Ecclesiastes 10: The Stench of Folly and the Perfume of Christ
by David Robertson, theweeflea:
One rotten apple spoils the barrel. One badly behaved child can disrupt a whole class. One abusive clergyman can harm a whole church. One dead fly ruins perfume. Solomon having told us about the necessity of wisdom then goes on to explain how a little foolishness can harm life. (Ecclesiastes 10:1-11).
A Little Folly — verse 2.
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
Much to the disappointment of conservative politicians, this is not a political comment. To even consider it such shows the folly of reading the Bible through a cultural/social lens of the 21st Century! Solomon is telling us where folly comes from. The heart. Our inner being. On the one hand Solomon tells us that eternity is in our heart and we cannot be content with the limitations of this world – being under the sun. On the other hand he calls the heart evil and defective. Yet it may be filled with joy.
The right hand was associated with a strength that saves, supports and protects. Having your heart in the right place leads to being skilful and resourceful in one’s life. On the other hand being on the left was in the place of practical and spiritual incompetence. The idea of sinister comes from a Latin word that means on the left hand. This is really not meant to be a slight on left-handed people. It is an idiom. Solomon is teaching that where our inner being is, what is on our heart is what is important.
Folly is very quick to express itself as it walks along the road (verse 3). The fool loves foolish songs, shallow laughter, is unwilling to listen to advice, is morally blind and is opposed to God. We are clever, deceitful rebels against God – and we delight in ‘showing how stupid we are’. The rejection of God leads to a dumbed down society.
The Foolish King — verse 4-7.
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