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"For what more has the wise man than the fool?"

Text: Ecclesiastes 6:8

THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH

It was common to make comparisons to arrive at an understanding. Solomon compared the wise man to a fool.

“For what more has the wise man than the fool?
What does the poor man have,
Who knows how to walk before the living?”
Ecclesiastes 6:8

1. “For what more has the wise man than the fool?”

a) The wise man appears to be much better off than the fool.

b) “The wise man”

i) He has obtained knowledge.

ii) He has attained wisdom.

iii) His knowledge would stand him in good stead.

c) “The fool”

i) He has disdained knowledge.

ii) He survives in life.

iii) He may be in trouble if he faces a crisis.

2. But what more does the wise man really have that he is much better of?

a) In the back of Solomon’s mind was the spectre of death.

b) Would the wise man really be better off if he stared at death in the face?

c) Solomon expressed a veiled doubt here.

d) He did not come up with a full statement on this subject at this point of time.

THE POOR MAN

Solomon then looks at “the poor man”. He has already described the rich man earlier. He had a clear advantage over the poor man because of his wealth. What about the poor man who never became as wealthy?

1. “What does the poor man have?”

a) He knows what he does not have.

b) But he has the same thing as the rich man and the wise man.

i) He has life.

ii) He can have a meaningful life too. Though without much wealth or wisdom.

2. “Who knows how to walk before the living?”

a) What if the poor man has knowledge as to how to walk among the living?

b) He did not devote his entire life:

i) Searching for wisdom

ii) Acquiring wealth

c) And that knowledge of how to walk before the living enabled him to do the following:

i) Caring for his family.

ii) Showing kind concern for those who were in need.

iii) Living as best as he could to be a good neighbour.

iv) Enjoying the blessings that God has given to him with gratitude in his heart.

v) He does not regret how he lived his life on earth.

vi) He is not sad that he is not so wealthy in life.

vii) He is not in despair that he does not possess great knowledge or wisdom.