Vanity of the Pleasures (Ecc 2:1-3)

VANITY OF THE PLEASURES (Ecc 2:1-3)

After analyzing the things and inability to find satisfaction, the author again did the self-reflection and tried to find lasting satisfaction. The author is not just self-analyzing and self-reflecting but he is also self-experimental. The author says to himself in his heart that he would test himself with pleasure so that he could enjoy himself. He was very genuine in trying out different things by not just trusting out things by the words of other people, but most of the time he failed to keep what is much required. Though the author seems to have enjoyed the pleasures, it wasn’t everlasting. It had become vanity as it didn’t last long.

The author of the book of the Ecclesiastes had enjoyed most of the privileges according to the human pursuits for happiness which may be eating or physical gratification. Laughter and overwhelming things weren’t scarce to him. But still, he says that Laughter is mad as no human being could live a life of doing something continuously even it is pleasurable and gives a kind of happiness. Something that gives laughter may not be able to provide the same laughter after a certain point of time, it will become used to and will not fetch the same happiness as it had provided, the first time. Also, the pleasurable things will not be pleasurable throughout, it has an end and thereby the author is very much perplexed saying that there is no use in the pleasures through a question, what use is it.

Also, the author tried to achieve satisfaction in his life through the external stimulus of using some stimulants. He had searched with his longing heart about how to cheer his body with wine. Mostly the people who are depressed and hopeless, think of to forget themselves and indulge themselves in excessive drinking. But the author seems to have a clear conscience not doing it and becoming unconscious but his objective is the pursuit of happiness in wine while his heart was still guiding him with wisdom. At the same time, the author says that he also tried to indulge himself in the foolishness which might be excessive drinking and forgetting himself as he is very experimental. The author would have tried out all the possibilities and alternatives that exist around him by putting himself in the test, in order to determine whether it is good for the human beings who live under heaven for just a short span of their lives.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.    What did the author test himself with?

2.    Why the author points out that there is no enjoyment in pleasure?

3.    What does the author say about laugher? Why?

4.    What question does the author raise about pleasure? Why?

5.    How the author wanted to cheer his body? Why?

6.    How the author’s heart was guiding him?

7.    What did the author lay hold on? Why?

8.    What was good for the man to do under heaven?

9.    Is it right to test ourselves with anything? Justify?

10. How human beings could find everlasting pleasure and gratification?