The Books of Ecclesiastes and Solomon
Introduction to The Books

The purpose of this work is to guide you in Spirit Filled interpretation of this "Selected Study". As necessary we will provide outlines, historical backgrounds, note the purpose and focus of the text, and also provide the original hebrew language definitions for the key words in the highlighted text. The English translation used is the King James (Authorized) Version, not because it is the best translation available, but because I just plain prefer it for study!

All Scripture text will be presented in normal cased lettering, and all notes within the text will be in TRUE TYPE FONT, as shown. This (I hope) will allow you to avoid confusion between God's Word and my notes. As I update this website, I will continue to embellish the text so that anyone using NETSCAPE 3.0 or MICROSOFT 3.0 or higher will be able to read the document easier.

If you discover obvious errors (as I am human, and do make mistakes), please let me know. Do not contact me to argue about the doctrinal differences that you may have with my teaching. I do not argue Theology with anyone, so all Legalists, cultists, and others with extremist views, please save your (and my) time. If you want to discuss your doctrinal differences, or share a viewpoint, please contact me at Didaskalos Ministries. I am not so arrogant as to think I know it all, or even 1% of what the scripture teaches.

Ecclesiastes is one of the last two (along with Song of Solomon) poetical Books of the Old Testament.

Title of Book: In the Hebrew Bible the Book is called "Preacher". This is derived from:

Ecclesiastes 1:1  "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem."

The Hebrew word for "Preacher" is <qoheleth>, which literally means "one who assembles or lectures. The Greek Septuagint called the Book EKKAHZIAZTHZ, from EK (meaning "out of") and KALEO (meaning "to call"), actually an extension of EKKLESIA (meaning "the called out ones", "the Church"). In the English Bible we transliterated the Greek EKKAHZIAZTHZ to "Ecclesiastes", literally meaning "one who calls someone out of one state and into another, a preacher". The author of Ecclesiastes is calling Israel out of their apostasy in order to teach them certain truths.

Author of Book: There are two major theories on the authorship of Ecclesiastes. Up until the 19th century the authorship was universally attributed to Solomon. However, with the rise of German Rationalism and Higher Criticism, the book was characterized as written during the postexile period, after Israel was cast into Babylonian captivity.

There are several reasons that most conservative scholars still believe the Book was written by Solomon. First, Ecclesiastes 1:1 attributes the authorship to the "son of David". Solomon was a son of David. Second, there are several passages in Ecclesiastes that seem to attribute the writing to Solomon:

Ecclesiastes 1:16  "I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."

The author claims to have unrivaled wisdom, which Solomon had. Also,

Ecclesiastes 2:8  "I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts."

Solomon and the author of this Book both had huge sums of money, unrivaled wealth. But, most of all, within Jewish tradition it was considered that Solomon wrote the Book. This is very important because Israel was very careful in their keeping of the Scriptures, and the nation to whom the Scripture was entrusted to would certainly know who wrote the Book.

In either case, though, God is ultimately the Author of the Book. He wrote the Book through, I believe, King Solomon.

Historicity: If Solomon was the author of this Book (and I believe he was), then the Book was written during Solomon's reign, from 971-931 BC. Ecclesiastes 12:

Ecclesiastes 12:1  "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them"

seems to suggest that the Book was written later on in Solomon's life, though it is impossible to be dogmatic on this point.

Theme of Book: The theme of the Book is "the quest for the highest good, or the chief good".

Ecclesiastes 6:12  "For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?"

One word and phrase is used throughout this Book give an indication to what is happening as you read the Book. The word <hebel>, "vanity", occurs 37 times in one of its forms throughout the Book. This is remarkable because the same word only occurs 33 times in the entirety of the rest of the Bible. The word literally means "emptiness", and shows how life is empty without the Lord Jesus in it.

The phrase "under the sun" occurs 25 times. This is significant because this man is viewing life from a human rather than a Divine viewpoint. From the human viewpoint, he periodically sums up his distaste for a godless life by HEBEL or "vanity". There is absolutely no point in life without a relationship with your Creator. The pointless existence the Preacher has explains some of the passages of Ecclesiastes:

Ecclesiastes 3:19  "For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity."

The preacher states that the end of man is no better than the end of a beast, and this is true for those who are without Jesus Christ as Savior. The chief good in this life is to build a relationship with our Creator - if we do not, life is indeed useless.

Outline of The Book:

Title of the Book: In the Hebrew Bible the title is literally, "The Most Beautiful Song of Solomon". This is interesting, because:

1 Kings 4:32  "And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five."

Solomon wrote 1500 songs, but this Book is the most beautiful of them all. In the Septuagint as well as the Latin Vulgate the title is created from the first two words of the Hebrew Bible, SHIYR SHIYR, "Song of Songs" or "The Best Song".

Author of the Book: The general theological decision is that Songs was written by Solomon under the leading of God the Holy Spirit. There are several reasons for this internal to the Book. First, the luxury of the monarchy of Solomon is mentioned (Songs 1.11-13). Second, the wives and concubines of Solomon are described (Songs 6.8-9). Third, we are told that Solomon was very involved in natural science:

1 Kings 4:33-34  "And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.  And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom."

And the author of this Book was also very involved in natural science. Throughout the Book 21 varieties of plants and 15 varieties of animal life are discussed.

It is proposed that Solomon wrote the Book early on in his reign:

Song of Songs 6:8  "There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number."

... for he only mentions a relatively small number of queens and concubines. Later on in his reign he had 300 wives and 700 concubines.

Canonicity of the Book:

This book's canonicity (whether it is Divine in origin or not) was never disputed by the Jews, though it was disputed by the early Church in the first century AD. It was disputed because of the large amount of seemingly pornographic material in it. In 90 AD the Book was justified by showing that it shows the sacredness, not filthiness, of physical love between a man and his wife. Other Scripture supports the fact that God intended the marriage bed to be a blessing, not pornography:

1 Corinthians 7:4-5  "The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinence."

Hebrews 13:4  "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whore mongers and adulterers God will judge."

God condemns sex outside of marriage, not within it. Based on this defense the Book was fully accepted as Canonical by the Church.

How To Interpret the Book:  Some interpret the Book allegorically. When they do, they suggest that there is no historical characters or events involved - there is no reality to the Book. There is no internal evidence to support this type of interpretation of Songs. Others interpret this Book as a drama. Again, this is a stretch of the imagination, as drama was not in existence during the time of Solomon. Yet others still view the Book as a type where Solomon represents God and the girl represents someone else. Harry Ironside preferred this type of interpretation, as well as many in evangelical circles. They suggest it is a type between God and His love for Israel, or God and His love for the Church, or God and His love for the souls of men and women. Again, this approach may be effectively used in preaching, but it does ignore the historical truths found throughout the Book. Myself, I as well as other conservative theologians prefer the literal interpretation of the Book.

Outline of the Book:

The Book has two overall purposes: (1) To teach the purity and sanctity of physical love between man and wife, and (2) To provide a wholesome balance between two extremes, celibacy and sexual arrogance.

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