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Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3 verses 16–22
Solomon is still showing that every thing in this world, without piety and the fear of God, is vanity. Take away religion, and there is nothing valuable among men, nothing for the sake of which a wise man would think it worth while to live in this world. In these verses he shows that power (than which there is nothing men are more ambitious of) and life itself (than which there is nothing men are more fond, more jealous of) are nothing without the fear of God.
I. Here is the vanity of man as mighty, man in his best estate, man upon the throne, where his authority is submitted to, man upon the judgment-seat, where his wisdom and justice are appealed to, and where, if he be governed by the laws of religion, he is God's viceregent; nay, he is of those to whom it is said, You are gods; but without the fear of God it is vanity, for, set that aside, and,
1.The judge will not judge aright, will not use his power well, but will abuse it; instead of doing good with it he will do hurt with it, and then it is not only vanity, but a lie, a cheat to himself and to all about him, Ecc 3:16. Solomon perceived, by what he had read of former times, what he heard of other countries, and what he had seen in some corrupt judges, even in the land of Israel, notwithstanding all his care to prefer good men, that there was wickedness in the place of judgment. It is not so above the sun: far be it from God that he should do iniquity, or pervert justice. But under the sun it is often found that that which should be the refuge, proves the prison, of oppressed innocency. Man being in honour, and not understanding what he ought to do, becomes like the beasts that perish, like the beasts of prey, even the most ravenous, Psa 49:20. Not only from the persons that sat in judgment, but even in the places where judgment was, in pretence, administered, and righteousness was expected, there was iniquity; men met with the greatest wrongs in those courts to which they fled for justice. This is vanity and vexation; for, (1.) It would have been better for the people to have had no judges than to have had such. (2.) It would have been better for the judges to have had no power than to have had it and used it to such ill purposes; and so they will say another day.
2.The judge will himself be judged for not judging aright. When Solomon saw how judgment was perverted among men he looked up to God the Judge, and looked forward to the day of his judgment (Ecc 3:17): "I said in my heart that this unrighteous judgment is not so conclusive as both sides take it to be, for there will be a review of the judgment; God shall judge between the righteous and the wicked, shall judge for the righteous and plead their cause, though now it is run down, and judge against the wicked and reckon with them for all their unrighteous decrees and the grievousness which they have prescribed," Isa 10:1. With an eye of faith we may see, not only the period, but the punishment of the pride and cruelty of oppressors (Psa 92:7), and it is an unspeakable comfort to the oppressed that their cause will be heard over again. Let them therefore wait with patience, for there is another Judge that stands before the door. And, though the day of affliction may last long, yet there is a time, a set time, for the examination of every purpose, and every work done under the sun. Men have their day now, but God's day is coming, Psa 37:13. With God there is a time for the re-hearing of causes, redressing of grievances, and reversing of unjust decrees, though as yet we see it not here, Job 24:1.
II. Here is the vanity of man as mortal. He now comes to speak more generally concerning the estate of the sons of men in this world, their life and being on earth, and shows that their reason, without religion and the fear of God, advances them but little above the beasts. Now observe,
1.What he aims at in this account of man's estate. (1.) That God may be honoured, may be justified, may be glorified - that they might clear God (so the margin reads it), that if men have an uneasy life in this world, full of vanity and vexation, they may thank themselves and lay no blame on God; let them clear him, and not say that he made this world to be man's prison and life to be his penance; no, God made man, in respect both of honour and comfort, little lower than the angels; if he be mean and miserable, it is his own fault. Or, that God (that is, the world of God) might manifest them, and discover them to themselves, and so appear to be quick and powerful, and a judge of men's characters; and we may be made sensible how open we lie to God's knowledge and judgment. (2.) That men may be humbled, may be vilified, may be mortified - that they might see that they themselves are beasts. It is no easy matter to convince proud men that they are but men (Psa 9:20), much more to convince bad men that they are beasts, that, being destitute of religion, they are as the beasts that perish, as the horse and the mule that have no understanding. Proud oppressors are as beasts, as roaring lions and ranging bears. Nay, every man that minds his body only, and not his soul, makes himself no better than a brute, and must wish, at least, to die like one.
