Bibliographic information:
McCabe, Robert V. “Navigating Life in a World that has Been Scarred by the Fall: Reflections on Ecclesiastes 9:7–10 and Living in a World of Suffering.” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 17 (Winter 2013): 56–71.
Description:
Description:
This article examines Ecclesiastes 9:7–10, which contains the carpe diem motif in connection with the an aspect of the hebel motif about death and to explain how this text links to the message of Ecclesiastes, and thus teaches us how to live realistically “under the sun.” After analyzing 9:7–10, it demonstrates how this text concatenates with the overall context of Ecclesiastes, including an examination of the antithetical nature of Ecclesiastes. The sage designs his work to reflect the paradoxes of life in a sin-cursed and fallen world. The nature of life “under the sun” hinders his search for meaning and purpose. Another facet of this placement focuses on how 9:7–10 functions in Ecclesiastes. After a brief synopsis of Qohelet’s message, three explanation of this passage’s function are summarized: the resignation, the celebration-of-life, and the culmination-in-celebrating-life views. This last view offers the best explanation since it shows how death in 9:1–12 provides a motivation for God’s people to celebrate life as a gift of God.
Publisher:
Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (website: http://www.sbts.edu/)