After exhausting pleasure and wisdom, Solomon turns to work—and quickly despairs. This session explains Solomon’s bitter realization: the gain from all his labor and work will eventually pass to someone else, who may be a fool. The injustice of toiling under the sun, only to hand it over, feels unbearable. Yet Solomon also glimpses a subtle shift: enjoyment of daily labor, food, and drink is a gift from God. This session reflects on how Ecclesiastes introduces a “carpe diem” moment, not as a shallow impulse, but as a humble acceptance of divine provision. Even if work doesn’t answer life’s ultimate […]
What does wisdom look like in the face of injustice, especially when authority is abused? To answer this perplexing question, Solomon’s reflects on human...
Foolishness, though often subtle, can have devastating effects. The practical metaphor of how even a small dose of foolishness can ruin one’s wisdom and...
The Book of Ecclesiastes opens with a disturbing thesis: “Everything is pointless!” This first session introduces the genre of wisdom literature and the rhetorical...
