Finished Chapter Eight!

As mentioned, Ecclesiastes has 12 chapters. We know these were not part of the original manuscript but were added later by (we presume) well-intentioned scribes and amanuenses. In my research I came across a 1919 commentary in which the author Morris Jastrow made his own outline; he created 24 "sections." I found his division compelling and am using it. Not sure that readers of the final product will pay attention to this but smaller chunks of text are easier to manage. I have therefore just finished section 19 with 5 to go. Or by the old reckoning, I've finished 8 chapters with 4 to go. 5 is more than 4 but 19 is more than 8....so I'm tricking myself into thinking I'm far along and nearing the finish line!

If one counts verses, I've completed 158 with 64 to go. Technically, this doesn't tell us much because one lengthy verse could be broken down into 4 or 5 pages of text. How I divide verses will be the subject of another post.

As I ponder each section (usually 10 - 20 verses) I do not go back and reread the dialog I've written in earlier sections. I imagine I'm a student in Mr. Q's class without total recall of what he's said earlier. I face each verse and imagine how 21st century college students would react. The final three verses of this chapter are some of my favorites which was a nice gift since some of the earlier verses were my least favorite (because they are repetitious).

Here is the final verse:

"No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, humanity can not discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it." 

Some commentators chalk up this uncertainty to Qoholeth's lack of faith, unbelieving heart, and secular humanism. Goodness! I do not. I think Mr. Q is a man of faith and an honest observer of life's conundrums. What knocks his socks off is that those conundrums do not fit his theology of a commensurate link between righteousness and health/wealth.

In a fit of creative energy I put the following words into the mouth of the evangelical student in the class (set to the tune of that old Shaker hymn, 'Tis a Gift to be Simple).

'Tis a gift to be certain; I’ve a brain that’s doubt free.
‘Tis a gift knowing life has no ambiguity.
And when I have some questions I do not get up tight;
I ignore pesky facts with all of my might.
When happy certitude is gain'd,
My black and white brain will not be asham'd,
Avoiding counter evidence will be my delight,
Till by turning, turning I come 'round right.

I hope this graphic novel comes out right!