" (comp. 2 Ohron. Gal. v1. 10, " As we have opportunity, let us xx. 15; Ps. x.xxiii. 16). Neither yet bread do good unto all men." For there is no work to the wise. Wisdom will not ensure com- nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, h petency. To do this requires other endow- the grave. The departed have no more work ments. M.any a man of cultivated intellect which they can do, no plans or calculations a~d of high mental power is left to starve. to make; their knowledge is strictly limited B1ohes to men of understanding. Aristo- their wisdom is ended. It needs body and phanes accounts for the unequal distribution soul to carry on the labours and activities of of we~lth thus(' Plutus,' 88), the god himself this world ; when these are severed, and cau spcakrng- no longer act together, there is a complete a~tero.tion in the man's relations and capu.- " I threatened, when a boy, cit1ee. " The grave," sheol (which is found On none but just and wise e.nd orderly nowhere else in Ecclesiastes), is the place to My favours to bestow; so Zeus in jealousy which go t~e souls of the dead-a sho.dowy Hath made me blind, that I may none of reg10u. Whithtr tho':1 goest • to which all are these boupd. It is plain that th~ writer believes Distinguish." till. tx. 1-18,] ECOLESlASTES; OR, THE PRtACHEn.