Philip Graham Ryken - Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters

Phil Ryken writes with practical pastoral wisdom and sound theological judgments. These are the traits of Ecclesiastes and consequently this commentary. This volume is a much needed addition to the dearth of commentaries on this wonderful slice of biblical literature. Insightful. Readable. Recommended.

Anthony Carter, Lead Pastor, East Point Church
East Point, Georgia

Philip Rykens commentary on Ecclesiastes is a good, faithful exposition of the text, adorned with delightfully helpful pastoral applications all along the way. Thanks, Phil, for feeding our souls again.

Sandy Willson, Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis

Phil Rykens Ecclesiastes exposes the futility of chasing after everything under the sun. While reading it I thought of God decidedly and mercifully bending his head beneath the lintel of our impoverished existence. In kindness he steps across the threshold of our vain pursuits and shows us a better way. Here we have one of Americas foremost preachers taking a text written by the Preacher, faithfully nourishing the lives of pastors who are called to do the same.

David Helm, Pastor, Holy Trinity Church, Chicago

Preaching the Word

Edited by R. Kent Hughes

Genesis | R. Kent Hughes

Exodus | Philip Graham Ryken

Leviticus | Kenneth A. Mathews

Numbers | Iain M. Duguid

Deuteronomy | Ajith Fernando

Joshua | David Jackman

1 Samuel | John Woodhouse

Job | Christopher Ash

Proverbs | Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

Song of Solomon | Douglas Sean ODonnell

Isaiah | Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

Jeremiah and Lamentations | Philip Graham Ryken

Daniel | Rodney D. Stortz

Matthew | Douglas Sean ODonnell

Mark | R. Kent Hughes

Luke | R. Kent Hughes

John | R. Kent Hughes

Acts | R. Kent Hughes

Romans | R. Kent Hughes

2 Corinthians | R. Kent Hughes

Galatians | Todd Wilson

Ephesians | R. Kent Hughes

Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon | R. Kent Hughes

12 Thessalonians | James H. Grant Jr.

12 Timothy and Titus | R. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell

Hebrews | R. Kent Hughes

James | R. Kent Hughes

12 Peter and Jude | David R. Helm

13 John | David L. Allen

Revelation | James M. Hamilton Jr.

The Sermon on the Mount | R. Kent Hughes

PREACHING the WORD

ECCLESIASTES

WHY EVERYTHING MATTERS

PHILIP GRAHAM RYKEN

R. Kent Hughes

Series Editor

Ecclesiastes

Copyright 2010 by Philip Graham Ryken

Published by Crossway

1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Jon McGrath, Simplicated Studio

Cover image: Adam Greene, illustration

First printing 2010

Printed with new cover 2014

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible: English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked CEV are from the Contemporary English Version. Copyright 1989 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are from The Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture references marked NKJV are from TheNew King James Version. Copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from TheNew American Standard Bible. Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked TEV are taken from Good News Bible in Todays English Version, Second Edition, copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture references marked NIV are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

All emphasis in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4335-4888-8
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-4891-8
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-4890-1
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-4889-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ryken, Philip Graham, 1966

Ecclesiastes : why everything matters / Philip Graham Ryken; R. Kent Hughes, general editor.

p. cm. (Preaching the Word)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4335-1375-6 (hc)

ISBN-10: 1-4335-1375-7 (hc)

ISBN-13: 978-1-4335-1376-3 (pbk)

ISBN-13: 978-1-4335-2441-7 (ebk)

1. Bible. O.T. EcclesiastesCommentaries. I. Hughes, R. Kent. II. Title. III. Series.

BS1475.53.R95 2010

223'.8077dc22 2009038318

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

To
Karoline Jorena Ryken,
in the hope that Jesus will give her victory over lifes vanity

and
to everyone who desires to know the true meaning of life

The words of the wise are like goads,
and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings;
they are given by one Shepherd.

ECCLESIASTES 12:11

A Word to Those Who
Preach the Word

There are times when I am preaching that I have especially sensed the pleasure of God. I usually become aware of it through the unnatural silence. The ever-present coughing ceases, and the pews stop creaking, bringing an almost physical quiet to the sanctuarythrough which my words sail like arrows. I experience a heightened eloquence, so that the cadence and volume of my voice intensify the truth I am preaching.

There is nothing quite like itthe Holy Spirit filling ones sails, the sense of his pleasure, and the awareness that something is happening among ones hearers. This experience is, of course, not unique, for thousands of preachers have similar experiences, even greater ones.

What has happened when this takes place? How do we account for this sense of his smile? The answer for me has come from the ancient rhetorical categories of logos, ethos, and pathos.

The first reason for his smile is the logosin terms of preaching, Gods Word. This means that as we stand before Gods people to proclaim his Word, we have done our homework. We have exegeted the passage, mined the significance of its words in their context, and applied sound hermeneutical principles in interpreting the text so that we understand what its words meant to its hearers. And it means that we have labored long until we can express in a sentence what the theme of the text isso that our outline springs from the text. Then our preparation will be such that as we preach, we will not be preaching our own thoughts about Gods Word, but Gods actual Word, his