The Vanity of Wisdom
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18, 2:12-17
Main Idea: Wisdom under the sun is limited, so we must pursue wisdom from above in the fear of the Lord.
I. The Quest of Wisdom
In light of the ‘vanity’ (1:2; lit.: smoke) of life, the Preacher begins a quest “by wisdom” to search out “all that is done under heaven.” He has a unique privilege to explore why our experience in this world is the way that it is.
“Imagine someone with the wealth of Warren Buffet, the business sense and savvy of Jay-Z, sprinkled with the prestige of Oprah, and topped off with the power and respect of your favorite president. He's all that and more. And this rings true of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes. Not only does he have great wisdom, but he has access to anything and everything under the sun.” ~ John Onwuchekwa
The allure of this quest is a kind of wisdom and knowledge that grasps for control, able to explain away the vanity we experience. This quest has its roots in the fall of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden (cf. Gen. 3:5).
This pursuit ends up being an “unhappy business” and a “striving after the wind.” God “gives” this kind of pursuit to mankind not so that we might gain control over the world or solve all of its problems, but rather that we might embrace the vanity of life under the sun.
II. The Limits of Wisdom
Ecclesiastes (and the rest of the Bible) consistently affirms the value of true wisdom. But although there is “more to gain in wisdom than folly” (2:13), the Preacher runs into 3 limitations on his quest:
Wisdom can’t change the curse (1:15)
Wisdom can’t explain the enigma (1:16-17)
Wisdom can’t defeat death (2:14-16)
In the face of these limitations, the Preacher comes to an honest place of lament. As his wisdom increased, so did his vexation and sorrow with the world (1:18); as he saw all the grievous things under the sun, he hated life itself (2:17). Though this language might make us uncomfortable, it is an expression of true wisdom.
“The wise learn not to fear revealing what is true about their despair or hatred. God’s character and covenant anchor their voice and make every feeling and thought, no matter how beautiful or foul, a matter of prayer for God to enter… The wise learn to manage life, not by frantically trying to glue together the knocked-over vase, but by gathering all the shattered jagged pieces and powdered dust from the floor and bringing them to God.” ~ Zack Eswine
III. The Enjoyment of Wisdom
When we realize the vanity of wisdom for wisdom’s sake alone, we are in a position to pursue and enjoy a true wisdom that lasts. This is marked by:
The Fear of the Lord (cf. 7:16-18; Prov. 1:7).
Embracing Limitations & Enjoying Life
“Living under the sun, believers are happy to take comfort in knowing that they do not know. We learn, perhaps through great pain, to be deeply content with not knowing. To know all there is about everything there is to know, to know it in all ways and at all the right times so that I have every bit of relevant data in front of me, well, that is the kind of control over the world that Ecclesiastes has been teaching me to surrender. I cannot know, and so I don't have to know… The wisest thing you can do is to realize that not even being wise will tell you everything you want to know.” ~ David Gibson
Pursuing Wisdom from Above (cf. James 3:13-18). This kind of wisdom that is “pure, gentle, peaceable, and open to reason, full of mercy, sincere, and impartial” is seen supremely in the wisdom of God incarnate, Jesus Christ (Mt. 12:42).
