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Commentary on Ecclesiastes 6 verses 1–6
Solomon had shown, in the close of the foregoing chapter, how good it is to make a comfortable use of the gifts of God's providence; now here he shows the evil of the contrary, having and not using, gathering to lay up for I know not what contingent emergencies to come, not to lay out on the most urgent occasions present. This is an evil which Solomon himself saw under the sun, Ecc 6:1. A great deal of evil there is under the sun. There is a world above the sun where there is no evil, yet God causes his sun to shine upon the evil as well as upon the good, which is an aggravation of the evil. God has lighted up a candle for his servants to work by, but they bury their talent as slothful and unprofitable, and so waste the light and are unworthy of it. Solomon, as a king, inspected the manners of his subjects, and took notice of this evil as a prejudice to the public, who are damaged not only by men's prodigality on the one hand, but by their penuriousness on the other. As it is with the blood in the natural body, so it is with the wealth of the body politic, if, instead of circulating, it stagnates, it will be of ill consequence. Solomon as a preacher observed the evils that were done that he might reprove them and warn people against them. This evil was, in his days, common, and yet then there was great plenty of silver and gold, which, one would think, should have made people less fond of riches; the times also were peaceable, nor was there any prospect of trouble, which to some is a temptation to hoard. But no providence will of itself, unless the grace of God work with it, cure the corrupt affection that is in the carnal mind to the world and the things of it; nay, when riches increase we are most apt to set our hearts upon them. Now concerning this miser observe,
I. The abundant reason he has to serve God with joyfulness and gladness of heart; how well God has done for him.
1.He has given him riches, wealth, and honour, Ecc 6:2. Note, (1.) Riches and wealth commonly gain people honour among men. Though it be but an image, if it be a golden image, all people, nations, and languages, will fall down and worship it. (2.) Riches, wealth, and honour, are God's gifts, the gifts of his providence, and not given, as his rain and sunshine, alike to all, but to some, and not to others, as God sees fit. (3.) Yet they are given to many that do not make a good use of them, to many to whom God does not give wisdom and grace to take the comfort of them and serve God with them. The gifts of common providence are bestowed on many to whom are denied the gifts of a special grace, without which the gifts of providence often do more hurt than good.
2.He wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires. Providence has been so liberal to him that he has as much as heart could wish, and more, Psa 73:7. He does not desire grace for his soul, the better part; all he desires is enough to gratify the sensual appetite, and that he has; his belly is filled with these hidden treasures, Psa 17:14.
3.He is supposed to have a numerous family, to beget a hundred children, which are the stay and strength of his house and as a quiver full of arrows to him, which are the honour and credit of his house, and in whom he has the prospect of having his name built up and having all the immortality this world can give him. They are full of children (Psa 17:14), while many of God's people are written childless and stripped of all.
4.To complete his happiness, he is supposed to live many years, or rather many days, for our life is to be reckoned rather by days than years: The days of his years are many, and so healthful is his constitution, and so slowly does age creep upon him, that they are likely to be many more. Nay, he is supposed to live a thousand years (which no man, that we know of, ever did), nay, a thousand years twice told, a small part of which time, one would think, were enough to convince men, by their own experience, of the folly both of those that expect to find all good in worldly wealth, and of those that expect to find any good in it but in using it.
