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Ecclesiastes: Lesson 1

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Ecclesiastes: Lesson 1 Ecclesiastes: Lesson 1 Presuppositions: Verbal Plenary Inspiration - ➢ Every word and every part of Scripture is God-breathed. ➢ (inspired, NOT dictated) is that concurrent work of a holy God and a (fallen) human whereby the Holy Spirit so moved the human author that God got exactly what he wanted (his perfect word) without compromising or destroying the personality of the human author. ➢ The Written word of man found in scripture is the very word of God breathed out. (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pe 1:20-21, 1 Pe 1:10-12) Canon ➢ God’s special revelation in Scripture is completely and accurately contained in the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. ➢ Canon is recognized and affirmed by the People of God, not determined. Authority of Scripture ➢ The Bible is the final (but not only) rule of faith and practice. Through Scripture, we find everything that is needed for godliness (2 Peter 1:3, Ps 119:105), salvation (2 Tim 3:15, Jas 1:18), sanctification (Jn 17:17, Eph 5:26), and judgment (Jn 12:48, Heb 4:12). ➢ Because of this believers ought to diligently and joyfully study and apply its teachings (Ps 1:1-3, 19:10, 119:11). Christocentric Hermeneutic ➢ The theological conviction that all Scriptures (not just the New Testament) ultimately point to and center upon Christ. In other words, it’s all about Jesus. ➢ A christocentric interpretation of Scripture will find its climax in the gospel generally, and more specifically in the New Testament accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah of the Old Testament (Luke 24:25-27, 44-49, 1 Peter 1:10-12, 2 Pe 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 2:14-15). ➢ Reading the Bible christocentrically means reading it Christianly. The point is not to find Christ in every text, but to find how every text relates to Christ. ➢ Everything is authored by and centers on Jesus. The TaNaK (O.T. Hebrew Canon) Torah Nebi’im — Prophets Kethuvim Former Prophets Joshua - Judges - Samuel - Kings Psalms - Job - Proverbs Genesis Latter Prophets Isaiah - Jeremiah - Ezekiel Ruth - Song of Songs - Exodus (Major) Ecclesiastes - Lamentations - Esther Leviticus The Book of the Twelve Prophets [The Megillot] (Minor) Numbers Hosea - Joel - Amos - Obadiah - Jonah - Micah - Nahum - Habakkuk Daniel - Ezra-Nehemiah Deuteronomy - Zephaniah - Haggai - Zechariah - - Chronicles Malachi TaNaK order vs. English Bible Order Torah Pentateuch Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy Numbers - Deuteronomy Former Prophets History Joshua - Judges - Samuel - Kings Joshua - Judges - Ruth 1-2 Samuel - 1-2 Kings 1-2 Chronicles Ezra - Nehemiah - Esther Latter Prophets Poetry Isaiah - Jeremiah - Ezekiel Job - Psalms - Proverbs - The Book of the Twelve Prophets Ecclesiastes - Song of Solomon Hosea - Joel - Amos - Obadiah - Jonah - Micah - Nahum - Habakkuk - Zephaniah - Haggai - Zechariah - Malachi Kethuvim Prophets Psalms - Job - Proverbs Isaiah - Jeremiah - Lamentations Ezekiel - Daniel Ruth - Song of Songs - Ecclesiastes - Hosea - Joel - Amos - Obadiah - Jonah Lamentations - Esther [The Megillot] - Micah - Nahum - Habakkuk - Zephaniah - Haggai - Zechariah - Daniel - Ezra-Nehemiah - Chronicles Malachi Ancient Evidence for the shape of the TaNaK When Jesus alludes to the order of the Hebrew Bible, he assumes a three part design, which agrees with other contemporary Jewish authors who allude to the ordered sections. ➢Luke 24:44: “This is what I told you while I was s6ll with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is wri@en about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. ➢Luke 11:51: “Therefore this genera6on will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary.” • Abel was murdered by Cain in Genesis ch.4, and Zechariah son of Jehoiadah was murdered by Joab in 2 Chronicles ch.24. ➢Prologue to the Wisdom of Ben Sirah: “Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law [= Torah], and the Prophets [= Nevi’im], and the others that follow them [= Kethuvim]… So my grandfather Yeshua devoted himself to especially to the reading of the Law and the Prophets and the other books of out Ancestors.” ➢Dead Sea Scrolls (4QMMT): “The scrolls of Moses, the words of the prophets, and of David.” ➢Philo (De Vita Contemple.va, 25): “The laws and the oracles given by inspira6on through the prophets and the Psalms, and the other books whereby knowledge and piety are increased and completed.” Bible Timeline1 1 Ancient Evidence, and OT Historical Outline are from Tim Mackie’s Notes from Western Seminary. NOTES PAGE Title Ecclesiastes - Introduction to the Macro structure & Frame of Ecclesiastes 1:1 1:2-3 1:4-11 7:27 1:12- 12:7 12:8-14 Authorship - Dating - Genre - History of interpretation - KEY WORDS//PHRASES Vanity, Meaningless, Futility, Hevel - under the sun - Striving after wind - gain/profit 10x - toil - I have seen - I Perceive - enjoyment/pleasure - good - KEY THEMES The Gift - Work - March of Time - Chance - Death - Epistemology - Observation - NOTES .
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