Sunday School Lesson

Wisdom over Strength

Lesson Text: Ecclesiastes 9:11-18

Related Scriptures: Psalm 33:12-22; Ecclesiastes 2:12-16; 7:11-14; Proverbs 15:14-17; 16:32-17:1

TIME: between 971 and 931 B.C.

PLACE: Jerusalem

Golden Text – “Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless, the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard” (Ecclesiastes (9:16)

Introduction

          Do you have cynical, unbelieving family or coworkers? Ecclesiastes helps us step into their shoes for a moment and consider the world from a strictly “under the sun” perspective. When we do this, we see a world that is unpredictable and unfair.

          The people we would expect to succeed often do not. Ultimately, no amount of might, intelligence or riches can safeguard one from seemingly arbitrary events. Catastrophes occur haphazardly, and even if we are somehow able to avoid natural disaster, disease, and accidents, in the end we will still all die. Yet despite all this, wisdom has value, especially when we consider the Creator.

          Life is not pointless, as the author will later conclude (cf. (Ecc. 122). Reading the sections of Ecclesiastes that accurately portray and "under the sun" perspective should motivate us to love our unbelieving friends and family for whom life seems meaningless.

LESSON OUTLINE

1.   WISDOM AND CHANGE –

Eccl. 9:11-12

2.   WISDOM FORGOTTEN –

Eccl. 9: 13-16

3.   WISDOM’S VALUE –

Eccl. 9:17-18

QUESTIONS

1.   With what counterintuitive truths did the author of Ecclesiastes begin the passage?

2.   What varying truths do each of the different wisdom literature books emphasize?

3.   Why is Ecclesiastes 9:11’s reference to “chance” not concerning?

4.   How are we compared to fish or birds in this passage?

5.   What happens to all people, even the wise and powerful, after they die?

6.   Does wisdom have any benefits from a strictly under-the-sun perspective? Why?

7.   Why is wisdom greater than might?

8.   How can we ensure that we hear the quiet words of the wise?

9.   Why is wisdom greater than weapons of war?

10.  What two statements did the author make showing that a single individual can make a difference for good or bad in the world?

ANSWERS

1.   Although it is entertaining in sports uncertainty can be deeply frustrating in our daily lives. People who are deserving often receive recognition (cf. Prov. 22:29), but that is not always the case. Our hard work and preparation are not always rewarded, and we cannot always explain why things happen. We spend extra hours at work, our project succeeds, and then the wrong people get promoted, while we do not even receive a thank-you. The wise sometimes go hungry. The intelligent do not always prosper. We want to believe that if we work hard, we will be guaranteed success. But life does not always work out that way.

2.   Within the literature of the Old Testament, the book of Proverbs emphasizes the typical results of wise living, but even Proverbs acknowledge the exceptions (cf. 16:8). In contrast Job and Ecclesiastes emphasize that life does not always go as we might expect.

3.   Chance is part of an under-the-sun perspective, so it is included here. We cannot accurately predict the future, for seemingly random events happen to everyone. This verse does not pose a real contradiction with the rest of the Bible since it is presented as part of an under-the sun perspective.

4.   Just as a fish does not expect to be suddenly captured by a fisherman with a net and a bird does not expect to be snared, so we do not expect to die suddenly. Yet it is an unavoidable and unpredictable reality. No matter who we are or what precautions we take, we will all die unless Christ returns first.

5.   Even powerful, world-shaping people are quickly forgotten. The rest of us will be forgotten even more quickly.

6.   Even if we consider life from only an under-the-sun perspective and for the sake of argument assume that there is no life after death, we can see that wisdom has benefits, though they are fleeting. Wisdom is better than might. After all, as our text describes, it was through an old poor man’s wisdom that a tiny city was saved from a mighty king. Without his wisdom, the city would have fallen. His wisdom had benefits.

7.   Likewise in our lives, a little wisdom goes much further than a lot of thoughtless effort, no matter how mighty we may be. Although the adage “work smarter, not harder” is often used sarcastically today, there is some merit to it. If we use a dull ax, we must work much harder than if we use a sharp one (10:10). If we think before we act, we will not waste as much effort as if we had acted thoughtlessly. Or to consider it from a different angle, it does not matter how mighty a nation is if it is governed foolishly. Its economic and military advantages will quickly be wasted on foolish endeavors.

8.   Since the quiet words of the wise are better than the shouting of fools, we may need to learn to talk less. After all, if we are constantly shouting and sharing our opinions with everyone we meet, we may never stop long enough to listen to the words of the wise person we are talking over.

9.   Wisdom can lead to much greater prosperity than weapons of war. War leads to destruction, whereas wisdom leads to growth and flourishing. Though sometimes wars are necessary in our fallen world, they produce many casualties. War can lead to a nation’s growth but only at great cost to another nation, which loses everything the other takes. Wisdom can lead to blessing and growth that does not burden others.

10.   Even though wisdom can lead to growth and blessing, a single sinner can destroy much good. Hundreds of workers may spend months building a magnificent cathedral, but a single arsonist can destroy it in a night. Many people can faithfully labor for years to cultivate a healthy church, but a single leader who sins grievously can destroy the church’s reputation. It takes deliberate effort to build something well, but it is not just hard to destroy something. The teacher’s cynicism comes through a bit here, but we should not discount what he says. It is easier to destroy than it is to build. Yet the teacher just gave an example of a single man saving a city. Any individual can make a difference in the world, whether for good or for bad.