Tyndale Open Study NotesEcclesiastes 2

The Teacher examines how wisdom, work, and pleasure relate to each other.

The Teacher says seeking pleasure for its own sake is empty. Even great achievements are like smoke.

• The Teacher realized that using wine to cheer himself was foolish, yet he did it while still seeking wisdom. He wanted to understand how to find happiness. This effort turned out to be pointless (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

• the few days of their lives: All human experiences are like "a breath."

Solomon built both small structures like porches and gates and large ones like entire cities (see 1 Kings 9:15–19). He mainly built these projects for his own enjoyment, including the palace and its related buildings (see 1 Kings 7:1–12).

The Bible mentions Solomon's vineyards in Song of Solomon 8:11–12.

Solomon's slaves managed large herds and flocks. Caring for them used many resources (1 Kings 4:22–23; 9:20–21).

• silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces: Solomon ruled from the Fertile Crescent, north and east of Israel, to Egypt's border in the south. He gained wealth in precious metals through trade, gifts from admiring rulers, and taxes from lands within his empire (1 Kings 4:21; 9:28; 10:14, 22–25; 1 Chronicles 29:4; 2 Chronicles 9:26–27).

• many concubines: Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines by the end of his reign (1 Kings 11:3).

I became great: Compare 1 Kings 10:23.

Solomon's wisdom helped him gain power and wealth (see 1 Kings 3:2–14; 4:20–34).

For my heart took delight in all my work: The Teacher highlights a key theme: Joy comes from wise and diligent work (Ecclesiastes 5:12, 18–20).

futile...nothing to be gained: Accomplishments may lead to hopelessness and discouragement because they lack lasting meaning (Ecclesiastes 2:18–23).

The Teacher now examines the value of wisdom (Ecclesiastes 2:12–17) and hard work (2:18–23). These, too, are futile (Ecclesiastes 2:17).

what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?: After the Teacher, no one will have a better way to compare wisdom and foolishness because nothing new will happen under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9–10).

wisdom exceeds folly: Wisdom is useful because it helps navigate life successfully. However, it cannot prevent death or give life meaning (Ecclesiastes 2:15–16).

• The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?: Since the lives of both are short, the conclusion is that everything is meaningless.

• both will be forgotten: Future generations will not remember us or our achievements, so our efforts will amount to nothing (compare Ecclesiastes 1:11; 9:13–16).

The Teacher began to dislike life because of its:

• Sorrows (Ecclesiastes 1:18)

• Hard work (Ecclesiastes 2:18)

• Seeming pointlessness (Ecclesiastes 2:19–20)

Foolish and destructive successors pose a greater threat to wise accomplishments than wise successors do. However, since the Teacher could not predict the type of successors he would have, his accomplishments felt meaningless to him. Solomon's immediate successor, his son Rehoboam, turned out to be foolish (see 1 Kings 12:1–20).

• labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill: Skill in work shows wisdom (for example, see Exodus 31:1–5).

• give his portion to a man who has not worked for it: A person with little personal investment tends to waste it or take foolish risks.

Even though life under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:3) is like a vapor (2:23, futile), we should enjoy God's gifts of food, work, and wisdom.

this is from the hand of God: Do not overlook God's gifts, like enjoying food and work. Without God, these would not exist. We can be thankful and content.

If a sinner becomes wealthy, it is meaningless because God takes the wealth away.