2.The manner in which he verifies this account. That which he undertakes to prove is that a worldly, carnal, earthly-minded man, has no preeminence above the beast, for all that which he sets his heart upon, places his confidence, and expects a happiness in, is vanity, Ecc 3:19. Some make this to be the language of an atheist, who justifies himself in his iniquity (Ecc 3:16) and evades the argument taken from the judgment to come (Ecc 3:17) by pleading that there is not another life after this, but that when man dies there is an end of him, and therefore while he lives he may live as he lists; but others rather think Solomon here speaks as he himself thinks, and that it is to be understood in the same sense with that of his father (Psa 49:14), Like sheep they are laid in the grave, and that he intends to show the vanity of this world's wealth and honours "By the equal condition in mere outward respects (as bishop Reynolds expounds it) between men and beasts," (1.) The events concerning both seem much alike (Ecc 3:19); That which befals the sons of men is no other than that which befals beasts; a great deal of knowledge of human bodies is gained by the anatomy of the bodies of brutes. When the deluge swept away the old world the beasts perished with mankind. Horses and men are killed in battle with the same weapons of war. (2.) The end of both, to an eye of sense, seems alike too: They have all one breath, and breathe in the same air, and it is the general description of both that in their nostrils is the breath of life (Gen 7:22), and therefore, as the one dies, so dies the other; in their expiring there is no visible difference, but death makes much the same change with a beast that it does with a man. [1.] As to their bodies, the change is altogether the same, except the different respects that are paid to them by the survivors. Let a man be buried with the burial of an ass (Jer 22:19) and what preminence then has he above a beast? The touch of the dead body of a man, by the law of Moses, contracted a greater ceremonial pollution than the touch of the carcase even of an unclean beast or fowl. And Solomon here observes that all go unto one place; the dead bodies of men and beasts putrefy alike; all are of the dust, in their original, for we see all turn to dust again in their corruption. What little reason then have we to be proud of our bodies, or any bodily accomplishments, when they must not only be reduced to the earth very shortly, but must be so in common with the beasts, and we must mingle our dust with theirs! [2.] As to their spirits there is indeed a vast difference, but not a visible one, Ecc 3:21. It is certain that the spirit of the sons of men at death is ascending; it goes upwards to the Father of spirits, who made it, to the world of spirits to which it is allied; it dies not with the body, but is redeemed from the power of the grave, Psa 49:15. It goes upwards to be judged and determined to an unchangeable state. It is certain that the spirit of the beast goes downwards to the earth; it dies with the body; it perishes and is gone at death. The soul of a beast is, at death, like a candle blown out - there is an end of it; whereas the soul of a man is then like a candle taken out of a dark lantern, which leaves the lantern useless indeed, but does itself shine brighter. This great difference there is between the spirits of men and beasts; and a good reason it is why men should set their affections on things above, and lift up their souls to those things, not suffering them, as if they were the souls of brutes, to cleave to this earth. But who knows this difference? We cannot see the ascent of the one and the descent of the other with our bodily eyes; and therefore those that live by sense, as all carnal sensualists do, that walk in the sight of their eyes and will not admit any other discoveries, by their own rule of judgment have no preminence above the beasts. Who knows, that is, who considers this? Isa 53:1. Very few. Were it better considered, the world would be every way better; but most men live as if they were to be here always, or as if when they die there were an end of them; and it is not strange that those live like beasts who think they shall die like beasts, but on such the noble faculties of reason are perfectly lost and thrown away.
3.An inference drawn from it (Ecc 3:22): There is nothing better, as to this world, nothing better to be had out of our wealth and honour, than that a man should rejoice in his own works, that is, (1.) Keep a clear conscience, and never admit iniquity into the place of righteousness. Let every man prove his own work, and approve himself to God in it, so shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, Gal 6:4. Let him not get nor keep any thing but what he can rejoice in. See Co2 1:12. (2.) Live a cheerful life. If God have prospered the work of our hands unto us, let us rejoice in it, and take the comfort of it, and not make it a burden to ourselves and leave others the joy of it; for that is our portion, not the portion of our souls (miserable are those that have their portion in this life, Psa 17:14, and fools are those that choose it and take up with it, Luk 12:19), but it is the portion of the body; that only which we enjoy is ours out of this world; it is taking what is to be had and making the best of it, and the reason is because none can give us a sight of what shall be after us, either who shall have our estates or what use they will make of them. When we are gone it is likely we shall not see what is after us; there is no correspondence that we know of between the other world and this, Job 14:21. Those in the other world will be wholly taken up with that world, so that they will not care for seeing what is done in this; and while we are here we cannot foresee what shall be after us, either as to our families or the public. It is not for us to know the times and seasons that shall be after us, which, as it should be a restraint to our cares about this world, so it should be a reason for our concern about another. Since death is a final farewell to this life, let us look before us to another life.
