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Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?"
Verse Takeaways
1
A Question of Human Limits
Commentators explain that the question "Who knows?" is not an expression of absolute doubt about the afterlife. Rather, it highlights the limits of human observation. From a purely earthly perspective, we cannot see or prove what happens to the spirit after death. This limitation is meant to humble us and show our dependence on God's revelation for knowledge of eternity.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Ecclesiastes
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4
18th Century
Presbyterian
That great anomaly in the moral government of this world—the seemingly unequal distribution of rewards and punishments—will be rectified by God, wh…
19th Century
Anglican
The Septuagint, followed by a great body of interpreters, ancient and modern, translate, Who knoweth whether the spirit of man goeth upward?
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goes upward ? &c.] There is indeed a difference between a man and a beast; though they…
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