Resources for Studying Ecclesiastes

Our Monday night Bible Study group is working through the book of Ecclesiastes.  I've collected a few books that are proving to be very useful.  They are as follows:

Commentaries:

Message of Ecclesiastes (Bible Speaks Today) by Derek Kidner.

NOTE: I always benefit from Kidner's commentaries.  This is a brief and accessible commentary that is useful for the general reader as well as for pastors and teachers.

Ecclesiastes (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms) by Craig G. Bartholomew. 

NOTE: This commentary is scholarly, and extremely useful.  Bartholomew's prose is crisp and clear.  The nearly 100 page introduction is the best I've read, thus far. He surveys and critiques other commentators along the way without distracting the reader from the quest of seeking to understand the text.

Ecclesiastes (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) by Michael Eaton. 

NOTE: This little volume is packed with content.  Although it is very useful for teachers and preachers, it is a bit cumbersome for the general reader.  I've been using this commentary along with others, but we recommended those in our Bible study group to use Kidner's book. 

Time to Tear Down and a Time to Build Up: A Rereading of Ecclesiastes by Michael V. Fox. 

NOTE: This commentary is also scholarly, and extremely useful.  I'm using it alongside of Bartholomew, but feel that Bartholomew has extended the study in his commentary.  I would recommend this as a supplement to Bartholomew's commentary.

Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters (Preaching the Word) by Philip Graham Ryken.

NOTE: One of the other leaders in our group has been listening to some of Ryken's sermons on Ecclesiastes.  This brand new titles is an edited print version of his expositional sermons.  I do not yet own this commentary, but I received a notice from the Westminster Bookstore that it is now available and currently on sale.  Ryken's comments have proven to be very helpful.

Supplemental Studies:

The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes: An Introduction to Wisdom Literature by Derek Kidner.


Five Festal Garments: Christian Reflections on the Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations (New Studies in Biblical Theology Vol 10) by Barry G. Webb. 

Audio Sermons:

A series of sermons we found most helpful are those preached by Rev. Ian Hamilton.  These can be downloaded from the Cambridge Presbyterian Church website (here).

Resources for Studying Ecclesiastes

The Quest for Meaning & The Kingdom of God

I am reading with much profit Craig Bartholomew's commentary on Ecclesiastes (BCOTWP).  The way he makes sense of Qohelet's quest for meaning in light of the NT is excellent and worth sharing here.  The book of Ecclesiastes presents a tension between Qohelet's frustration in trying to find meaning in life while at the same time affirming the value of life.  Bartholomew comments:

Thus the futility Ecclesiastes exposes is that of trying to find meaning while embracing human autonomy in a world that depends at every point on its Creator.

As the NT story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Jesus redeems us from this futility and our sinful autonomy and suppression of the truth about this world (Rom. 1:18-23).  He does this by ushering in the kingdom of God, the main theme of Jesus's teaching.... Just as hebel casts its shadow across all areas of life, so too does Christ claim all areas of life as rightly his and thus to be redeemed and brought to their fulfillment under his rule.  Christ does not just teach about the kingdom; through his incarnation he enters the very history that is subject to futility and embodies the kingdom in his acts and ultimately in his death and resurrection and ascension.  In his death he takes upon himself the full weight of the futility of separation from God and thereby opens the gate to entrance into the kingdom, in which full meaning is found in Christ. (p. 97)

The Quest for Meaning & The Kingdom of God

New: Theological Interpretation of the New Testament and Old Testament

Baker Academic has recently released the following two books which offer the articles on each book of the Bible originally appearing in the Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible (Baker Academic, 2005):

Kevin J. Vanhoozer (general editor), Daniel J. Treier and N. T. Wright (associate editors). Theological Interpretation of the New Testament: A Book-by-Book Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008. Paperback, 272 pages. $19.99

ISBN: 9780801036231

30 page excerpt

Table of Contents (with contributors):

List of Contributors 7
List of Abbreviations 9
Introduction: What Is Theological Interpretation of the
Bible? Kevin J. Vanhoozer 13