II. The little heart he has to use this which God gives him, for the ends and purposes for which it was given him. This is his fault and folly that he renders not again according to the benefit done unto him, and serves not the Lord God his benefactor, with joyfulness and gladness of heart, in the abundance of all things. In the day of prosperity he is not joyful. Tristis es, et felix? - Art thou happy, yet sad? See his folly: 1. He cannot find in his heart to take the comfort of what he has himself. He has meat before him; he has wherewith to maintain himself and his family comfortably, but he has not power to eat thereof. His sordid niggardly temper will not suffer him to lay it out, no, not upon himself, no, not upon that which is most necessary for himself. He has not power to reason himself out of this absurdity, to conquer his covetous humour. He is weak indeed, who has not power to use what God gives him, for God gives him not that power, but withholds it from him, to punish him for his other abuses of his wealth. Because he has not the will to serve God with it, God denies him the power to serve himself with it. 2. He suffers those to prey upon him that he is under no obligation to: A stranger eateth it. This is the common fate of misers; they will not trust their own children perhaps, but retainers and hangers-on, that have the art of wheedling, insinuate themselves into them, and find ways of devouring what they have, or getting it to be left to them by their wills. God orders it so that a stranger eats it. Strangers devour his strength, Hos 7:9; Pro 5:10. This may be well called vanity, and an evil disease. What we have we have in vain if we do not use it; and that temper of mind is certainly a most wretched distemper which keeps us from using it. Our worst diseases are those that arise from the corruption of our own hearts. 3. He deprives himself of the good that he might have had of his worldly possessions, not only forfeits it, but robs himself of it and throws it from him: His soul is not filled with good, Ecc 6:3. He is still unsatisfied and uneasy. His hands are filled with riches, his barns filled, and his bags filled, but his soul is not filled with good, no, not with that good, for it is still craving more. Nay (Ecc 6:6), he has not seen good; he cannot so much as please his eye, for that is still looking further and looking with envy on those that have more. He has not even the sensible good of an estate. Though he looks not beyond the things that are seen, yet he looks not with any true pleasure even on them. 4. He has no burial, none agreeable to his rank, no decent burial, but the burial of an ass. Through the sordidness of his temper he will not allow himself a fashionable burial, but forbids it, or the strangers that have eaten him up leave him so poor, at last, that he has not wherewithal, or those to whom he leaves what he has have so little esteem for his memory, and are so greedy of what they are to have from him, that they will not be at the charges of burying him handsomely, which his own children, if he had left it to them, would not have grudged him.
III. The preference which the preacher gives to an untimely birth before him: An untimely birth, a child that is carried from the womb to the grave, is better than he. Better is the fruit that drops from the tree before it is ripe than that which is left to hang on till it is rotten. Job, in his passion, thinks the condition of an untimely birth better than his when he was in adversity (Job 3:16); but Solomon here pronounces it better than the condition of a worldling in his greatest prosperity, when the world smiles upon him. 1. He grants the condition of an untimely birth, upon many accounts, to be very sad (Ecc 6:4, Ecc 6:5): He comes in with vanity (for, as to this world, he that is born and dies immediately was born in vain), and he departs in darkness; little or no notice is taken of him; being an abortive, he has no name, or, if he had, it would soon be forgotten and buried in oblivion; it would be covered with darkness, as the body is with the earth. Nay (Ecc 6:5), he has not seen the sun, but from the darkness of the womb he is hurried immediately to that of the grave, and, which is worse than not being known to any, he has not known any thing, and therefore has come short of that which is the greatest pleasure and honour of man. Those that live in wilful ignorance, and know nothing to purpose, are no better than an untimely birth that has not seen the sun nor known any thing. 2. Yet he prefers it before that of a covetous miser. This untimely birth has more rest than the other, for this has some rest, but the other has none; this has no trouble and disquiet, but the other is in perpetual agitation, and has nothing but trouble, trouble of his own making. The shorter the life is the longer the rest; and the fewer the days, and the less we have to do with this troublesome world, the less trouble we know.
'Tis better die a child at four,
Than live, and die so at fourscore.
The reason he gives why this has more rest is because all go to one place to rest in, and this is sooner at his rest, Ecc 6:6. He that lives a thousand years goes to the same place with the child that does not live an hour, Ecc 3:20. The grave is the place we shall all meet in. Whatever differences there may be in men's condition in this world, they must all die, are all under the same sentence, and, to outward appearance, their deaths are alike. The grave is to one, as well as another, a land of silence, of darkness, of separation from the living, and a sleeping-place. It is the common rendezvous of rich and poor, honourable and mean, learned and unlearned; the short-lived and long-lived meet in the grave, only one rides post thither, the other goes by a slower conveyance; the dust of both mingles, and lies undistinguished.
Let none of us entertain the desire for possessions, for what gain is it to acquire those things which we cannot take with us? Why not rather acquire those that we can take: prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude, understanding, charity, love of the poor, faith in Christ, gentleness, hospitality? If we obtain these, we shall find them there before us preparing a welcome for us in the land of the meek. LIFE OF ST.
What good is there for a person in this life? He lives in darkness and cannot be satisfied in his desires. And if he is sated with riches, he loses the enjoyment of his rest, because he is forced to guard the possessions he has acquired through his wretched greed. Thus he possesses them in greater wretchedness, seeing that they can do him no good. For what is more wretched than to be tormented with guarding them and derive no advantage from their abundance?
