Old Testament chapter 23
What did the teacher conclude after considering all of the oppression?
1. those who have died are better off 2. those who are not born yet are even more better off
What are the only human endeavors with meaning?
Walking in God's ways and obeying His will this is everyone's duty
What has the teacher witnessed?
a righteous man perishing in his righteousness a wicked man living long in his wickedness
While we are alive, what can we do?
be happy and do good
What is the teacher's best advice?
eat, drink, and be satisfied with the work during the few days of life God has given
What is Qohelet's purpose?
it forms a literary envelope for the whole book all is vanity
according to Qohelet Life, when is life meaningless?
life without trust in God
What does Song of Songs celebrate?
love shared between husband and wife
What does the teacher lament?
that death is inevitable
Why are we placed here?
to have a relationship with God regardless of our circumstances
The Israelites recognized human sexuality as part of what?
God's wonderful creation
What must we take note of?
God's word contains graphic reminders of our mortality
What is the typological model of the Song of Songs?
Old Testament events are historical corresponding New Testament parallel is primary in meaning illustrates God's intimate, covenant bond with his people
connections between the Book of Ecclesiastes and Solomon
Solomon was the human stimulus for much of the wisdom literature historical connection between both he was the author of some of the wisdom literature
How is the Song of Songs similar to the Books of Psalms and Proverbs?
Song of Songs appears to be preceded by smaller collections of love poetry the Book of Psalms was preceded by smaller collections of praise hymns the Book of Proverbs were preceded by smaller collections of wisdom sayings
It is better to take the Song of Songs as what?
a collection of love songs with no particular plot or story line
What does Qohelet warn against?
a life caught in the pursuit of absurd and empty pleasures that have no lasting value life without God at the center is meaningless
Some scholars have taken the Song of Songs to be what?
a love triangle drama Solomon is trying to seduce a simple beautiful girl away from her shepherd boyfriend others have seen it as a two person drama the shepherd and king are the same person there is no indication it was a drama
the stillborn child is better off than whom?
a person who lives a life of disappointment
What does the Book of Ecclesiastes reflect?
a time of despair
What is the Song of Songs about?
about awakening love written in two parts, the man's and the woman's and choral responses sprinkled throughout
According to the teacher, what is meaningless?
achievements wealth companionship rising from poverty
In what sense are we no better off than the animals?
all breathe the same air, and expect to die one day
What is the theme of 8:9-9:10?
all share a common destiny the righteous and the wicked the good and the bad the clean and the unclean those who offer sacrifices, and those who do not
it is more likely that the author of Song of Songs was whom?
an admirer of Solomon's successes and a supporter of the wisdom literature traditions
the unit 9:11-12:8 in Ecclesiastes begins with what?
an assertion about the uncertainties of life time and chance happen to them all
How does the teacher view life's activities?
as meaningless religion and wealth fail to add meaning to life
How does Solomon summarize all his pursuits?
as total vanity "chasing after the wind"
Song of Songs transports the marital relationship back to where?
back to pre-fall Garden of Eden husband and wife enjoy each other with no inhibitions
Why does wisdom not make life meaningful?
because it goes unnoticed
Why have many scholars concluded the Book of Song of Songs is not a single song?
because of a lack of unity it is an anthology of many different poems woven together
Why is it useless to hope for better?
because the future holds no guarantees
Why do the pronouns switch back and forth in the Song of Songs?
because the individual units were originally independent
What does the Book of Ecclesiastes acknowledge?
circumstances of life sometimes makes faith difficult
What is God's gift to us?
eat, drink, and find satisfaction in our work
What must we enjoy and understand?
enjoy God's wonderful creation understand that everything God has done is intended to lead us to revere and serve Him
What is our only consolation?
enjoyment of our labor
What does the book of Ecclesiastes teach us?
even fame is no guarantee of a meaningful life
What is the Book of Ecclesiastes theme?
everything is meaningless
"vanity of vanities" means?
everything is utterly meaningless
When all the trivial layers of life are stripped away, what is left?
fearing God and enjoying life
What does Ecclesiastes demonstrate?
how faith can triumph over doubt
What is arbitrary and unpredictable?
