The Ancient Cure for 'Is This Really It?' |
I recently listened to a podcast about Ecclesiastes — the most philosophical book in the Bible — and found myself thinking: This ancient teacher sounds like he has been reading Plato.
A note on who we are talking about. Most people think of Ecclesiastes as a book title, but it is actually the title of the author. The Hebrew is Qoheleth, from qahal, "to assemble" — the Gatherer, the one who convenes people to hear wisdom. The Greek Ekklēsiastēs translates this from ekklēsia, the assembly of citizens. When I say "Ecclesiastes," I mean the teacher, not just the text — just as I mean "Plato" the teacher, not just the dialogues. We are comparing two ancient teachers who independently arrived at the same conclusions about the human mind.
The Three-Verse Summary
Ecclesiastes can be distilled into three movements.
First, the diagnosis: "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit" (1:14). Ecclesiastes has pursued pleasure, wealth, wisdom, and accomplishment. Having withheld nothing from himself, he reports back: It does not deliver what it promises. The Hebrew word hevel, translated "vanity," literally means vapor. Not that things are worthless, but that you cannot grip them.
Second, the response: "Whatsoever thy........