Introduction to Ecclesiastes

Introduction to the Book of Ecclesiastes or Kohelet
The 21st Book of the Bible: The Meaninglessness of Life Without a Personal Relationship with God

“Ecclesiastes” is likely Martin Luther’s translation of the Hebrew “qoheleth,” which roughly means “assembly leader.”
In English, the book is called Ecclesiastes, after the Greek title in the Septuagint, “Ekklesiastea,” which is reminiscent of the New Testament word “Ekklesia,” translated as “congregation” or “church.”

In our Bibles, we find Ecclesiastes among the five poetic books (Job – Psalms – Proverbs – Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs), which constitute the Wisdom Literature.
In Hebrew editions of the Old Testament, the book belongs to the last section, the Writings. And here to the five scrolls (Megillot), which are also called “Festival Scrolls” because they are still read aloud today during certain Jewish festivals.
Ecclesiastes is associated with the autumn Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), which for Jews is, on the one hand, a harvest festival, but at the same time commemorates the exodus of the people from Egypt and the 40-year journey through the desert.

At first glance, the book can be confusing; it lacks any praise or mention of peace with God, it is filled with disappointment and despair about life, and it seems to condone behavior that stands in stark contrast to the other books of God’s Word.
God is mentioned over 40 times, but never by His name “YHWH”; instead, He is referred to quite impersonally as “Elohim,” God the Creator, the almighty Ruler of the universe, standing unreachably far above humanity.

Like most of Proverbs and the Song of Songs, the Book of Ecclesiastes was written by the wise King Solomon. Most likely toward the end of his 40-year reign over the still undivided kingdom of the 12 tribes of Israel, at the beginning of the first millennium B.C.

At the beginning, Solomon, one of David’s sons, still lived in close communion with God; the construction of the Temple was his foremost concern. But over the course of his reign, Solomon turned further and further away from God, driven by his “love”—or rather, his greed and addiction to foreign women.
After all, he already had everything a person could desire: prestige, power, wealth, security, wisdom, 1,000 wives… and so he began to search for fulfillment and a meaning to life in every possible aspect of our existence.

The sad conclusion of his “searching” is recorded in the Book of Ecclesiastes: The only thing we humans can achieve on our own are mere fleeting moments of joy and contentment—without God, in the long run, EVERYTHING is nothing but emptiness, futility, transience, and meaninglessness—a chasing after the wind!

Yet in the end, Solomon recognizes the solution for us humans—the fear of God, living a life in accordance with God’s will—which brings us meaning and peace even in this world, as well as a just judgment and reward in eternity.

Outline of Ecclesiastes:

Content of the Ecclesiastes:

Ecclesiastes chapter 1
Ecclesiastes chapter 2
Ecclesiastes chapter 3
Ecclesiastes chapter 4
Ecclesiastes chapter 5
Ecclesiastes chapter 6
Ecclesiastes chapter 7
Ecclesiastes chapter 8
Ecclesiastes chapter 9
Ecclesiastes chapter 10
Ecclesiastes chapter 11
Ecclesiastes chapter 12