Animals are mortal beings without reason, angels are immortal beings with reason, human beings are mortal beings with reason. Regarding mortality the human being is grouped together with beings without reason. Regarding reason [the human being] is grouped together with the immortal beings, since angels also have reason. Regarding its senses … the human being is of the same kind as the beings without reason. But the human being is receptive to something to which no other mortal being is receptive: its soul can become perfect, as far as this can be achieved, and become like God, as far as it is possible.…Thus, when he says that “the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same,” he does not mean what happens to reason but what happens to the outward body.… The general judgment which enacts promises and punishments does not judge what human beings have in common with animals but what humans have in common with angels. As humans can be led into the kingdom of heaven and remain in heaven, so it is with angels; and as humans can be judged, so can angels be judged.…
If one investigates the nature of death, then the death of animals is not like the death of humans. Human death divides the soul from the body, and after the division the soul remains. But the death of animals destroys soul and body, since they have been created simultaneously.
By “fate” he means everything that is part of the life of anyone in this world, whether that person is righteous or unrighteous—things such as life, death, sickness, health, affluence, poverty, loss of limbs, of wives, children or possessions. In all these it is impossible to discern between the righteous and unrighteous before the last judgment. He also says that both have in common the fact that they are taken from dust and will return to dust. They also have one soul, not by number but by nature. For the Spirit, he says, “is one [and the same] in all.” Here he calls a man, who was born in honor, a beast instead of labeling him as someone of understanding. It is because of his foolish desires that he is compared with the senseless beasts and that he ends up becoming like them. And not even through their acts can the righteous and unrighteous be clearly distinguished before the day of judgment, because a good number of the unrighteous become righteous and are elevated, while a good number of the righteous abandon virtue and are debased. “What is the advantage of the righteous over the ungodly?” In this present time, he says, there is no advantage. Everything is vanity except for the spiritual joy that naturally occurs to each according to his deeds and virtues.
"Then I
said to myself concerning men: God has chosen them out, but only to see that
they themselves are as beasts. For the
fate of men and the fate of beast - they have one and the same fate: as one
dies so the other dies, and they all have the same spirit. Man has no superiority over beast, for all is
futile. All go to the same place; all
originate from dust and return to dust.
Who perceives that the spirit of man is the one that ascends on high
while the spirit of the beast is the one that descends down into the
earth?" It is not surprising that there is no distinction in
this life between righteous and wicked, nor that none values virtues, but all
things occur with uncertain outcome, where nothing seems to differ according to
the worthlessness of the body between sheep and men: there is the same birth,
common end in death; we proceed similarly towards the light and are equally
dissolved into the dust. But there seems
to be this difference, that the spirit of man ascends to the heavens, and the
spirit of animals goes down into the earth, but from where do we know this for
certain? Who can know whether what is
hoped is true or false? But he says
this, not because he thinks the spirit dies with the body, or that there's one
place set aside for beasts and for man, but because before the arrival of
Christ all were led equally to the nether regions. Jacob said that he was about to go down to
those regions. [cfr Gen. 37, 35 ; 42, 38 ; 44, 31.] And Job complains that the pious and impious
are held back in the lower world. [cfr Iob. 7, 9 ; 17, 13.16.] And the Gospel says that with an abyss
blocking the way even Abraham and Lazarus were rich in prayers in the underworld. [cfr Luc. 16, 26.] And in fact before Christ accompanied by a
robber opened the wheel of flames, and the fiery rumpias [A long missile weapon of barbarian nations.]
and the gates of paradise, the heavens were closed and the equal unworthiness
of the spirits of sheep and of men was abridged. One also seems to be dispersed and the other
saved; but there is not much of a difference between dying with the body or
being held in the darkness of the underworld.
