Commentary - Ecclesiastes 7:11-12

Bird's-eye view

The Preacher, having taken us through the vanity of life under the sun, is not a nihilist. He is a realist, but a godly realist. He understands that while all is vapor, God still gives good gifts to be enjoyed and stewarded in this life. These two verses are a compact statement on godly practicality. Solomon is weighing the relative merits of two very good things, wisdom and wealth, and he finds that while both have their place, one is surpassingly better. He begins by noting that the ideal situation is to have both. Wisdom accompanied by an inheritance is a decided good. He then compares them, noting that both wisdom and money offer a kind of temporal protection. But he concludes by showing the ultimate advantage of wisdom. Money can protect your estate, but wisdom can preserve your very life. As with everything in Ecclesiastes, the point is to drive us to fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. And the ultimate wisdom, we know, is Christ Himself.

Outline

Context In Ecclesiastes

Coming in the middle of the book, this section of Ecclesiastes applies the foundational truths established earlier. Solomon has already demonstrated that everything under the sun, when pursued as an end in itself, is vanity (Eccl. 1-2). He has also established the absolute sovereignty of God over all of life's times and seasons (Eccl. 3). Now, he is giving practical instruction on how to live in this sovereignly governed, vaporous world. These verses are part of a series of proverbial statements that contrast various things: good days and bad (7:14), the righteous and the wicked (7:15), and here, wisdom and money. The Preacher is not counseling despair, but rather a robust, God-fearing realism. He wants us to see the world as it is, with all its frustrations and limitations, and to receive it all as a gift from God, to be navigated with heavenly wisdom.

Verse by Verse Commentary

Ecclesiastes 7:11

"Wisdom along with an inheritance is good..."

The Preacher starts with the best-case scenario. It is a good thing for a man to have wisdom. And it is a good thing for a man to have an inheritance. But the two of them together, now that is a significant good. Why? Because an inheritance without wisdom is a quick way to ruin. Proverbs warns us that "an inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed" (Prov. 20:21). Money needs a master, and if wisdom is not that master, folly will be. An inheritance provides the resources, the platform, the leverage. But wisdom provides the skill, the knowledge, and the character to use it properly. Wealth gives a man a loud voice, but wisdom tells him what to say. So wisdom with an inheritance is good because the wisdom directs the inheritance toward godly ends, and the inheritance gives the wisdom a greater sphere of influence.

"And an advantage to those who see the sun."

This is a classic Solomonic phrase, "those who see the sun." It simply means the living. For those of us who are still walking around on this earth, this combination of wisdom and wealth is a real benefit. It is a temporal advantage. In the grave, your portfolio is irrelevant. But here, under the sun, it matters. This is not pie-in-the-sky spirituality that pretends material things are of no consequence. God made the material world and called it good. Money is a tool, and it is an advantage to have good tools. But notice, it is an advantage for the living. The Preacher is always reminding us of our mortality, which has a way of putting all our earthly advantages in their proper context. This advantage is for now, not for eternity. It is a stewardship, not a final possession.

Ecclesiastes 7:12

"For wisdom is a shadow of protection as money is a shadow of protection..."

Here the Preacher draws a parallel. He says both wisdom and money provide a defense, a shade, a shadow of protection. Think of the hot Palestinian sun. A shadow is a welcome relief, a place of safety and comfort. Money can certainly provide this. If your roof leaks, money can hire a roofer. If you are sued unjustly, money can hire a lawyer. If a famine comes, money can buy the grain stored up. It is a buffer against many of the calamities of life. In the same way, wisdom is a defense. Wisdom keeps a man from foolish risks. It teaches him to see trouble coming and avoid it. It guides him in how to answer a fool, how to deal with a contentious neighbor, and how to order his household. Both offer a kind of practical, earthly security. They are like a wall around a man's life. But notice the word "shadow." A shadow is not the substance. It is a temporary relief, dependent on the object casting it and the light shining. These protections are real, but they are not ultimate.

"And the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its masters."

And here is the pivot. After acknowledging the parallel, Solomon immediately shows the profound difference. The advantage, the profit, the real dividend of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who possess it. Money can protect you from many things, but it cannot give you life. In fact, the love of it is the root of all kinds of evil, leading many to destruction (1 Tim. 6:10). But true wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord (Prov. 9:10), leads to life. Money can buy you a security system, but wisdom can keep you from being the kind of fool who needs one. Money can buy you the best doctors, but wisdom is a tree of life (Prov. 3:18). This preservation of life is not just about avoiding an early grave through foolishness. In the grand biblical sense, it points toward eternal life. The ultimate wisdom is Jesus Christ, "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). He is the one who preserves our lives not just from temporal harm, but from the second death. Money is a good servant but a terrible master. Wisdom, true wisdom found in Christ, is the master that serves us by giving us life itself.

Application

The application for us is straightforward. First, we are to pursue wisdom as the principal thing. If you have to choose between being rich and foolish or poor and wise, the choice is a simple one for the believer. Seek wisdom, which is to say, seek Christ. Immerse yourself in His Word. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of this wisdom. So start there. Fear God, honor Him, and obey His commandments.

Second, do not despise material blessings like an inheritance or money. They are gifts from God and can be a great good when stewarded by wisdom. If God has blessed you with resources, see them as a platform for your wisdom to stand on. Use them for the glory of God, the good of your family, and the extension of the kingdom. Don't trust in them, because they are a mere shadow of protection. Trust in the Lord who gives them.

Finally, understand the limits of money and the ultimate power of wisdom. Money can do many things, but it cannot solve your ultimate problem, which is sin and death. Only the wisdom of God, displayed in the foolishness of the cross, can do that. Wisdom preserves your life, not just your lifestyle. Therefore, in all your getting, get wisdom. Get Christ. For to have Him is to have life, and to have life is to have everything.