ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 12 Early piety recommended before old age come on and death be near: old age described, and death, ECCLESIASTES 12:1. The conclusion: all is vanity, ECCLESIASTES 12:8. The preacher's end in this book, ECCLESIASTES 12:9. The sum of all learning, experience, and happiness is to fe... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE THE SUN, OR THE LIGHT, OR THE MOON, OR THE STARS BE NOT DARKENED, Heb. _While the sun, and the light, and the moon_, &c. That clause, _and the light_, seems to be added to signify that he speaks of the darkening of the sun, and moon, and stars, not in themselves, or in their own bodies, but on... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KEEPERS OF THE HOUSE, i.e. of the body, which is oft and fitly compared to a house, as JOB 4:19 PSALMS 119:54 2 CORINTHIANS 5:1; whose _keepers_ here are either, 1. The ribs and bones into which they are fastened, which are the guardians of the inward and vital parts, which also are much weaken... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DOORS BE SHUT IN THE STREETS; or, _towards the streets_; which lead into the streets. This is understood either, 1. Literally; because men, when they are very old, keep much at home, and have neither strength nor inclination to go abroad. Or rather, 2. Allegorically, as all the other clauses a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL BE AFRAID; the passion of fear is observed to be most incident to old men, of which divers reasons may be given. OF THAT WHICH IS HIGH; either, 1. Of high things, lest they should fall upon them. Or rather, 2. Of high places, of going up hills or stairs, which is very irksome to them, be... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is to be understood either, 1. literally, of the ornaments of life, such as chains, and jewels, and vessels of gold and silver, and of the instruments by which the necessary provisions and supports of life are conveyed to us, such as fountains of water, and pitchers, &c.; which may be sai... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DUST; the body, called _dust_, both for its original, which was from the dust, and to signify its vile and corruptible nature, JOB 4:19, JOB 30:19 PSALMS 103:14. RETURN TO THE EARTH AS IT WAS; whence it was first taken. He alludes to that passage, GENESIS 3:19. _The spirit_; the soul of man, fre... [ Continue Reading ]
This sentence, wherewith he began this book, he here repeateth in the end of it partly as that which he had proved in all the foregoing discourse, and partly as that which naturally and necessarily followed from both the branches of the assertion now laid down, ECCLESIASTES 12:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PREACHER WAS WISE; which he affirmeth not out of vain ostentation, but partly to procure the more credit and acceptance to his doctrine and, counsel here delivered; and partly to declare his repentance for his former follies, and God's great mercy in restoring his wisdom to him. TAUGHT THE PEOPL... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCEPTABLE WORDS, Heb. _desirable_ or _delightful_, worthy of all acceptation, such as would minister comfort and profit so the hearers or readers. WRITTEN by the preacher in this and his other books. UPRIGHT, Heb. _right_ or _straight_, agreeable to the mind or will of God, which is the rule of rig... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORDS OF THE WISE; not of secularly or politicly wise men, but of the spiritually wise and holy men of God; of which, and not of the former, this whole context treats. AS GOADS, AND AS NAILS, piercing into men's dull minds and hard hearts, and quickening and provoking them to the practice of all... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THESE; by these wise men, and their words or writings, of which he spoke in the foregoing verse. BE ADMONISHED; take your instructions from them, for their words are right and true, as he said, ECCLESIASTES 12:10, whereas the words of other men are false, or at best doubtful. OF MAKING MANY BOOKS... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER; the sum and substance of all that hath been said or written by wise men, so far as it is necessary for us to know. FEAR GOD; which is synecdoically put here, as it is very frequently in Scripture, for all the inward worship of God, reverence, and love, and trust,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR GOD SHALL BRING EVERY WORK INTO JUDGMENT: this is added either, 1. As a reason of what he last said, THIS IS THE WHOLE OF MAN, because all men must give an account to God of all their works, and this alone will enable them to do that with joy, and not with grief. Or, 2. As another argument to... [ Continue Reading ]