1 Matthew Robert H. Gundry 27
2 Mark Thorsten Moritz 39
3 Luke Stephen I. Wright 50
4 John S. A. Cummins 60
5 Acts Steve Walton 74
6 Romans Christopher Bryan 84
7 1 Corinthians David E. Garland 97
8 2 Corinthians Edith M. Humphrey 108
9 Galatians John K. Riches 115
10 Ephesians Max Turner 124
11 Philippians N. T. Wright 134
12 Colossians Sylvia C. Keesmaat 140
13 1 Thessalonians Charles A. Wanamaker 148
14 2 Thessalonians Charles A. Wanamaker 155
15 1 Timothy I. Howard Marshall 162
16 2 Timothy I. Howard Marshall 169
17 Titus I. Howard Marshall 175
18 Philemon Daniel R. Streett 182
19 Hebrews Jon C. Laansma 186
20 James William R. Baker 200
21 1 Peter Peter R. Rodgers 209
22 2 Peter Peter H. Davids 216
23 Johannine Epistles I. Howard Marshall 222
24 Jude Peter H. Davids 229
25 Revelation (“The Apocalypse of Saint John the Divine”)
Francesca Aran Murphy 233

Scripture Index 249
Subject Index 258

Kevin J. Vanhoozer (general editor), Craig G. Bartholomew and Daniel J. Treier (associate editors). Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008. Paperback, 336 pages. $19.99

ISBN: 9780801036248

31 page excerpt

Table of Contents (with contributors):

List of Contributors 7
List of Abbreviations 9
Introduction: What Is Theological Interpretation of the
Bible? Kevin J. Vanhoozer 15

1 Genesis Gordon J. Wenham 29
2 Exodus R. W. L. Moberly 42
3 Leviticus Paul L. Redditt 52
4 Numbers Kent L. Sparks 59
5 Deuteronomy Daniel I. Block 67
6 Joshua J. G. McConville 83
7 Judges J. Alan Groves 92
8 Ruth Murray D. Gow 102
9 Samuel Brian E. Kelly 111
10 Kings Richard S. Hess 119
11 Chronicles Mark A. Throntveit 124
12 Ezra John J. Bimson 132
13 Nehemiah John J. Bimson 137
14 Esther Paul L. Redditt 142
15 Job Lindsay Wilson 148
16 Psalms J. Clinton McCann Jr. 157
17 Proverbs Raymond C. Van Leeuwen 171
18 Ecclesiastes Craig G. Bartholomew 179
19 Song of Songs Tremper Longman III 186
20 Isaiah Richard L. Schultz 194
21 Jeremiah J. G. McConville 211
22 Lamentations Christian M. M. Brady 221
23 Ezekiel Thomas Renz 226
24 Daniel Ernest C. Lucas 236
25 Hosea Mary J. Evans 244
26 Joel Willem VanGemeren 251
27 Amos Karl Möller 257
28 Obadiah Paul R. House 263
29 Jonah John H. Walton 268
30 Micah Mignon R. Jacobs 276
31 Nahum Thomas Renz 282
32 Habakkuk Thomas Renz 286
33 Zephaniah Thomas Renz 291
34 Haggai Paul R. House 295
35 Zechariah Albert Wolters 300
36 Malachi Mignon R. Jacobs 305

Scripture Index 313
Subject Index 327

These volumes are designed to make the one-volume DTIB more accessible in the classroom. These smaller editions can easily be used in a OT or NT Survey class. The one volume dictionary includes articles on "key names, theories, and concepts in the field of biblical interpretation." I was planning on purchasing the smaller editions until I dug a bit deeper. I have now decided to purchase the complete dictionary which will better serve my purposes. The newer, book-by-book editions may be perfect for you if you don't care for digging through heavy dictionaries.

Kevin J. Vanhoozer (general editor), Craig G. Bartholomew, Daniel J. Treier and N. T. Wright (associate editors). Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005. Hardcover, 896 pages. $54.99

ISBN: 9780801026942

Christianity Today 2006 Book Award Winner; Catholic Press Association 2006 Book Award Winner; ECPA 2006 Christian Book of the Year Award Winner

Here is how I plan to use this book:

• Study the Biblical book I will be preaching on.
  
• Read it over and over, numerous times. One friend recommends reading through the book aloud. I also like to hear it read to me: find a good audio Bible.
  
• Do my exegetical work, and identify patterns and lines of argumentation.
  
• Come to a decision on what I see the overall structure of the book to be and then check my findings with reputable commentaries and theological helps like the ones mentioned above.

I may not agree in every point, but following this sort of a pattern will help me to understand the text for myself while getting feedback from others who have immersed themselves in the same text.

New: Theological Interpretation of the New Testament and Old Testament