Bible Commentaries
Ecclesiastes 4

Verse 9

Two Are Better Than One

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

9 Two are better than one;

because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his companion:

but woe to him who is alone when he falls;

for he has no one to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm:

but how can one be warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered by another,

two can withstand him;

and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; The New King James Bible)

Introduction:

1. Following a period of dissatisfaction with marriage there is now a growing trend of respect for the Biblical arrangement of marriage.

2. Still far too many marriages are ending in divorce. There is evident something serious is happening between "here comes the bride" and "here comes the judge."

3. The strength and value of marriage can be seen in this passage.

"Two are better than one: because they have a good reward for their labour." Why are two better than one?

1. Support

1. Two are better than one because you have someone to support you and someone you can support. V. 10.

2. The importance of the home in this "dog eat dog" age.

2. Share

1. Two can be better than one because we have someone to share with. Verse 11 says, "Furthermore if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?" (NASV)

a. A basic purpose of marriage is intimacy (Genesis 2:24).

2. Do you recall the sharing of decisions in the beginning? How wonderful and helpful.

3. Strengthen

1. Two are better than one because there is strength in numbers. (cf. Verse 12 "And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him." NASV). Ecclesiastes 4:12

2. Marriage provides strength for facing the dilemmas of life.

3. Marriage provides strength for avoiding the deception of life.

4. Marriage provides strength for fulling the demands of life.

Conclusion: