It is truly a defining mark of the Biblical canon that it expresses every dimension of the human experience -- including that of hopelessness and helplessness. At every point in our lives, there is something in the record of humanity's searching after God that resonates with our hearts and ultimately draws all [men] unto Him.
John Grisham's recent non-fiction book, 'The Innocent Man' has an excerpt that reads like a modern excerpt from the book of Ecclesiastes. Here's what Ronald Keith Williamson had to say after experiencing dashed career hopes, alcoholism, wrongful conviction for murder, and exoneration while on death row.
"I hope I go to neither heaven or hell. I wish at the time of my death that I could go to sleep and never wake up and never have a bad dream. Eternal rest, like you've seen on some tombstones, that's what I hope for. Because I don't want to go through the Judgment. I don't want anybody judging me again. I asked myself what was the reason for my birth when I was on death row, if I was going to have to go through all that, What was even the reason for my birth? I almost cursed my mother and dad -- it was so bad -- for putting me on this earth. If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't be born."
It seems that just as The Word was "in all points tempted like as we are" (Heb 4:15), The Word of God also internalizes every human experience. If God entrusted me with editing the Bible, I'd be inclined to produce something like "Chicken Soup for the Soul", full of heart-warming stories of people who pulled it all together despite the odds, and lived happily ever after.
In doing so, I would no doubt disenfranchise the very people that God wishes to reach.
The Word of God would be incomplete without Ecclesiastes.
John Grisham's recent non-fiction book, 'The Innocent Man' has an excerpt that reads like a modern excerpt from the book of Ecclesiastes. Here's what Ronald Keith Williamson had to say after experiencing dashed career hopes, alcoholism, wrongful conviction for murder, and exoneration while on death row.
"I hope I go to neither heaven or hell. I wish at the time of my death that I could go to sleep and never wake up and never have a bad dream. Eternal rest, like you've seen on some tombstones, that's what I hope for. Because I don't want to go through the Judgment. I don't want anybody judging me again. I asked myself what was the reason for my birth when I was on death row, if I was going to have to go through all that, What was even the reason for my birth? I almost cursed my mother and dad -- it was so bad -- for putting me on this earth. If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't be born."
It seems that just as The Word was "in all points tempted like as we are" (Heb 4:15), The Word of God also internalizes every human experience. If God entrusted me with editing the Bible, I'd be inclined to produce something like "Chicken Soup for the Soul", full of heart-warming stories of people who pulled it all together despite the odds, and lived happily ever after.
In doing so, I would no doubt disenfranchise the very people that God wishes to reach.
The Word of God would be incomplete without Ecclesiastes.
© Alister L. Hunt Ph.D
2 comments:
Alister, I think you've hit the nail on the head with this analysis of Ecclesiastes. Two things in particular struck me, the idea that the Bible "expresses every dimension of human experience" and the notion that the "Word of God would be incomplete without Ecclesiastes." Brilliant. I view Ecclesiastes as a form of biblical psychoanalysis in that it brings to the forefront elements of experience that are all too easy to repress. It is not pleasant for humans (Americans in particular) to dwell on their own mortality and limitedness. There is no bestselling book titled the Power of Negative Thinking. What I appreciate about Ecclesiastes is that it validates the human experience of despair. However, it places despair in the context of faith in God. Because it does this, despair does not ultimately have to lead to the black hole of nihilism. It gives the soul in despair an option other than the godless capitulation to hopelessness. The Bible doesn't just say, "Hey, cheer up mate. Things aren't so bad." That prescription may work for some but it is not nearly strong enough medicine for people in despair. Sometimes the only way forward is through, not around. If depression is unavoidable then by all means avoid it but for the soul that suffers with it the only way forward is to live through it. And live through it by faith in God. Such faith is going to be different from that of a person with a different, more positive frame of mind. And yet it is still a very real, and valid faith experience. Ecclesiastes isn't Chicken Soup for the Soul, it's more like Kaopectate!
I agree with both Paul and Alister, but I don't think that Paul goes far enough. I don't believe that depression and despair are experiences of the unlucky few. I believe that without such experiences faith cannot be complete. All the great people of faith in the Bible--Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, Elijah, Jesus, Peter....etc.--had periods of deep hopelessness and despair. Also, in more modern times Christians such as Martin Luther have had the same experiences. I have known a few people in my life who apparently had never had any deep heart-wrenching pain or trauma to deal with in their lives. I have generally found such people to be lacking in deep insight, compassion and understanding.
I think the difference between Solomon and the other people mentioned is the response. In the Psalms, David may cry out in despair but eventually returns to an affirmation of faith and a belief in the ultimate meaning of things. The same is true of the others. Whereas Solomon seems to have rejected the idea that there is any meaning at all besides the small pleasures we get in everyday life.
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