Ecclesiastes 2:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

You will come to understand the evils from which you have been rescued and the life you have embraced when you seek to validate our claims through experience; you will find assurance in the practice of your convictions. If you remain unconvinced, seek out those who once suffered under this bondage but were miraculously set free, and you will grasp the value of this encouragement. King Solomon, in his fascination with earthly pleasures, deemed them extraordinary and invested much in them, constructing grand edifices, amassing wealth, surrounding himself with musicians and myriad cooks and servants, indulging his passions for the beauty of nature and the allure of the flesh, essentially paving for himself a path to indulgence and enjoyment. However, upon gaining a moment of clarity, as if rising from a shadowy pit into the light of understanding, he declared: “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2). You too may arrive at such profound insight regarding superficial pleasures if you distance yourself even slightly from harmful habits. Moreover, Solomon, living in ancient times, had no strict obligation to possess wisdom, as the ancient laws did not prohibit luxury or label other forms of pleasure as excessive and futile; nevertheless, he recognized their futility and acknowledged their inherent vanity. We, however, are called to a higher standard of living, to pursue ultimate perfection, and to commit ourselves to the most significant endeavors; for what commandment is greater than to live as those who are spiritually elevated and incorporeal? Thus, is it not disgraceful and deserving of severe consequences to be less virtuous than Solomon, failing not only to transcend approved pleasures but also to indulge in those that are forbidden, which lead us into intense suffering?

To aspire to be equal with God—that is the lofty ambition this statement conveys! For “every work is the work of Him who is above all power,” as revealed in prophecy. Therefore, anyone who appropriates what belongs to God, granting their generation the power to be revered as lords over humanity, what else are they doing but boldly transgressing the very essence of creation, viewing themselves as superior to those beneath them? You seek to bring men—whose nature is one of freedom and self-governance—into servitude; you impose an order that stands in opposition to God’s will, corrupting the divine law He established for nature. For he who was designed to be ruler of the earth, over whom the Creator has granted authority, is subjected to the burden of servanthood, as if you were defying the divine ordinance. Have you forgotten the boundaries of governance, that your authority is confined to the oversight of the mute? It is declared, “let him have dominion over the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and the beasts of the earth.” Why then, having left your subjects in servitude, do you elevate yourself above those beings who are truly free, likening your fellow human to mere livestock or even lower creatures? “You have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands,” proclaims the Word in prophecy, listing the cattle, oxen, and sheep which are under his stewardship. Can you truly believe that humans originated from cattle? Is it in your view that oxen have given rise to humankind? One favor from God—this could only be for the voiceless. “He has provided grass for the cattle, and grain for the service of mankind”; yet, you have intermingled the notions of servitude and authority, making them serve you in a cycle of domination. For what, pray tell, price have you deemed worthy? Which creature have you discovered that matches this race? With what coin did you measure the intellect? How many denarii did you affix to the image of God? “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” And this being, shaped in God's image, as the sovereign of the earth, who has inherited dominion from the Almighty—tell me, who buys and who sells? Only God possesses the power to accomplish such transactions; indeed, better to assert that even He cannot. “For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.” Thus, our nature cannot be bound to the Creator, who has summoned us—those enslaved to sin—into liberation. But if God does not subjugate the free, who asserts dominion over Him? How can the prince of all creation, and all that exists, be bought? Certainly, the possessions of the one being purchased must be sold together. What value can be placed on all that is within the whole earth? If it cannot be quantified, then how can the one above it be given a price? Even when naming the entire world, you will not discover an adequate valuation. For He who governs knows precisely how to gauge the essence of humanity, declaring that even the whole world is an unworthy exchange for a human soul. Therefore, when a man is sold, nothing else is put forth in the marketplace but the sovereign of the earth. And thus, alongside him, the earth, the sea, the islands, and everything upon them will also be declared for sale. Now, what will the buyer pay? What shall the seller receive when such a trade accompanies the purchase? Yet the little book, the written instrument, the tally of coins have misled you, as if you had assumed mastery over the image of God. How foolish! If the contract is lost, if the writing fades due to moth or water, where are your assurances? Where are your rights to command? I see nothing above that which you have deemed your servant but a single name. For what power enhances your nature? Neither time nor advantage; for your birth is of the same lineage, and your manner of life remains unchanged, and you, the ruler, and they, the ruled, equally bear mental and physical passions, sufferings and joys, delights, worries, sorrows, and pleasures, disturbances and fears, ailments and mortality. There is no distinction in this between master and servant. Is it not the same air that is inhaled? Is it not the same view of the sun? Do they not both sustain their lives by consuming the same food? And are they not both returned to the same dust at death? Is there not a shared judgment? Is not the kingdom shared, and does not Gehenna also belong to all? In all things equal—tell me, in what do you have more, that you, being a man, should exalt yourself as the master of humanity? And “he draws,” you assert, “servants and slaves,” as though they were merely a herd of goats or pigs. For when he declared that he summoned “servants and slaves,” he referenced the multitude of sheep and cattle which he previously possessed: “And the flocks and herds—many belong to me,” says Ecclesiastes, implying they are all under his authority in the same measure.

