According to rabbinic tradition, Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon in his old age. The word “Ecclesiastes” passes from Hebrew to Greek and eventually to Latin and English as “Leader of an Assembly.” Martin Luther thought of Ecclesiastes as a “Preacher.” The author identifies himself as a son of David with a fundamental message that all of mankind’s pursuits are vanity. Ultimately the wise man and the fool must die. (2:16; 3:20; 9:10). The themes of Ecclesiastes may be listed as:
1:1-11. The pursuits of men are vanities, all is vanity, vanity of vanities. The word vanity comes from the word vain meaning useless, unavailing, fruitless and self-centered. There is nothing new under the sun.
1:12-18. The search for Wisdom. In much wisdom there is vexation for with knowledge comes sorrow for the unwise.
2:1-9. The quest for pleasure as a way to find meaning in life is vanity.
2: 10-11. Pleasure was obtained but it is also vanity.
2:12-23. It is better to be wise than to be foolish, however the same fate of death faces them both.
2:24-26. The best that one can expect is to eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of his labors. God gives to the righteous wisdom, knowledge and joy, the sinner receiveth travail.
3:1-15 To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose. All that man can do is to live in the present and to rejoice in that season of life by trying to do good on a daily basis. Man does not comprehend the workings of God.
3:16-22 I saw there was no justice where there should have been justice. But there will come a time of God’s judgment. Human injustice is subject to Divine judgment.
4:1-6. Life is filled with oppression, disappointment and inequalities. It is better to have one handful of food with peace than two with contention.
4:7-12. The value of a friend. The person who is alone lacks purpose. Two is better than one.
4:13-16. The impermanence of fame or kingship because you are replaced by someone else.
5:1-7. Advice on religious worship. Beware of being wordy and insincere. Vows and covenants are to be kept. There are disastrous consequences to breaking one’s covenants.
5:8-9. Do not be surprised at unrighteous dominion. There is an advantage to order over chaos.
5:10-18 Love of money will not bring satisfaction. The poor can be happy with their labor but the rich worry all the time about their wealth. Enjoy whatever lot in life is yours.
6:1-10. Wealth, family and a hundred children are vanity if one does not learn to enjoy life’s good things with them.
7:1-23. A good name is better than precious ointment. It is better to learn to value life by experiencing sadness so that you might rejoice in joy. I have seen it all. I have seen righteous die while the wicked endure. I have found bitterness in following ungodly women. He who fears God will succeed. Don’t be offended. God made men upright, but men found a way to divert from uprightness.
8:1-9. The wise are careful to be obedient to kings or rulers.
8:10-16. Even the wise may not understand the works of God.
9:1-6. Men wonder whether God loves or hates them and death is the fate of all men.
9:7-18. Love and enjoy your toil and your wife. The race of life is not to the swift, nor is the battle to the strong for life is in the hands of God. Wisdom is better than weapons of war.
10:1-20 Life is full of adversity, whosoever digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever splits a log will get slivers. Beware of murmuring, cursing or complaining for it may come back to hurt you.
11:1-10. Cast thy bread upon the water, invest in the future. Life will happen no matter what. Don’t be governed by fear. God will judge all things.
12:1-14. Dust shall return to dust. The Spirit will return to God who gave it. Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.