Proverbs and Ecclesiastes

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes

19 August 2018

Intro

Play the Byrds’ 1965 version of Turn, Turn, Turn for a minute or so as people settle in.

The music of my teens! Pete Seeger wrote the music, and added six words to lyrics/text from the KJV Ecclesiastes. This is what always comes to mind (first and exclusively) when I think “Ecclesiastes.”

Goal for today:

Sometimes "I feel good, I'm going to climb that next mountain!"

Sometimes "I'm going to repent"

Sometimes "That teacher is great"

Sometimes "Something new to think about"

But today I want you to leave here thinking "I want to read, I'm going to read"

Wisdom Books as Scripture

In the Christian canon the wisdom books are Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes (today Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, next week Job)

In the Jewish canon Ecclesiastes is part of the Megillot or "five scrolls" (Ruth, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther), and Proverbs is part of the Writings (Psalms, Job, Proverbs).

Ecclesiastes was somewhat controversial. Inclusion in the Jewish canon was debated as late as the second century CE and still questioned for the Christian canon into the fifth century CE.

Do you think of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes as scripture?

Not story (history, biography).

Not sermons or words of the prophets.

Probably do get quotable lines (for our endless proof-texting).

            Something different. Poetic. Moving. A different “voice”; a different “register.”

In 'Chris Kimball Speculative" mode, in my personal devotional life, I think of the wisdom literature as the words of, the teachings of, the voice of, the feminine aspect of God--Mother in Heaven, if you like. This is not doctrine, purely speculative, don’t quote me. On the other hand, it is not unprecedented or completely blue sky. A careful Mormon student/scholar (Kevin Barney) wrote this:  

"Since Asherah was recharacterized as personified Wisdom, we should read passages referring to wisdom with an eye attuned to possible nuanced allusions to the Goddess. In particular, we should read with care the whole of the Wisdom Literature."

Proverbs

What comes to mind when you think Proverbs? Do you have a favorite?

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (16:18)

Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it. (22:6)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. (3:5)

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (15:1)

This is poetical--imaginative, evocative, translated in many ways including into very modern idiom. I am going to use this fact to take poetic license with the Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Fair warning that for today at least we will move back and forth between translations.

For reading and appreciating Proverbs, notice the couplets. You can read Proverbs front to back, but most people enjoy Proverbs one couplet at a time. Some are synonymous (look for "and"), where the second half reinforces or expands on the first. Some are antithetical (look for "but"), where the second half contradicts or opposes the first. To get full value, find the entire couplet and pay attention to the connector, the and or but, and then think about why and what it is saying. All the components are important.

Example:

Walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the just. (2:20 synonymous)

For the upright will abide in the land and the innocent will remain in it. (2:21 synonymous)

but

The wicked will be cut off from the land. (2:22 antithetical)

Focus on Proverbs 8 (the “wisdom is better than rubies” text)

[Handout with KJV verses numbered and spelled out.]

Note on verse 30: The KJV mistranslates this verse as “then I was by him, as one brought up with him” (reading as though the speaker was a child). The key term in the Hebrew is ’amon’ meaning a master craftsman, artificer, or architect. Thus, this passage portrays Wisdom as a skilled craftsman working beside Yahweh in creating the world. In the NRSV, this passage reads: “then I was beside him, like a master worker.”

My “poetic license” version (to read out loud while people follow along the KVU)

Woman Wisdom Calls.

Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right;

Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold

for wisdom is better than jewels.

The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago.

Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth

Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth.

When he established the heavens, I was there.

When he marked out the foundations of the earth then I was beside him like a master worker.

And now, my children, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

For whoever finds me finds life.

For whoever finds me finds life.

Focus on Proverbs 31 (the “virtuous woman” text)

[Handout with KJV verses numbered and spelled out.]

Styled as "the words of King Lemuel" but we don't know any King Lemuel. Speculatively (but I like it) this is King Solomon recording what his mother Bathsheba taught him.

Note on "virtuous" (v 10): The word is chayil (חַיִל). We've seen this before. Ruth is chayil. So are soldiers and capable men. It is more often rendered "valiant" but also "capable" or "strong" or "able." As English has developed, “virtuous” has taken on enough sexual/chastity/virginity sense to be distracting. It’s not wholly wrong, but it might be better to use “valiant” to avoid channeling this Proverb into teenage-girls-only lesson material. That is in fact what happened to me, growing up. I put this Proverb in the “for the girls” category. I’m sorry I did and I am repenting.

My “poetic license” version (to read out loud while people follow along the KVU)

A capable partner is more precious than jewels.

Her spouse trusts her. She does him good all the days of their life.

She works with willing hands. She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household.

She considers a field and buys it. With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.

Strength and dignity are her clothing and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom.

The teachings of kindness are on her tongue.

Personal note: I want to be that!

Ecclesiastes

The opening "Preacher" in KJV is a mistranslation. The word is Qohelet which literally means "gatherer" or "acquirer". The Greek version, however, referred to a member of an assembly, and the English from Greek made it Preacher. Since the original meaning is more like "gatherer of knowledge" modern translations are more likely to use "Teacher" or "Philosopher."

This is not just a side note, but tells us something about how to read Ecclesiastes. It is not a collection of sayings, or a collection of (perhaps 12) sermons. It is one philosophical dissertation (or arguably two). Different from Proverbs, you get the full meaning and appreciation by reading Ecclesiastes beginning to end, as a single extended argument.  

Ecclesiastes is a difficult book. Now reading from the introduction of "Nothing New Under the Sun: A Blunt Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes" by Adam Miller [writer of religious criticism and interpretation and also of contemporary Latter-day Saint lay theology; a professor of philosophy at Collin College in McKinney, Texas, where he directs the college's honors program]: 

"You won't like this book. Ecclesiastes is gloomy, skeptical, and irreverent. It is caustic and drolly splenetic. It is unapologetically human. It refuses to abet our hunger for clean narratives and happy endings. It is a hopeless book. 

Example: The race doesn't go to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the cunning, nor fame to the talented. Time and chance toy with everyone. 

Tested wisdom is better than strength, patient silence is better than shouting, and practiced skill is sharper than a sword. But even these can't prevent a lone idiot from destroying the whole city.

“Ecclesiastes is a hard book full of hard sayings. It is an anvil against which our hearts must be hammered. No wonder we avoid it.

But the cost of avoidance is high. In order to become Christian, we must first learn to be hopeless. Hopelessness is the door to Zion. Hopelessness is crucial to a consecrated life. Before we can find hope in Christ, we must give up hope in everything else.

. . .

I expect that you will not like Ecclesiastes. But if, neither liking nor disliking it, you come to love Ecclesiastes, then you will have seen, at least in part, what I want to show."

I want to propose that a good way in to Ecclesiastes is through Romans. In effect, Romans can be read as Paul's reply to Ecclesiastes. Not a reply in a contradicting or argumentative sense, but a reply in a "next step" or "where does Christ take us from here" sense. 

To illustrate, you read the Ecclesiastes verses [below] and I will reply with the verses from Romans.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance (Ecc 3:4)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. (Ecc 7:20)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. (Ecc 9:7-10)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:26-28)

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. (Ecc 11:9-10)

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:16)

For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecc. 12:14)

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)

In conclusion, here are the words of Paul with the message I would close on. If you think about what you know of Ecclesiastes, you will hear echoes but also the Christian answer.

Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds.

Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord.

Those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God;

Those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. 

We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Romans 14:5-7