There are also others within the realm of Ecclesiastes, resembling oxen and sheep in their straightforwardness and labor: these individuals, lacking comprehension of the Scriptures, toil within the Church but have not yet attained the honor of humanity or risen to the likeness of the Creator. It is noteworthy that there is no mention of the number of servants, maids, or household staff, whereas it states, 'I had many cattle and sheep.' This indicates that the Church is populated by more livestock than people, more sheep than servants, maids, and household staff. Furthermore, it concludes with the phrase, 'more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.' Solomon's greatness does not rest solely on being wealthier than one other king, his father, as Jerusalem was not yet established as a capital during Saul's reign; it remained under the control of the Jebusites. Thus, we must explore a deeper understanding of what Jerusalem represents and how Ecclesiastes surpassed all the kings prior to him in Jerusalem.

Just as addiction to wine weakens the body, so too do worldly distractions cause the soul to grow weary.

When someone regains their senses after drinking, they feel regret and shame for having indulged excessively, acted recklessly, and harmed themselves while perhaps amusing others. Likewise, a Christian who becomes aware of their true state feels remorse and sorrow, repenting for pursuing worldly desires at the expense of genuine goodness, grieving the waste of their previous days. They come to understand the futility and emptiness in which they have lived. This realization mirrors the confession of Solomon, who after recognizing his own vanity, said: “I have undertaken great things: I built myself houses, I planted myself vineyards, I made myself gardens and groves, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; I made myself reservoirs to irrigate from them the groves that produced the trees; I bought myself slaves and maidservants, and I had households; I also had more cattle and cattle than all that were before me in Jerusalem; I gathered to myself silver and gold and jewels from kings and provinces; I had singers and singers, and the pleasures of the sons of men, cupbearers and cupbearers. And I became great, and obtained wisdom greater than all that were before me in Jerusalem: and my wisdom abideth with me. And whatever my eyes desired, I did not refuse them, nor did I forbid my heart any mirth; for my heart rejoiced in all my labours, and this was my portion of all my labours. And I looked back upon all my works which my hands had wrought, and upon the labour with which I laboured in doing them: and behold, all was vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:4-11).

Thus, dear Christian, when you awaken from the soul-destroying state of intoxication with worldly delights, you will come to understand that everything you have done, thought, and planned is ultimately futile. What once appeared beautiful will reveal itself as ugly, and what seemed good will unveil its true evil nature. You will recognize that all is vanity. It may seem to hold value, but upon closer inspection, you will find nothing at its core; what seems sweet will turn out to be bitter. Just as a person recovering from drunkenness ought to drink plenty of water to dispel the heat of the wine, so too should you, Christian, contemplate the following truths: reflect frequently on death, the Last Judgment of Christ before whom all will stand, the blissful eternity awaiting those who love God, and the sorrowful fate that awaits those who are attached to this world and all sinners. By inundating your thoughts with these realities, you will quench the intoxication that resides in your heart. Indeed, I assure you that if you meditate more on these truths, the vanities of this world will soon vacate your mind! You will seek tears and lamentation rather than joy, becoming content with simple sustenance and modest dwellings over opulence and pleasure, viewing all worldly beauty as lifeless.

When people pursue empty desires and indulge in the fleeting whims of this world, they often forget eternity and its implications. This forgetfulness is instigated by Satan, the enemy of our souls, so that individuals neglect their eternal salvation, which Christ, the Son of God, made attainable through His suffering and sacrifice. Remember, beloved Christian, to recall and reflect on eternity. This contemplation will lead you to clarity and a sound mind, causing you to regard the ephemeral allure of this world as worthless. That is the essence of Christian wisdom! Your soul, for which Christ, the Son of God, endured pain and death, is far more valuable than anything earthly. Nurture it well, so it can find salvation. The image of God in which we were created embodies the utmost beauty of the soul. Pursue this beauty through genuine repentance and faith. If found here, it will endure forever. If not discovered during this life, it will be lost eternally. “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 John 2:17).

However, while there is emptiness in both sensual pleasures and intellectual pursuits, and indeed in all facets of human existence, it does not mean that one should surrender to chaos or moral looseness. Rather, a balanced approach should be embraced—integrating knowledge with enjoyment and recognizing that all such gifts come from God and are meant for the righteous. The ability to relish life is ultimately contingent upon divine will. Since God distinguishes between good and evil based on the moral character of individuals, the guiding principle in life emerges: to live virtuously while also enjoying the fruits of knowledge and pleasure. This principle is validated by the understanding that all things possess only relative worth, and nothing is inherently good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, but rather varies in significance according to the context of the moment.