’To be or not to be?’ is a question that many have asked over the years. It is indeed a question that I have asked myself. When you think about it logically, if this life is all there is and nothing awaits beyond, then you could argue that there is a certain meaningless to all we do. Whether someone is successful or not here on earth, they just end up in nothingness and will soon be forgotten.
To counter this, many people say, ‘well, I find meaning in the aspects of my day to day life, work, family, relationships etc.’ This may be the case but the hard truth is that this is only a temporary meaning that doesn’t last. Indeed, a book has survived and comedown to us from ancient times which discusses this very problem. It is called ‘Ecclesiastes’ and after its opening sentence that presents to us the author of the book (a teacher, a son of David and a king) it presents to us the problem that we are all confronted with:
‘Meaningless, Meaningless!’ says the teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’
Not the best way to get people into reading your book, you might think! However, as often seems to be the case with ancient writings, this is actually a simple and brief introduction to what the author wants to talk about. ‘Couldn’t he have taken a more positive approach to things?’ I hear you cry. Well, actually, in at least one of his other books he did (just try reading song of song!). Anyway, once you get beyond this slightly depressing opening, the author of Ecclesiastes (i.e. the teacher) starts to explain how he’s come to his conclusion.
We learn in the following chapters that he has tried everything. In the first part of chapter two we see that he has indulged himself in all kinds of pleasure; he has drunken wine, undertaken all sorts of building projects, enjoyed various relationships, acquired possessions and position in society. Yet his conclusion is still that ‘everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun’.
In the second half of chapter two, we see that he has also tried hard work. Here, he also has some gripes, both that work (or toil as he puts it!) causes grief and pain and also is meaningless because one day he will be gone and who knows who will then benefit from all that he has done!
Here in this chapter 2 though, we see the first glimmer of hope and a solution to this problem of meaningless. After this musing on the meaningless of work, the teacher suddenly comes to a surprise conclusion; that a person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. How can this be if everything is meaningless?
Well, actually for the first time we see that the teacher offers a way of finding true meaning, and it’s from the hand of God (no nothing to do with Maradona!). It’s about the fact that God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness. Only sinners have the problem of meaninglessly gathering things to have to pass them on to others!
In the pages of the book, he muses on some of the situations that we face in life; wisdom and folly, oppression, life and death, loneliness and riches (supposedly, someone asked a rich man home much money is enough and he said, ‘One more dollar!’) He like any human being has different moments of reflection and struggle, but what’s interesting is the conclusion that he reaches fear God and keep His commandments.
So, when all is said and done this is what it is all about and what gives true meaning to our lives!
