Themes of Work, Pleasure, Time, and Mortality in Ecclesiastes

Introduction

The Book of Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth) is perhaps the most existential of all biblical texts. Having framed his reflections with the haunting refrain, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2), Qoheleth explores in detail the fundamental experiences of human existence: work, pleasure, time, and mortality. These themes are not peripheral but central to his search for meaning. Work consumes human energy, pleasure provides fleeting joy, time imposes boundaries, and mortality renders all achievements temporary.

This lesson explores these four themes in detail. We will analyze how Qoheleth treats each, compare his perspectives with wider wisdom traditions, and reflect on the theological implications for ancient Israel and contemporary faith.

The Theme of Work

The Burden of Toil

Qoheleth often laments the futility of human labor. “What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun?” (1:3). The Hebrew word amal (toil) conveys hardship, burden, and frustration. Despite a lifetime of effort, nothing ultimately endures.

In 2:18–23, Qoheleth despairs that all his work must be left to someone else, who may be wise or foolish. “This too is vanity.” Labor produces goods but cannot secure permanence.

Work as a Gift

Yet Qoheleth also affirms the goodness of work: “There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil” (2:24). Work is not ultimate, but it is a daily gift from God. Meaning is not in securing legacy but in embracing the present.

Theological Tension

Ecclesiastes oscillates between critique and affirmation. Work cannot deliver ultimate meaning, but when received as a divine gift, it offers real (if limited) joy.

The Theme of Pleasure

Experiments in Pleasure

In 2:1–11, Qoheleth recounts his quest for pleasure: laughter, wine, great projects, wealth, music, concubines. He denies himself nothing. Yet his conclusion: “All was vanity and a chasing after wind” (2:11). Pleasure is fleeting and cannot resolve existential questions.

The Ambiguous Good of Pleasure

Qoheleth is not anti-pleasure. He repeatedly commends eating, drinking, and enjoyment as appropriate responses to life (3:12–13; 9:7). But he insists on their provisionality. Pleasure is good but cannot be idolized.

Pleasure as Gift, Not Goal

Pleasure becomes meaningful only when received as gift from God, not pursued as an end in itself. Qoheleth anticipates Paul’s admonition that God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Tim. 6:17).

The Theme of Time

The Famous Poem (Eccl. 3:1–8)

The poem beginning “For everything there is a season” (3:1) captures Qoheleth’s vision of time’s rhythms: birth and death, planting and uprooting, weeping and laughing. Human life is shaped by these appointed times, which lie beyond human control.

Time and Eternity (3:9–15)

Qoheleth observes that God has “put eternity in the human heart, yet they cannot find out what God has done from beginning to end” (3:11). This paradox is profound: humans long for eternal perspective but remain bound by temporal limits.

The Tyranny and Gift of Time

Time can feel oppressive, since humans cannot control it. Yet it is also a gift, structuring life’s joys and sorrows. The call is to embrace life’s seasons with reverence.

The Theme of Mortality

The Fate of All

Death is the great equalizer: “The fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other” (3:19). Qoheleth insists that all return to dust. Wealth, wisdom, and toil cannot escape mortality.

Death and Meaninglessness

The inevitability of death intensifies the sense of futility. Why labor or accumulate if all ends in the grave? In 9:5, Qoheleth notes starkly: “The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing.”

Death and the Call to Joy

Yet mortality leads not to nihilism but to joy. Since life is fleeting, one must embrace it: “Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do” (9:7). Death renders life precious, urging gratitude and joy in the present.

Integration: Living with Tension

Qoheleth holds these themes in tension: work, pleasure, time, and mortality are all marked by futility, yet all can be received as gifts. The theological resolution lies not in human achievement but in reverence for God. Ecclesiastes concludes: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for that is the whole duty of everyone” (12:13).

Comparative Context

Egyptian Harper’s Songs

These songs urge enjoyment of life in light of death: “Make holiday, do not weary of it! See, there is no one allowed to take his goods with him.” Qoheleth shares this realism but situates joy in God’s sovereignty.

Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh, after failing to gain immortality, is told: “Fill your belly with good things… cherish the little child that holds your hand.” The parallels with Ecclesiastes are striking, though Qoheleth emphasizes God’s hand behind these gifts.

Contemporary Relevance

1. Work: In a culture of overwork, Ecclesiastes relativizes labor. Work is good but not ultimate.

2. Pleasure: In a consumerist society, the text critiques hedonism while affirming joy as gift.

3. Time: In an age of anxiety, it calls for acceptance of life’s seasons.

4. Mortality: In a death-denying culture, it urges realism and gratitude.

Ecclesiastes’ vision is countercultural: life is fleeting, but within its limits, joy is possible through reverence for God.

Suggested Assignments

1. Exegetical Essay: Analyze Ecclesiastes 2:1–11 in 3,500 words. How does Qoheleth evaluate pleasure?

2. Research Project: Write a 4,000-word paper on Ecclesiastes 3:1–15. How does its theology of time challenge modern views of progress?

3. Comparative Study: Compare Ecclesiastes 9:1–10 with the Egyptian Harper’s Songs in a 3,500-word essay.

4. Theological Reflection: In 3,000 words, reflect on how mortality shapes Christian spirituality. How does Ecclesiastes’ realism inform hope in resurrection?

5. Creative Assignment: Compose a reflective essay (2,500 words) imagining a dialogue between Qoheleth and a modern workaholic, exploring tensions around work, pleasure, and time.

References

Crenshaw, J. L. (1987). Ecclesiastes: A commentary. Westminster John Knox Press.
Fox, M. V. (1989). Qohelet and his contradictions. Sheffield Academic Press.
Longman, T. (1998). The book of Ecclesiastes. Eerdmans.
Seow, C. L. (1997). Ecclesiastes: A new translation with introduction and commentary. Doubleday.
Whybray, R. N. (1989). Ecclesiastes. Eerdmans.