Vanity of Vanities
Passage: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
The Preacher opens with his theme.
Overview
'Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?' Generations come and go; 'there is no new thing under the sun.'
Going deeper
'Under the sun' means life viewed from earth only. The book exposes the limits of everything apart from God.
Key verses (KJV)
- Ecclesiastes 1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
- Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
From the commentaries
2. The theme proposed of the first part of his discourse. Vanity of vanities—Hebraism for the most utter vanity. So "holy of holies" (Ex 26:33); "servant of servants" (Ge 9:25). The repetition increases the force. all—Hebrew, "the all"; all without exception, namely, earthly things. vanity—not in themselves, for God maketh nothing in vain (1Ti 4:4, 5), but vain when put in the place of God and made the end, instead of the means (Ps 39:5, 6; 62:9; Mt 6:33); vain, also, because of the "vanity" to which they are "subjected" by the fall (Ro 8:20).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory (1871)
Verse 2 Vanity of vanities - As the words are an exclamation, it would be better to translate, O vanity of vanities! Emptiness of emptinesses. True, substantial good is not to be found in any thing liable to change and corruption. The author referred to in the introduction begins his paraphrase thus: - "O vain deluding world! whose largest gifts Thine emptiness betray, like painted clouds, Or watery bubbles: as the vapor flies, Dispersed by lightest blast, so fleet thy joys, And leave no trace behind. This serious truth The royal preacher loud proclaims, convinced By sad experience; with a sigh repeats The mournful theme, that nothing here below Can solid comfort yield: 'tis all a scene. ...
Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke's Commentary (1810-1826)
Application
- What feels like vapour in your life?
- What does 'under the sun' mean?
- Where are you looking for meaning?