Book contents
- Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life in the Ancient World
- Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life in the Ancient World
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Suffering and Meaning in Egyptian Literature
- 3 Suffering and Meaning in Mesopotamian Literature
- 4 Suffering and Meaning in Greek Literature
- 5 Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life
- 6 Ecclesiastes, Suffering and Joy
- 7 In Context
- Bibliography
- Index of Sources
- Index of Authors and Topics
5 - Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2022
- Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life in the Ancient World
- Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life in the Ancient World
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Suffering and Meaning in Egyptian Literature
- 3 Suffering and Meaning in Mesopotamian Literature
- 4 Suffering and Meaning in Greek Literature
- 5 Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life
- 6 Ecclesiastes, Suffering and Joy
- 7 In Context
- Bibliography
- Index of Sources
- Index of Authors and Topics
Summary
This chapter determines how Qohelet addressed life’s “meaningfulness” by drawing on a threefold scheme of definitions for life’s meaning, including coherence, purpose and significance. These definitions are derived from psychological research and used to argue that all three conceptions appear within the book of Ecclesiastes. Qohelet was primarily concerned with life’s “coherence,” which depends on predictable and reliable patterns in life that render it sensible, and yet he also addressed life’s “purpose” and “significance.” while primarily determining how these three forms of meaning, along with their attendant ideas, are handled within Ecclesiastes itself, this chapter also demonstrates how resources from psychological research help to resolve apparent debates among biblical interpreters, who agree far more than it at first appears once clearer definitions of “meaning” are employed.
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- Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life in the Ancient World , pp. 89 - 120Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022