Chapter 1
Who did the Teacher say he is?
Son of David, king in Jerusalem or kingover Israel.
According to the Teacher, what was the difference between the wise and the fool?
Being wise is better, they have eyes in their heads while fools walk in the darkness.
What does God do everything for?
That people may fear Him.
What conclusion does the Teacher get in verse 7?
We should fear God
What does ‘a chasing after the wind’ mean?
Chasing the wind means doing something that is useless or pointless.
When you know the Holy Scripture what will you gain?
Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
What does the Teacher mean by “What do workers gain from their toil?”?
We gain nothing from our work.
What do fools do when they go to the house of God?
Offer the sacrifice of fools, and do not know that they do wrong.
What does things done ‘under the sun’ mean?
Things done on earth without involving God.
What happens to both the wise and the fool?
The same fate overtakes them both. The wise and the fool will not be long remembered. The days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die.
What has God done? (v11)
God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart.
Is it okay to offer a sacrifice of fools? Why or why not?
These sacrifices are not only foolish but also evil. Would it not have been better if the person did not go to the house of God at all or did not offer any sacrifice? God does not accept every sacrifice. The Bible makes this very clear to us. Both Abel and Cain offered sacrifice to the LORD but He respected Abel and his offering; He didn’t respect Cain and his offering.
What did the teacher say was a chasing after the wind?
Studying and exploring by wisdom all that was done under the heavens. Appling himself to the understanding of wisdom, madness and folly.
After knowing that the wise and the fool were similar, what did the Teacher say to himself? Why?
It is meaningless because the fate of the fool will overtake him also. He did not gain anything by being wise.
What can we conclude from verses 1 - 8?
We do not determine when it is time to be born, nor do we control when it is time to die. The situations in which we cannot help but weep or laugh, mourn or dance, are forced upon us, against our will.
What did the teacher warn on making a vow to God? (v4-6)
Do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools. Better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. Do not protest that the vow was a mistake. If you protest, God will be angry and destroy the work of your hands.
What did the Teacher observe in verses 4-11?
That life is an endless wearisome cycle that does not go anywhere and does not accomplish anything. The futility of effort is demonstrated in the natural world and the human world.
Who is a truly wise person?
There is no difference between being wise or fool without God. The wise maybe better off while here on earth, but eternally there is no difference for the wise or foolish without God. The one who put God’s word into practice is truly a wise person.
What does ‘He has also set eternity in the human heart” mean?
We were made to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever, and though we may have forgotten that, we can still catch a glimpse of this desire for eternity in the natural longing we have for good things to last forever.
How should we respond to God?
Worship Him as the Creator. A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin—even in the life of a believer. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshiping Him in awe.