Old Age, Death, or Something Else? The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 12:1–7
“My preference is to read the poem as a series of metaphors for death—together with its individual, communal, and cosmic implications—drawn from the created order, domestic life, commerce, and warfare.” - DBTS Blog
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Makes some good points, but I find it very hard to not see metaphors for the aging body in those verses. I don’t think the ‘nonfalsifiable’ argument carries much weight, since we read Scripture based on “common sense” regularly… also nonfalsifiable.
As for the rarity of allegory in Scripture, Ecclesiastes is unique. We could list a lot of things about the book that are not found anywhere else.
So I don’t think that argument has much heft either.
I’m not going to assign the ‘aging body allegory’ view a high level of confidence, though.
Fortunately, in the end, all the views pretty much arrive here by different routes…
The ultimate meaning is that the reader, ostensibly the young man addressed in 11:9, is to bear in mind his Creator while there is time. This does not mean merely to think often of death but to live sober-mindedly: each person is accountable to God as the originator and sustainer of life as well as the judge at the end of life. The poem reminds us that time passes quickly. We must put our God-given energies, gifts, and talents to good use to glorify him. Someday soon we will be face to face with God. Are we ready for that day?
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
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