Let us look over these things one by one in paragraphs, and discuss them
briefly. I considered the eloquence of
the sons of man, whom God chose. Only
this eloquence, he says, God wanted to be between men and beasts, since we
speak, they are mute; we possess the will for conversation, they are stupefied
with silence. And though we only differ
from beasts in language, though it is shown to us, how we are like the beasts -
weak in body. Just as a beast dies, thus
man dies, and one breath is for all, and that is the air that we breathe. For he says this: "and one spirit is for
both, and there is nothing more for man than for beast." Since lest we think the text refers to the
soul he adds: "all are made from earth and return to the earth." But nothing else except the body is made from
earth, and quite relevant, regarding the body he continues: "you are earth
and to the earth you will return." [Gen. 3.19.] But this seems to be blasphemy: for who knows
if the spirit of the sons of man ascends upwards, or if the spirit of beasts
goes downwards into the earth? He does
not contend that there is no difference between animals and men in reference to
the dignity of the soul, but in adding "who?" he wants to show the
difficulty of the matter. For the
pronoun "who" is used in the Holy Scriptures not on account of impossibility,
but a difficulty. So here it is said in
that passage, "who will describe that man's generation?" [Is. 53, 8.],
and in the psalm: "Lord, who ascends in your tabernacle, and onto your
sacred mountain?" [Ps. 14, 1.],
and other examples that follow this pattern.
And in Jeremiah it can be said differently in Hebrew: "And he is a
man, and who knows him?" [Ier. 17, 9.]. This then, is the only difference between
beast and men, that the spirit of man ascends to the heaven, and the spirit of
the beast descends into the earth and is dispersed with the flesh; but let any
man, who is of the Church and learned in the religious disciplines, be the real
champion of the matter, which is rather doubtful. Then he adds just how much it refers to a
spiritual understanding: "since the Lord will keep both men and beasts
safe" [Ps. 35, 17.],
and in another place he says, "beasts, I am among you" [Ps. 72, 23.],
and all the prophets say that both men and beasts will be saved in Jerusalem,
and that the promised land will be filled with sheep and cattle. Who knows whether the saintly man, who is
worthy of the name of man, will ascend to heaven, and whether the sinner, who
is called beast, will go down into the earth?
For it is possible in light of the uncertain and dangerous condition of
his life, that the righteous man falls and the sinner rises, and it sometimes
happens that man, having more reason and learned in the Scriptures, does not
look about himself, and although worthy of his knowledge lives out his life and
is led down to the nether world; and the simpler and unlearned man, who is said
to be compared to the beasts of men, lives better and is crowned in martyrdom,
and he is then to live in paradise.
Why did he write, “What advantage does man have over beast?” Perceive now what had happened. Understand now the scorn toward us when he saw that humanity had recognized gods other than the Lord God alone and had not obeyed this utterance, “No foreign god shall be in your midst, nor shall you worship a strange god.” Then, when he saw humanity had acted wickedly by [doing] what is contrary to nature, with abominable deeds, with pernicious deeds that no one should be able to mention [and] to which no one should be able to listen, he said this. For if a person does not recognize his value, not only is he reckoned with the beast but the beast is more esteemed than he, when it is said, “An ox knows its owner, and the ass its master’s crib.”
Ecclesiastes teaches us from this not to attend to our physical needs but to our spiritual existence.
In describing the pleasures of the flesh, he puts all cares out of his mind and states that it is good to eat and drink. Later, he finds fault with this view from the standpoint of reason and says it is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting. Likewise, from purely carnal considerations he advises a young man to find his pleasure in his youth, and later, modifying this statement, he blames youth and its pleasures as fleeting. So, too, when he speaks from the minds of the infirm, our Preacher voices an opinion based on suspicion. “For the lot of man and of beast,” he says, “is one lot; the one dies as well as the other. Both have the same life breath, and man has no advantage over the beast.” Later, however, he presents conclusions drawn from reason and says, “What has the wise man more than the fool? and what the poor man, but to go where there is life?” So, after he says, “Man has no advantage over the beast,” he again specifies that the wise person has an advantage not only over the beast but also over the foolish person, namely, his ability to go “where there is life.”
Man hath nothing more: Viz., as to the life of the body.