"There
is an evil I have observed beneath the sun, and it is prevalent among mankind;
a man to whom God has given riches, wealth and honour, and he lacks nothing
that his heart could desire, yet God did not give him the power to enjoy it. This is futility and an evil disease. If a man begets an hundred children and lives
many years - great being the days of his life - and his soul is not content
with the good - and he even is deprived of burial; I say: the stillborn is
better off than he. Though its coming is
futile and it departs in darkness, though its very name is enveloped in
darkness, though it never saw the sun nor knew; it has more satisfaction than
he. Even if he should live a thousand
years twice over, but find no contentment - do not all go to the same
place?" He describes the riches of misers and asserts that this
evil is often in men, since none of those things, which are thought to be good
in the world, is lacking in him, and nonetheless he torments himself with the
most inane sparing, saving those things to be devoured by others. Nor does he say this in exaggeration, for
even if he produced an hundred books and lived longer than Adam, that is almost
one thousand years, but lived two thousand years, he would rot his mind with
desire and avarice. He is born
prematurely in a worse state that dies, as soon as he seems born. For he did not see evil things or good
things; but although he used to possess good things, he was tormented by
thoughts and sadness, and having been born prematurely he has more rest, than a
greedy man who is old. But both however
are seized by the same fate, while both the first and the last are taken away
by the same death. This could also refer
to Israel, because God gave Israel the law, which speaks about the prophets,
the testament, the Promised Land and the Saviour: "let the reign of God be
removed from you and given to a nation that brings forth his fruit" [Matth. 21, 43.]. All these things have been given to a foreign
and pilgrim people from peoples who see their good yet do not enjoy it. They say we are of much better condition, who
are considered to be as new-born and premature by those, who praised themselves
in antiquity, finding glory in their fathers, saying: "our father was
Abraham" [Ioh. 8, 39.],
but however both we and they hasten to one place, that is to the judgement of
God. But what Ecclesiastes says in the
middle is this: "but there was no tomb for him". This either means that that rich man does not
think of his death, and while he possesses all, is greedy even in building a
tomb; or that often he is killed on account of those riches, by plots against
his life, and is left unburied, or, what I think is a better interpretation, he
needs nothing of good deeds, from which he is able to obtain for himself memory
among those who come after him. And so
that he will not pass through life in silence, just as cattle, although he had
a means, by which he was able to show that he had lived.
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SUMMARY
Ecclesiastes 6:2 presents a profound and unsettling paradox: a person divinely endowed with immense riches, wealth, and honor, possessing everything their soul desires, yet tragically denied the capacity to genuinely enjoy these blessings. Instead, a stranger ultimately consumes what was accumulated. Qoheleth, the Preacher, declares this situation to be the epitome of vanity and a grievous affliction, underscoring the inherent futility of material acquisition when true enjoyment and lasting satisfaction are withheld by divine prerogative, thereby highlighting the ephemeral nature of earthly pursuits apart from God's enabling grace.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ecclesiastes 6:2 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its poignant and unsettling message. The most prominent is Irony, as the man who possesses everything he desires is paradoxically denied the most fundamental aspect of possession: the ability to enjoy it. This creates a stark and painful contrast between outward appearance of success and inner reality of emptiness. Closely related is Paradox, where two seemingly contradictory truths (having everything vs. enjoying nothing) are presented simultaneously, highlighting a deeper, unsettling truth about the human condition and divine sovereignty. The phrase "wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth" could be interpreted as Hyperbole, emphasizing the extreme and comprehensive extent of his material fulfillment to make the subsequent denial of enjoyment even more impactful and tragic. Finally, the concluding phrase "evil disease" uses Metaphor to vividly describe a spiritual or existential affliction. It is not a literal physical sickness but a profound, debilitating condition of the soul, symbolizing the deep unhappiness, frustration, and ultimate futility that can accompany immense wealth when divine grace for enjoyment is absent.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ecclesiastes 6:2 serves as a stark and enduring reminder that true prosperity is not merely the accumulation of material goods, but rather the divine enablement and grace to genuinely enjoy them. This verse profoundly challenges the pervasive human tendency to equate wealth with well-being, asserting God's ultimate sovereignty not only over the granting of riches but also, crucially, over the capacity for human contentment and satisfaction. It highlights that without God's blessing and enabling grace, even the most abundant earthly possessions can become a source of profound frustration, emptiness, and spiritual malady, rather than joy or fulfillment. The Preacher's lament underscores a crucial theological truth: all good gifts ultimately come from God, including the often-overlooked ability to truly appreciate, benefit from, and savor them. This perspective encourages a posture of profound gratitude and humble dependence on God for all things, rather than a self-reliant and ultimately futile pursuit of material gain as the source of happiness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ecclesiastes 6:2 offers a sobering yet profoundly liberating truth for contemporary life, urging us to critically re-evaluate our deeply ingrained definitions of success, prosperity, and fulfillment. In a world often relentlessly driven by acquisition, consumerism, and the relentless pursuit of "more," this verse serves as a powerful reminder that true richness lies not primarily in what we possess, but in the God-given capacity to genuinely enjoy and derive satisfaction from what God has already provided, however much or little that may be. It challenges us to cultivate a spirit of profound contentment and abiding gratitude, recognizing that the ability to savor life's blessings—from the simplest joys to the most significant provisions—is a divine gift, not an automatic outcome of accumulation or achievement. This means actively choosing to find joy and peace in the present moment, rather than perpetually chasing future desires or mourning perceived lacks. It also calls us to consider our stewardship of resources, not hoarding them for self-gratification, but using them for God's glory and the good of others, understanding that our ultimate satisfaction and true enjoyment flow from Him, not from our possessions.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "God giveth him not power to eat thereof" truly mean?
