Ecclesiastes 3
Lutheran reading notes
In Ecclesiastes chapter 3, the wisdom literature continues to explore the meaning of life and reverence for God amid life's vanity. Lutheran interpretation often emphasizes humanity’s limitations and the need to rely on God's grace and promises. The chapter highlights the contrast between human striving and the faithfulness of God.
1
To every {thing there is} a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up {that which is} planted; {to be...: Heb. to bear}
Ecclesiastes 3:2 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
Ecclesiastes 3:3 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecclesiastes 3:4 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; {to refrain from: Heb. to be far from}
Ecclesiastes 3:5 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; {get: or, seek}
Ecclesiastes 3:6 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
Ecclesiastes 3:7 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
Ecclesiastes 3:9 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
Ecclesiastes 3:10 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
He hath made every {thing} beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
I know that {there is} no good in them, but for {a man} to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
Ecclesiastes 3:12 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it {is} the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:13 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth {it}, that {men} should fear before him.
Ecclesiastes 3:14 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. {that which is past: Heb. that which is driven away}
Ecclesiastes 3:15 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, {that} wickedness {was} there; and the place of righteousness, {that} iniquity {was} there.
Ecclesiastes 3:16 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for {there is} a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Ecclesiastes 3:17 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. {that God...: or, that they might clear God, and see, etc}
Ecclesiastes 3:18 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all {is} vanity.
Ecclesiastes 3:19 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Ecclesiastes 3:20 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? {of man: Heb. of the sons of man} {goeth upward: Heb. is ascending, etc}
Ecclesiastes 3:21 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
Wherefore I perceive that {there is} nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that {is} his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Ecclesiastes 3:22 highlights wisdom, prayer, and faithful living with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.