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SUMMARY
Ecclesiastes 3:19 presents a profound and unsettling observation from Qoheleth, the Preacher, asserting the shared mortality of humanity and animals. It contends that both men and beasts face an identical physical end—death—and are animated by the same transient life-force. From an "under the sun" perspective, this common fate leads Qoheleth to conclude that humanity possesses no inherent superiority over animals in the face of death, rendering all earthly existence and its pursuits ultimately fleeting, insubstantial, and without lasting meaning, a profound "vanity."
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ecclesiastes 3:19 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its stark message. Parallelism is evident in the repeated structure comparing "the sons of men" and "beasts" and their shared experiences ("befalleth," "dieth"). This repetition emphasizes the undeniable commonality of their fate. The verse also uses Juxtaposition, placing humanity, often considered superior, directly alongside animals to highlight their shared vulnerability to death. This creates a striking and unsettling comparison. The phrase "they have all one breath" serves as a form of Synecdoche, where "breath" represents the entire life-force or animating principle, underscoring the fundamental biological similarity. Finally, the concluding declaration "for all is vanity" is a powerful Motif that permeates the entire book, where "vanity" (Hebrew: hebel, meaning "vapor" or "breath") symbolizes the ephemeral, insubstantial, and ultimately meaningless nature of life when viewed without an eternal perspective. This rhetorical move encapsulates Qoheleth's overarching philosophical conclusion.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ecclesiastes 3:19 confronts the profound theological question of human distinctiveness and purpose in the face of universal mortality. While the verse, from Qoheleth's "under the sun" perspective, seems to strip humanity of its preeminence, it serves a crucial theological function within the broader biblical narrative. It acts as a necessary counterpoint to human pride and self-sufficiency, reminding us that our physical existence is fragile and finite, no matter our achievements or status. This humbling truth prepares the reader to look beyond the earthly realm for ultimate meaning and value, implicitly pointing towards the transcendent God who alone can provide lasting significance. It forces a reckoning with the limits of a purely materialistic worldview and sets the stage for the book's ultimate conclusion that true wisdom and satisfaction are found in revering God and obeying His commands.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ecclesiastes 3:19 is a profound call to humility and a re-evaluation of our priorities. In a world often obsessed with status, achievement, and material gain, this verse serves as a stark reminder that all earthly pursuits are ultimately temporary. It compels us to confront the reality of our own mortality and the shared human condition, fostering empathy and a recognition of our common vulnerability. Rather than leading to despair, this truth can liberate us from the relentless pursuit of fleeting pleasures and empower us to invest in what truly lasts: our relationship with God, our spiritual growth, and our eternal destiny. By acknowledging the limits of life "under the sun," we are better positioned to seek meaning and purpose that transcend the grave, finding true preeminence not in our physical existence, but in our spiritual connection to the Creator and His eternal purposes.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Ecclesiastes 3:19 deny the human soul or spirit?
Answer: No, Ecclesiastes 3:19 does not deny the human soul or spirit, but rather emphasizes the shared biological and physical mortality of humans and animals. Qoheleth's focus here is on the common physical end and the shared animating "breath" (Hebrew: ruach) that sustains both. While ruach can refer to the human spirit that returns to God, in this context, it highlights the biological life-force that ceases at death for all creatures. The book of Ecclesiastes itself later clarifies that the "spirit returns to God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7), indicating a belief in a distinct spiritual component of humanity that transcends physical death. Therefore, verse 19 is a statement about physical existence and mortality from an "under the sun" perspective, not a comprehensive theological treatise on the nature of the soul or an eternal state.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ecclesiastes 3:19 highlights humanity's lack of preeminence over beasts in death, the advent of Christ radically redefines human preeminence and the nature of death itself. In Christ, humanity's unique dignity, though marred by sin, is restored and elevated. The Son of God, who is "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15), took on human flesh, identifying fully with our mortality and shared fate with creation (Hebrews 2:14). Yet, unlike beasts, Christ conquered death through His resurrection, demonstrating that humanity's ultimate end is not merely dust and vanity. His victory over the grave means that for those who believe, death is not the final word, but a gateway to eternal life (John 11:25). In Christ, humanity's true preeminence is found in being made children of God (John 1:12), destined for resurrection and glorification, a destiny utterly distinct from that of animals. The "breath" that animates us is not merely a transient life-force, but a spirit capable of fellowship with the eternal God, a relationship fully realized through the atoning work of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.