Fate, suffering and God: the crisis of the belief in a moral world order in the book of Ecclesiastes
The collapse of the belief in a moral world order led Qoheleth neither to religious nor to ethical nihilism. We should misunderstand his manifoldly repeated admonition to use the futile day, his carpe diem, were we to interpret it as an expression of a bare and plain hedonism. In his great meditatio...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
SA ePublications
1986
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| In: |
Old Testament essays
Year: 1986, Volume: 4, Pages: 1-13 |
| IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament |
| Further subjects: | B
Ecclesiastes
B Faith |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | The collapse of the belief in a moral world order led Qoheleth neither to religious nor to ethical nihilism. We should misunderstand his manifoldly repeated admonition to use the futile day, his carpe diem, were we to interpret it as an expression of a bare and plain hedonism. In his great meditation on futility in chapter 8: 15- 9:6 he, or the first editor, added the advice to enjoy oneself during this fugitive life, 9:7-10: "Go, eat your bread in gladness and drink your wine in joy; since your action was long approved by God. Let your clothes be white at all time, and oil may not lack at your head. Enjoy your life with the woman you love all the days of your fugitive life that God has granted to you under the sun. For this is your share in your life and your toil which- is your companion under the sun. Everything your hand finds to do so with your full commitment; for there is neither doing nor making plans nor knowing nor understanding in the Underworld where you are on the way". This one and only life, as Qoheleth emphasises, is given to us. There is, according to his conviction, no other for them who fail it. And when God has decided to change our luck to calamity, illness and old age - foolish is the man, who would begin to lament: "Enjoy your happy days and in the bad reflect: The one no less than the other God has arranged - and then that afterwards man will not find anything". (7,14) Qoheleth's thought is a manly one. Accepting fate is for him accepting the decree of God. Accepting his finiteness is man's way to liberty. Out of fear of God he will act reasonably and not provoke his fate. We for ourselves may add:, Accepting finiteness is the way to experience God as our eternal refuge. Qoheleth did not have the language to articulate this. But I think we may be sure that he also had this experience. |
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| ISSN: | 2312-3621 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Old Testament essays
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| Persistent identifiers: | HDL: 10.10520/EJC-cfb37e3ec |