Answer: This phrase does not necessarily imply a physical inability to consume food or physically use wealth. Rather, it signifies a divine withholding of the capacity for genuine enjoyment, deep satisfaction, or true benefit from one's possessions. The man may have all the material goods in the world, but he lacks the inner peace, good health that permits enjoyment, a generous spirit that allows spending, or simply a profound spiritual emptiness that renders all possessions meaningless. It underscores that the ability to truly enjoy and find contentment in one's blessings is a sovereign gift from God, not an inherent right or an automatic outcome of wealth accumulation. It highlights that human desire and effort alone cannot guarantee satisfaction; divine enablement is essential.
Is this verse suggesting that wealth is inherently evil or that God is against people being rich?
Answer: No, the verse does not condemn wealth itself, nor does it suggest that God is inherently against people having riches. In fact, it explicitly states that "God hath given riches, wealth, and honour," acknowledging wealth as a divine provision. The problem highlighted is not the possession of wealth, but the inability to enjoy it, particularly when that enjoyment is divinely withheld. The "evil disease" is the profound paradox of having everything but benefiting from nothing. The Bible frequently acknowledges wealth as a potential blessing from God (Proverbs 10:22), but it consistently warns against the dangers of loving money (1 Timothy 6:10) and placing one's ultimate hope in uncertain riches rather than in the living God (1 Timothy 6:17).
What is the "evil disease" (chŏlîy raʻ) mentioned in the verse?
Answer: The "evil disease" (Hebrew: chŏlîy_ _raʻ) is not a literal physical illness, but a profound spiritual, existential, or psychological affliction. It describes the grievous and painful irony of a person who has achieved all worldly success and accumulated vast wealth, yet is denied the very capacity to enjoy or benefit from it. It's a deep inner malady, a state of profound dissatisfaction, emptiness, and futility that renders life's apparent blessings meaningless. This "disease" is the antithesis of true well-being, highlighting the deep unhappiness and spiritual void that can accompany immense material abundance when divine grace for contentment and enjoyment is absent. It's a condition of the soul, illustrating that the greatest earthly gains can become a burden rather than a blessing without God's enabling grace.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ecclesiastes 6:2, with its somber declaration of the vanity of unenjoyed wealth, finds its ultimate resolution and profound counterpoint in the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. Qoheleth's lament highlights a fundamental human predicament: the relentless pursuit of earthly treasures often leads to emptiness and frustration, as the "power to eat thereof"—the capacity for true enjoyment and lasting satisfaction—is not within human control. Jesus, however, offers a radical redefinition of true riches and enduring satisfaction. He teaches His followers to store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal, directly addressing the transient nature of earthly wealth that can pass to "a stranger." Christ Himself embodies the true "power to eat thereof," not in material abundance, but in spiritual sustenance and eternal life. He declares, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst," offering a satisfaction that transcends fleeting earthly possessions and is never subject to loss or divine withholding. Through His life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, Christ provides the "living water" that eternally quenches spiritual thirst (John 4:13-14), granting a profound contentment that is independent of external circumstances. The "evil disease" of unfulfilled desire and existential emptiness is healed in Christ, who enables His followers to find true joy and purpose in Him, rather than in fleeting worldly gains, teaching that "a person's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." In Him, believers are empowered to truly "eat" and enjoy the blessings of God, not through the accumulation of wealth, but through a vibrant, living relationship with the Giver of all good things, finding their ultimate contentment and lasting fulfillment in His provision and abiding presence (Philippians 4:11-13).