the Third Week of Advent
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Bible Commentaries
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary Haydock's Catholic Commentary
The Futility of Human Endeavors and Life.Chapter 2
The Pursuit of Pleasure and Wisdom's Vanity.Chapter 3
A Time for Everything; Divine Purpose.Chapter 4
The Advantages of Companionship and the Futility of Toil.Chapter 5
Warnings about Wealth, Vows, and Divine Justice.Chapter 6
The Vanity of Wealth and Human Dissatisfaction.Chapter 7
Wisdom in Adversity and the Limitations of Human Understanding.Chapter 8
The Mysteries of Justice and the Futility of Human Control.Chapter 9
Life's Unpredictability and the Value of Wisdom.Chapter 10
The Effects of Folly and Wisdom in Leadership.Chapter 11
Encouragement to Enjoy Life and Invest Wisely.Chapter 12
The Conclusion: Fear God and Keep His Commandments.
- Ecclesiastes
by George Leo Haydock
ECCLESIASTES.
INTRODUCTION.
This Book is called Ecclesiastes, or the preacher, (in Hebrew, Coheleth) because in it Solomon, as an excellent preacher, setteth forth the vanity of the things of this world, to withdraw the hearts and affections of men from such empty toys. (Challoner) --- Coheleth is a feminine noun, to indicate the elegance of the discourse. It is very difficult to discriminate the objections of free-thinkers from the real sentiments of the author. It is most generally supposed that Solomon wrote this after his repentance; but this is very uncertain. St. Jerome (in chap. xii. 12.) informs us that the collectors of the sacred books had some scruple about admitting this; and Luther speaks of it with great disrespect: (Coll. conviv.) but the Church has always maintained its authority. See Conc. v. Act. 4. Philast. 132. (Calmet) --- It refutes the false notions of worldlings, concerning felicity; and shews that it consists in the service of God and fruition. (Worthington)
