Page 136 - The Poetic Books - Student Text

His words are given by one shepherd (12:11). Scholars debate the identity of this person. Some believe
the shepherd is God “who guides and cares as a shepherd for all who fear Him and suffers them to want
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nothing which is necessary to their spiritual support and advancement (Ps. xxiii. 1, xxviii. 9)” The 1984
NIV capitalizes “Shepherd,” but the 2011 NIV does not, instead putting “Shepherd” in a footnote with an
explanation. “Possibly refers to God as the shepherd of his people… and the source of their wisdom.
Alternatively, it could simply be comparing the words of the wise to the faithful work of a shepherd
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caring for his flock.”

If we understand the Teacher as writing from a pagan perspective through most of the book, then it is
best to take the shepherd as Christ. The Teacher wants his readers to abandon their foolish, hopeless
thinking and believe in the Messiah. While topics change from one book of wisdom to another,
ultimately each one finds answers to life’s difficulties in the Messiah alone. He is the mediator between
Job and God (Job 16:20), the righteous one of the Psalms (Ps. 1, 2), the source of wisdom (Prov. 30:4),
and here the answer to despair.

The Teacher addresses his “son,” warning him of adding anything to the divine revelation given in
Ecclesiastes. The temptation is to add and to add and to add more books filled with human wisdom
(12:12). We wonder about the identity of his son. Since he has written much about government,
Solomon may be referring to his oldest son Rehoboam. If so, Solomon’s words were not heeded. Instead
of choosing to not “lord it over others to his own hurt” (Eccl. 8:9), King Rehoboam decided to put a
heavy yoke on the people. “My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions (1
Kings 12:11). It is just as possible that “son” refers to anyone reading Ecclesiastes who takes the words to
heart.

The conclusion of all this reasoning is to fear God and keep his commandments (12:13). Strikingly
Solomon claims that this is the duty of all mankind including the pagan nations of the world along with
Israel. His objective in writing is apologetics, giving reasons for faith in Yahweh and His Messiah. He calls
to the worshiper of Baal and of Ashtoreth and of Chemosh and of any other god in the world. He calls
and pushes them toward the Messiah. He may also be pushing Israelites toward the Messiah. A serious
pursuit of the commandments of God will be just as frustrating as the directionless pagan life.

219 F. Delitzsch, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, 435.
220 Craig C. Bartholomew, “Ecclesiastes,” in The Zondervan Study Bible, D. A. Carson, ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2015), 1281.
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