Matthew Henry Commentary Ecclesiastes 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
Ecclesiastes 1
Matthew Henry Commentary
Ecclesiastes 1
"The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?" — Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 (ASV)
Much is to be learned by comparing one part of Scripture with another. Here we observe Solomon returning from the broken and empty cisterns of the world to the Fountain of living water; recording his own folly and shame, the bitterness of his disappointment, and the lessons he had learned. Those who have taken warning to turn and live should warn others not to go on and die.
He does not merely say all things are vain, but that they are vanity. VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. This is the text of the preacher's sermon, which he never loses sight of in this book. If this world, in its present state, were all, it would not be worth living for; and the wealth and pleasure of this world, no matter how much we had, are not enough to make us happy.
What profit has a man of all his labour? All he gets by it will not supply the wants of the soul, nor satisfy its desires; will not atone for the sins of the soul, nor prevent its loss: what profit will the wealth of the world be to the soul in death, in judgment, or in the everlasting state?
"One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again. All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." — Ecclesiastes 1:4-8 (ASV)
All things change, and never rest. Man, after all his labor, is no nearer finding rest than the sun, the wind, or the current of the river. His soul will find no rest, if he does not have it from God. The senses are soon tired, yet still craving what is untried.
"That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us. There is no remembrance of the former [generations]; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter [generations] that are to come, among those that shall come after." — Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 (ASV)
People's hearts and their corruptions are the same now as in the past; their desires, and pursuits, and complaints, still the same. This should lead us away from expecting happiness in the creature, and motivate us to seek eternal blessings. How many things and persons in Solomon's day were considered very great, yet they are not remembered now!
"I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. I communed with mine own hear, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." — Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 (ASV)
Solomon tried all things and found them vanity. He found his searches for knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction for himself nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom revealed man's wickedness and misery, so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and mourn.
Let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this vanity and misery; to value Christ; to seek rest in the knowledge, love, and service of the Saviour.
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