Ecclesiastes Introducation Class

Romans 15:4

 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
1 Corinthians 10:11

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Ecclesiasts 1:12-18 (NIV)

¹² I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. ¹⁴ I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. ¹⁵ What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.

¹⁶ I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷ And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. ¹⁸ Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.

The Big Picture – General outline of Ecclesiastes

INTRODUCTION AND PROLOGUE (1:1-3)

I. THE PREACHER'S SEARCH FOR MEANING IN LIFE  (1:4-2:26)

II. THE PREACHER'S OBSERVATIONS FROM LIFE  (3:1-6:12)

III. THE PREACHER'S COUNSEL FOR LIFE (7:1-12:7)

EPILOGUE AND CONCLUSION (12:8-14)

Old Testament Books Timeline

Questions from the Bible Conversation

1.       What is the book of Ecclesiastes called in the Hebrew and Greek?  What does it mean?  ______________________________________ ________________________________________________________

2.       According to Jewish and early Christian tradition, who is the author, and when was it likely written? _____________________________ ________________________________________________________

3.       What internal evidence is there to identify the author? (1:16; 2:4-6, 7-9; 12:9-10 ______________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________

4.       What question does the preacher seek to answer in this book?  (1:3) ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________

5.       What key word and key phrase are repeated many times in the book? __________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________

6.       What would you say are the two main messages found in the book? (1:14; 12:13)  ____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________

7.       Your homework for next week is to read up on chapters 1 – 2.