Ecclesiastes 4:4-6

2. Keep your motive for work pure. Ecclesiastes 4:4-6

TEXT 4:4-6

4

And I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

5

The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.

6

One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 4:4-6

92.

What motivates the labor and the development of skill?

93.

When one labors and develops skills for this reason, it is all what?

94.

The fool in this case is a fool because he is what?

95.

He actually tries to live off of what?

96.

If verse six is the statement of the lazy fool, what is he actually saying?

97.

If verse six is the observation and conclusion of Solomon, what is he saying?

PARAPHRASE 4:4-6

I noticed something else that is empty and just like striving after the wind. There is a man jealous over the success in this world of his fellow man. He will practically kill himself to keep up with his neighbor. He works and develops his skills, and is motivated solely by the desire to keep up or surpass his neighbor's success. This type of rivalry is futile. On the other hand, there is the foolish, lazy man who lies down, folds his hands and lives off his own flesh. I said, It is better to have a quiet moment and one handful of rest than to have two handfuls if it is acquired by such futile rivalry as I have seen.

COMMENT 4:4-6

Another example of the futility of life now comes into the Preacher's view. Is the goal of life to become the most successful person in your community? Many today would say yes. At least their activities betray that desire. Human nature hasn-'t changed. The clear-cut picture of rivalry serving as the motivating factor for work evidently possessed the hearts of men in Solomon's day as it does today.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 It has been asked, If the motive is tainted, how can the fruit actually satisfy? This is the case here. Since it stems from a jealous spirit, and a desire to excel one's neighbor that the individual labors, he discovers that his accomplishment is unrewarding. Once he can honestly say, I have accomplished more, and gathered and collected more than those around me, what does it really mean? The satisfaction is very fleeting. The term skill suggests that one spends hours in developing the ability to produce something that will bring an earthly profit. He is willing to labor tirelessly and become expert in his affairs, but since it was motivated by an unworthy desire, it accomplishes nothing.

Ecclesiastes 4:5 By fool we are to understand a sluggard or stupid person. He is in contrast to the individual who works skillfully as the fool does not have the wisdom to develop expertise in any area. His slothfulness, that leads him to the comfort of the couch, and causes him to fold his hands and sleep during the day-light hours, is despicable, but he concludes that he isn-'t any worse off than the wise man who is improperly motivated to such extreme industry. Consumes his own flesh is not a reference to cannibalistic practices, but the excess energy of his body is consumed through indolence rather than productive work.

Ecclesiastes 4:6 The problem confronted in this verse is not one of translation, but rather to whom should the statement be attributed? Is it spoken by the fool or the one writing the book? If it is the testimony of the fool, he is actually saying that he will not become conspirator in such folly as driving himself to working day and night just to keep pace with his neighbor! On the other hand, if the Preacher is making the remark (cf. the Paraphrase, Ecclesiastes 4:6), then the statement is to be interpreted as somewhat of a compromise between the two extremes and is more in harmony with the stated conclusions of the book (cf. Ecclesiastes 3:12; Ecclesiastes 3:22). The fool has not chosen the wiser way as both men under consideration reach the same conclusion. Slothfulness and improperly motivated industry are both unrewarding and vain. One hand full of rest could easily be understood as saying, Don-'t get on the treadmill. Just take life day-by-day and rejoice and do good in your lifetime.

FACT QUESTIONS 4:4-6

168.

What motivated the man to labor and develop his skills?

169.

Is the fruit of one's life satisfying if the motivation is tainted? Discuss.

170.

What does skill suggest that is not suggested by labor?

171.

Why could not the fool be skillful?

172.

How should one explain the statement, consumes his own flesh?

173.

What is the problem in understanding verse six?

174.

If it is the fool who is speaking in this verse, what is he saying?

175.

If the verse is to be understood as another conclusion of Solomon, which is in harmony with his former conclusions, what is Solomon saying? Discuss.