Comments on: What Does Ecclesiastes Mean? http://catholicexchange.com/2007/05/22/83718/ Catholic News, Catholic Articles, Catholic Apologetics, Catholic Content, Catholic Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: Guest http://catholicexchange.com/2007/05/22/83718/comment-page-1/#comment-11050 Guest Tue, 22 May 2007 18:36:05 +0000 #comment-11050 <p>I've understood Ecclesiastes as a picture of how badly we need Jesus's sacrifice. How little we truly would have (even the best and/or most successful) and how futile it would be without the Grace of God, the undeserved but freely given gift of God's Life. <br /></p><p>Your friends' reading of Ecclesiastes is not necessarily incorrect. Remember that Jesus had yet to descend to the Hell (Sheol) where the faithful souls resided "in Abraham's bosom" in order to bring them into God's presence. (see CCC 631-637). So the faithful departed can indeed be described as waiting during the time that Ecclesiastes was written. </p><p>However we believe that when Jesus died he descended to Hell (Hades, Sheol) where the faithful departed were waiting and then he "led a host of captives'" (Eph 4:8) to the promised Paradise (as promised to the Good Thief). </p><p> </p><p>References:</p><p> The Apostle's Creed "He Descended into Hell. On the Third Day He Rose Again" </p> <p> Jesus's promise to the Good Thief "Truly, I say to you, <strong>today</strong> you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:43</p><p>Eph 4:8-10 </p><p><em>[<strong>8</strong>] Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he <strong>led a host of captives</strong>, and he gave gifts to men."<br />[<strong>9</strong>] (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? <br />[<strong>10</strong>] He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)</em></p><p> </p> I've understood Ecclesiastes as a picture of how badly we need Jesus's sacrifice. How little we truly would have (even the best and/or most successful) and how futile it would be without the Grace of God, the undeserved but freely given gift of God's Life.

Your friends' reading of Ecclesiastes is not necessarily incorrect. Remember that Jesus had yet to descend to the Hell (Sheol) where the faithful souls resided "in Abraham's bosom" in order to bring them into God's presence. (see CCC 631-637). So the faithful departed can indeed be described as waiting during the time that Ecclesiastes was written.

However we believe that when Jesus died he descended to Hell (Hades, Sheol) where the faithful departed were waiting and then he "led a host of captives'" (Eph 4:8) to the promised Paradise (as promised to the Good Thief).

 

References:

The Apostle's Creed "He Descended into Hell. On the Third Day He Rose Again"

Jesus's promise to the Good Thief "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:43

Eph 4:8-10

[8] Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."
[9] (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
[10] He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

 

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