Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Ecclesiastes 8:1 - 8:8
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
In Civil Relations
v. 1. Who is as the wise man? equal to him in the right understanding of things. And who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? The advantages of true-wisdom are again emphasized. A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, a sunny countenance being the reflection of a wise and serene mind, and the boldness of his face shall be changed, for the truly cultured person avoids all coarseness, cultivating, instead, a proper form of benign conduct.
v. 2. I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, such obedience being the course followed by true wisdom, and that in regard of the oath of God, for by such an oath the subject vows allegiance to the king. A willing loyalty is not only expedient, it is demanded by God, it comes within the Fourth Commandment.
v. 3. Be not hasty to go out of his sight, in disobedience or slavish terror; stand not in an evil thing, literally, "in an evil word," that is, it behooves the subject to be modest, yet firm, in the presence of the ruler, even if he speak an angry word; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him, the author, of course, having in mind the absolute authority of Oriental monarchs. It is surely a proof of great wisdom if a person can so conduct himself before such a potentate as to hold his own, giving way neither to terror nor to obstinacy.
v. 4. Where the word of a king is, there is power, for so his rule is established; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
v. 5. Whoso keepeth the commandment, obeying the commands of the government in power as the representatives of God on earth, shall feel no evil thing, for naturally no punishment for transgression of the laws will strike him; and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment, he knows that there is a time of punishment upon every evil and therefore avoids transgressions.
v. 6. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man, namely, of him who disregards the truth and warning contained in this fact, is great upon him, be is visited with heavy misfortune.
v. 7. For he knoweth not that which shall be, since he neglected to heed the warning and did not properly weigh the consequences of his acts; for who can tell him when it shall be? The destiny of the judgment strikes such a person with great suddenness, because he has failed to note the accepted time and the day of salvation, 2Co_6:2.
v. 8. There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, no human being can hold and control the breath of life; neither hath he power in the day of death, he must yield up his life when it is required of him; and there is no discharge in that war, as in the case of military service, no one is exempt from obedience to the call which death sends forth; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it, the godless cannot hope to escape from the penalty of temporal and eternal death.