Chapter 4 The Dreadfulness of Oppression. Guidance on Living. This chapter begins with considering the dreadfulness of oppression and then continues with thoughts on living, giving both good and bad examples. At this point the fact that he is ‘a wise man’ comes out. It finishes with a parable or illustration about wisdom and folly. read more
Sundry Observations On Life (Ecclesiastes 4:4-12 ). Having all to briefly considered the oppression that was in the world, which has left him feeling that it was better if they had never been born, he now turns his thoughts back to the thought of man’s constant toil. This too was meaningless. The first three verses in this section contrast three differing lifestyles. The first results either in envy or overwork, the second in total laziness, and the third in contentment. This is followed by... read more
Ecclesiastes 4. A Gloomy Survey.— The chapter falls into four parts, which treat respectively of oppression ( Ecclesiastes 4:1-Leviticus :), rivalry ( Ecclesiastes 4:4-Joshua :), isolation amounting to self-torture ( Ecclesiastes 4:7-2 Kings :), and a paragraph on a young king’ s popularity ( Ecclesiastes 4:13-Nehemiah :). Ecclesiastes 4:1. Man’ s inhumanity to man awakens Qoheleth’ s compassion; they had no comforter must refer in both cases to the oppressed; the words are repeated for the... read more
Every right work; all the worthy designs and complete works of wise and virtuous men. Is envied of his neighbour; instead of that honour and recompence which he deserves, he meets with nothing but envy and obloquy, and many evil fruits thereof. read more
CRITICAL NOTES.—Ecclesiastes 4:5. Eateth his own flesh.] Accomplishes his own ruin by indolence, exhausts his fortune, preys upon himself like one mad with hunger. MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH. Ecclesiastes 4:4-6THE PENALTIES OF SUCCESSWe have hero the case of a man who has escaped many ills and disasters of life. His work has led to a successful issue. Such a man may be regarded as comparatively happy, yet society fixes certain penalties upon his condition. I. The successful man is often a... read more
Ecclesiastes 4:1-5:7 I. In the fourth chapter Koheleth comes to the conclusion that life is essentially and irretrievably wretched wretched not because (as he had formerly thought) it would so soon be over, but wretched because it lasted too long. All that pleasure did for him was thus to increase his gloom. There was one thing he had forgotten in making out his programme: he had forgotten the miseries of other people. The prosperity he secured for himself did not remove their adversity, but... read more
Chapter 4So I returned, and I considered all of the oppressions that are done under the sun: and the tears of those that are oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter ( Ecclesiastes 4:1 ).The philosophy, Might is right.Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead, more than the living which were yet alive ( Ecclesiastes 4:2 ).I looked at life and, man, you're better off dead than you are alive. Those that have... read more
Ecclesiastes 4:2 . Wherefore I praised the dead more than the living, who are robbed, fleeced, and exposed to incessant afflictions, from oppression and war. Solomon alludes to extreme cases, such as our Saviour foretold would befal the Jews in their revolt against the Romans; when men should say, Blessed are the breasts that never gave suck. The like times were foretold of the Romans, in their civil wars, and in the scourge of the Saracens, that men should seek death, and it should flee... read more
Ecclesiastes 4:4-8Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour.An old portrait of modern menHere is a portrait, drawn by a man who lived thousands of years ago, of three distinct types of character that you find everywhere about you.I. Here is a man working for the good of society (Ecclesiastes 4:4). Thank God! there have ever been such men--generous, disinterested, broad-hearted, God-inspired men--men who are doing the “right work.” They... read more
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James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 4:4
A DISAPPOINTING WORLD‘Vanity and vexation of spirit.’ Ecclesiastes 4:4 Among the examples in proof of the imperfection and inconstancy of earthly happiness which the Preacher communicates in the above section from the rich treasures of his own experience we find the relation of an ascending grade from lower to higher and more brilliant conditions of happiness. I. From the sad lot of victims innocently suffering from tyrannical persecution and oppression (1–3), the description proceeds... read more