Ecclesiastes 2:1 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Ecclesiastes 2:1

Comments

Although Solomon’s search was undertaken very seriously, he did not exclude areas which are normally associated with a light and frivolous lifestyle. As a deliberate policy, he chose to explore mirth: the pursuit of pleasure for its own sake. The Hebrew word translated ‘mirth’ means the kind of gladness associated with festivity, that is inward joy, joy in heart. Solomon tells us in detail in this chapter how he had unique opportunities to explore pleasure and that in his search he did not conduct himself as a pure hedonist, looking for pleasure alone, but always kept the quest for wisdom in view in all he did. Nevertheless, he was ensnared for a time in these pleasures and they proved too great for him to resist.When he tells us the different ways in which he sought meaning in life, he appears to put them in order and therefore it may be that this pursuit of pleasure was a reaction against failing to find meaning in wisdom where he instinctively looked first. He therefore turned to pure fun, a pursuit of happiness which does not pretend to take life seriously, but seeks only the satisfaction of the present moment.

Application

Disregarding the eternal nature of the soul and its great worth, the pleasure seeker treats himself as if he could be entirely satisfied with trifles of this world. But they leave so many questions unanswered and even as man enjoys these insubstantial things, they impress upon him that his needs are far greater and that there is a large part of him that remains unsatisfied. In trying to find happiness in these things, he reduces himself to the level of an animal without an eternal soul and this is most painful for him. Is he really prepared to sacrifice his higher being in the interests of gaining some short-lived enjoyment, and what will happen to him when this brief life is over and the flow of pleasure ceases? The thought weighs heavily upon him and he finds that what at first sight seems designed to give pleasure only increases a sense of futility at the transient nature of his life. This also is vanity.

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Ecclesiastes 2:1 Commentary and Bible Study