human power
The Song of Songs provides a point of contact between what?
human sexuality and biblical faith
What is the teacher's conclusion?
humanity is dependent on God fear God, and keep his commandments
What do Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs depict?
important aspects of life in ancient Israel that relate to universal experiences
How is God's image refected?
in our intimate human relationships
What unity does the Song of Songs contain?
it is highly repetitious consistent character portrayal common themes
What is the Allegorical model of the Song of Songs?
it relates a hidden meaning it assumes it is also God's intimate relationship with His people it does not accept a historical basis
What type of narrative plot does the Song of Songs have?
its narrative plot is not consistent
How do we define fearing God?
keeping His commandments
Ecclesiastes is a collection of what?
of a variety of literary types a) poetry b) narrative c) proverbial sayings d) brief meditatons
Many Jewish interpreters have taken the Song of Songs as an allegory of what?
of the love between Yahweh and Israel
How has the editor of the Song of Songs arranged the poems?
poems with similar themes were drawn together and arranged by content and catchwords
What does chapter 10 of Ecclesiastes contain?
practical sayings about the futility of human endeavors
What does not save?
righteousness
The presence of Ecclesiastes in the Bible is evidence of what?
that our faith welcomes closer scrutiny
What does the Book of Ecclesiastes teach us?
that questions or doubts need to be grappled with honestly this leads to stretching our faith and leading us to deeper faith commitments
What does the Song of Songs signify?
the best of songs
What does the authorship of Ecclesiastes center around?
the book's unique language
What affirms that the variety of times and seasons are set by God?
the catalog of times
What is better than the day of birth?
the day of death
What is the sure foundation for building one's life?
the fear of God
Why is it no longer possible to hold to a late, postexile date for the Book of Ecclesiastes?
the grammar and vocabulary do not appear to be postexilic
Those who live in the royal court must learn to live with what?
the inevitable abuse of power
Christian scholars have often accepted the Song of Songs as praising what?
the love between Christ and the church
"song of songs" means?
the most beautiful of all songs
Everyone can relate to what in the Song of Songs?
the need for human love
What does Ecclesiastes teach?
the only hope of enduring the present is to fear and obey God
Ecclesiastes & Song of Songs conclude the Old Testament section of the canon known as?
the poetical books
Why does Ecclesiastes reflect a time of despair?
the promises of the covenant seem far distant the glories of national Israel forgotten the shining hope of the prophets lost
In the midst of the desperation what did the poet discover?
the rich truths proclaimed in the other wisdom books of the Old Testament (Job and Proverbs)
Everyone can relate to what in Ecclesiastes?
the struggle of faith
What does the literary form of X of X indicate?
the superlative it intensifies an idea
Why was the teacher despaired of hope?
the teacher considered all the oppression under the sun
Together with Job and Proverbs, Ecclesiastes balances what?
the wisdom view of life
Song of Songs pays homage to what?
the wonder and majesty of monogamous sexual love when that love is intensely pursued with honor and faithfulness
After the teacher concludes there is no justice to be had, what does the teacher declare?
there is nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves
What do the variety of literary types in Ecclesiastes share?
they all share a common theme life, and our preoccupation with temporal things, is meaningless
The individual poems of the Song of Songs share what?
they appear to share a similar structure
Why do scholars believe the book of Ecclesiastes have a late date, maybe the third century b.c.?
they believe the book was affected by later Aramaic influences and it has other linguistic peculiarities
To obey God is to do what?
to be truly human and reach our greatest potential as part of His creation
Part of the Song of Songs may have been written for what>
to honor one of King Solomon's weddings
What is our only goal in life?
to live in relationship with God
even though our understanding is limited, what does the teacher call us to do?
to take action to not stand still
What does the Book of Song of Songs testify to?
to the mutual complimentary of man and woman it affirms the sanctity of marriage approves of erotic heterosexual love within marriage
What is the most logical conclusion regarding the meaning of the Song of Songs?
two young lovers rejoicing in the splendor of their royal occaison
Ecclesiastes motto
vanity and meaninglessness everything is utterly meaningless work accomplishments are meaningless
What does Ecclesiastes translate from?
Qohelet one leading an assembly or a preacher or a teacher