he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Picture a city that was attacked by a powerful king. The example of wisdom portrayed in verse 13 was observed by the author in many other instances. He was asserting that his observation was that the situation was an effect or a result of wisdom. In verse 14, the author referred to a city in a parable form, an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Probing the word parable, para means “alongside” and, therefore, a parable is a story that is placed alongside truth. It speaks of a man in the city who was wise, but because he was poor, his effort and contribution to the situation were easily forgotten. The whole point of the story identifies with the theme that runs prevalent throughout the book of Ecclesiastes—that of “vanity.” All of the efforts, work, and striving eventually end up meaning nothing. John Vernon McGee points out that wisdom is another name for Christ and that Christ came to the world as wisdom to save and deliver humankind, as did this man in the book of Ecclesiastes. Jesus came to the earth in poverty, and He said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20, NIV).
DISCUSSION STARTERS (Please review the appropriate student book’s related biblical exposition section.) • Faith Pathway (Adult) Question: We have heard the statement, “Wise beyond their years.” Would the writer’s parable have been believable if it had been about a child? Discuss our perceptions of age and wisdom. • Faith Journey (Young Adult) Question: What kinds of “hopeless” situations have you faced in your lifetime? Why have you deemed those situations as hopeless? How and where did you ultimately find help? Planning Notes: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
II. The Principle (Ecclesiastes 9:16)
NIV
16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded. 5 FAITH Series Teacher’s Guide
KJV
16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The thesis that wisdom is better than strength is shown in the illustration. However, there is a contrast and a paradox because it says, “The poor man’s wisdom is despised”—because people are generally vain and foolish and place greater value on outer signs of wealth than upon wisdom, which is more internal. The implication of this verse is clear; in fact, we see this dynamic being played out daily in our society. People who may have limited name recognition are discounted when it comes to giving interviews to the press or being invited to speak at high school or college/university graduations. The focus is usually on those persons who have accomplished “much” according to society’s estimation of what “much” is. Persons with limited resources and nonexistent societal accomplishments are ignored and overlooked. Such a state of affairs also exists in many of our churches. The persons whose words carry a lot of weight (perhaps in a business meeting) are those who are the “big givers” or who have an impressive “church-related” resume`. The joy of this entire experience is that God does not deal with humanity according to the world’s scheme of things.
DISCUSSION STARTERS
(Please review the appropriate student book’s related biblical exposition section.) • Faith Pathway (Adult) Question: In the book of Ecclesiastes, the writer did not offer solutions but posed penetrating questions. Why is society more interested in answers than questions? • Faith Journey (Young Adult) Question: Have you ever experienced a situation where you did your best to do a noteworthy job but no one remembered you? Has it happened to someone you know? Planning Notes: ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
III. The Triumph (Ecclesiastes 9:17-18)
NIV
17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.