Ecclesiastes 8:2 Commentary and Bible Study

The superficial sense of Ecclesiastes is often mysterious, because Solomon speaks in illustrations fifty percent of the time. He does not tell you it is an illustration; you have to identify it. If you fail to see he is doing this and try to read the text at face value, you will end up with a superficial reading; you will be limited to moral lessons. In this verse, for instance, you might say that Solomon is teaching us about the importance of civil obedience to rulers. You cannot deal with Ecclesiastes as if it was an epistle of Paul; you must allow for the graphic language. It is not simply a book which deals with practical wisdom; it primarily an evangelistic book. Through Solomon, God is encouraging us to go to him.Here is the first component of real wisdom – get wise about respecting God and fearing him. The picture here is of an old-time king. Kings in those days were usually absolute rulers. We are thinking of courtiers, who had the ear of the king. Here is a high officer and he has taken a pledge of absolute loyalty. That oath marks the fact that he knows his duty. What would you do if you were in that position? Would you forget your commission and do what you like? Would you ignore the king when he has given you a job to do? Would it be sensible to absent yourself when on duty? The thought of it gets you tingling. Of course not. What a fool such a courtier would be – what an opportunity he would miss, particularly in those days. If he behaved like that the king would soon remove him and humble him. His failure will be noticed of course and he can expect that terrible summons which will force him to appear with shame before the assembled king’s court. There he will be asked why he has not performed his duties, and how he thought he could behave in this way. Did he consider his oath to the king to be a light matter? Does he think that the king will be trifled with, or that a man can break his word to the king without consequences? He would fall all the way to the bottom. The king will disgrace him; he may perhaps lose his head. He wouldn’t do the dumb thing and lose everything.