The Solomon Project: Ecclesiastes 7:25-29

Please see earlier blogs for the rationale behind these posts. Solomon continues on in the search for wisdom and finding its limitations. This section deals with the human component of wisdom.

Have you ever wondered how it is that some people can be so intelligent in factual and logical data but seemingly devoid of any logic or reason when it comes to living life emotionally appropriate and strategically executed. The limitations of wisdom here are seen to be humans themselves.

Verse 7:25 says: "So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly." (Eccle 7:25). The author was going to devote himself to "understand," to "investigate," to "search." and come full circle to "understanding" again. He is going to explore both the positive and negative aspects of wisdom. Solomon has admitted the limitations of wisdom (23-24) but is going to pursue it any way.

Verse 26 says: "I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare." (Eccle 7:26) In his search he tells us what he has found. The first thing is a woman who is a snare. Lord knows that if anyone knew about women being snares Solomon would. He tells us he had a harem in 2:8. Other sources tell us that he had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines (2 Ki 11:3-4). It also tells us that they had a negative influence upon his spiritual life. On the outset it would appear that Solomon has turned into a misogynist. However 9:9 commands those under the sun to enjoy their wife (conversely husband as well). Thus Solomon has a particular kind of woman in mind here. This woman who is a snare here epitomizes folly, stupidity and wickedness. She is an embodiment of foolishness. Solomon has in mind here the way of wisdom and the way of foolishness. Those who please God, following his commands will comprehend the folly of falling prey to this woman. The book of Proverbs is replete with commands and illustrations concerning falling prey to seductive women.

Verse 27 says: ""Look," says the Teacher, "This is what I have discovered: "Adding one thing to another to discover the schemes of things--" (Eccle 7:27) Solomon tells us how he went about arriving at his conclusions by adding observations together.

Verse 28 goes on: "While I was searching but not finding--I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all." (Eccle 7:28) However this verse is understood it has rather misogynistic implications. Solomon is reflecting his culture at this point and the fact that he is viewing this phenomenon as "under the sun." This was a partiarchal culture in which he wrote.

He found this truth as he was searching for wisdom. I think it is important to recognize that his search was for wisdom from the standpoint of wisdom (23). He would never have been able to reach these conclusions about human nature if he did not approach the folly of sinners through the wisdom framework. Solomon's observations are in the context of wisdom. the term "upright" is added for clarity in the NIV. The context must supply the necessary term here.

Verse 29 states: "This only have I found: God made man upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes." (Eccle 7:29) Man here should be taken as mankind. This verse hearkens back to the beginnings of Genesis and the creation of mankind. The account of mankind is that they fell into sin and as a result were irrevocably marred and separated from God. The conclusion is that mankind has gone in search of many schemes. "Calculations" is another term that could suffice here.

And for those who suffer from addiction and compulsivity? This passage certainly has implications for those who suffer from sexual addiction. Fearing God will keep one from the seductive woman. the sinner falls prey to her. There is an air of finality about this. Seduction, acting out, out of control behavior all carry a flavor of foolishness and violation of God's laws. Those who are sexually addicted are deluded by a perception that they are strong, almost omnipotent, beyond the rules and consequences. Living close to the edge only heightens the adrenaline rush. In reality they are deluded. sinners, and on the path of the foolish.

We are the problem. searching for wisdom, while inexhaustible, will show us the true nature of humanity. We are a sinful lot, corrupt and scheming, whether it be 0 in a thousand or 1 in a thousand. We are desperately in need of the help of our higher power to restore us to sanity. I end with this quote from Jean Paul Sartre: "It disturbs me no more to find men base, unjust, or selfish then to see apes mischievous, wolves savage, or the vulture ravenous." Sobriety and recovery strike at the heart of the problem. This is a spiritual journey. We turn our will and our lives over to the care of God. Step four involves determining the scheming that has gone on in our lives, both by ourselves and others. We started out upright but have gone in search of many schemes. We pray for clarity as we move through recovery seeking guidance from our higher power.

Our time is up for today. Keep coming back it works if you work it and you're worth it!