Wisdom of Wise and Commands of King` (Ecc 8:1-5)

WISDOM OF WISE AND COMMANDS OF KING (Ecc 8:1-5):

After writing about the limitations of human beings, the author rhetorically says that there is none like the wise as the wise knows the interpretation of a thing. The wise person is able to discern and analyze things before pursuing something. The wise person doesn’t look at things superficially but looks at things very deeply in different dimensions to know the actual meanings and make a valuable decision. Further, the author says that a man’s wisdom makes his face shine and the hardness of his face is changed. The wise person is not carried away by the situations and he is very obvious about all the situations and prepares the self to handle all things that come on his way. Though there might be some bitterness and hardness, his face will be changed from mourning, much sooner.

The author also writes to keep the king’s command because of God’s oath to him. God who is the author and source of everything have control over everything ultimately. God had only allowed some persons to be kings or rulers over others and the author says to keep the commands of King because of God’s oath to him. Going from the presence of the king is tiring and it’s tedious work, thereby the author says not to be hasty to go from the king’s presence. Also, the king is the ultimate authority over everything and the king does whatever pleases him. The author advises not to take the stand in an evil cause because the king may not be pleased with it at least because of people, who have reverence over the authority of the king.

The king is the highest citizen of the nation and the author writes that the word of the king is supreme and further the author says rhetorically that no one could say or ask the king what he is doing. The author acknowledges that whoever keeps command of the king will know no evil thing and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. The king has all the powers vested unto him and he could furnish any man with anything. So, the person who keeps the command will know no evil thing, because the king rewards it. The person who is wise would be able to recollect the past happenings and he will know the proper time and just way.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.    About whom the author talks about?

2.    What are the characteristics of a wise man?

3.    Whose commandments need to be kept?

4.    Why king’s commands need to be kept?

5.    What a person should do in a king’s presence?

6.    Why a person should not take his stand in the evil cause?

7.    Whose word is supreme? And what is said about it?

8.    What happens to those who keep God’s Command?

9.    What does the wise heart know?

10.    How can we subject ourselves to our rulers?

11.    How we can gain wisdom?