Ecclesiastes 7:20

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. NOT A JUST MAN UPON EARTH ... - referring to . Be not self-righteous, "just" before God, because of thy self-imposed performances; because true "wisdom," or 'righteousness,' shows that there is not a just man, etc. Also connected with . Since there is none so just as to be free from sin, the "wisdom" from on high is needed to deliver us from sinning on either side (Ecclesiastes 7:16), and so incurring the destroying judgments of God....

11-22 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no, not by a zeal for God. Be not conceited of thine own abilities; nor find fault with every thing, nor busy thyself in other men's matters. Many who will not be wrought upon by the fear of God, and the dread of hell, will avoid sins which ruin their health and estate, and expose to public justice. But those that truly fear God, have but one end to serve, therefore act steadily. If we say we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves. Every true believe...

Verse 20. THERE IS _NOT A JUST MAN UPON EARTH, THAT DOETH GOOD,_ _AND SINNETH NOT._] לא יחטא _lo yechta_, that _may not sin_. There is not a man upon earth, however just he may be, and habituated to do good, but is _peccable_-liable to commit sin; and therefore should continually watch and pray, and depend upon the Lord. But the text does not say, the _just man does commit sin_, but simply that he _may sin_; and so our translators have rendered it in 1 Samuel 2:25, twice in 1 Kings 8:31; 1 Kings 8:46, and 2 Chronicles 6:36; and the reader is requested to consult the note on...

The connection of this verse with Ecclesiastes 7:18 becomes clearer if it is borne in mind that the fear of God, wisdom, and justice, are merely different sides of one and the same character, the formation of which is the aim of all the precepts in this chapter. The words “just” Ecclesiastes 7:15, Ecclesiastes 7:20 and “righteous” Ecclesiastes 7:16 are exactly the same in Hebrew....

EXPOSITION ECCLESIASTES 7:1 Ecclesiastes 12:8.—Division II. DEDUCTIONS FROM THE ABOVE-MENTIONED EXPERIENCES IN THE WAY OF WARNINGS AND RULES OF LIFE. ECCLESIASTES 7:1 Section 1. Though no man knows for certain what is best, yet there are _some practical rules for the conduct of life which wisdom gives_._ _Some of these Koheleth sets forward in the prov

FOR [THERE IS] NOT A JUST MAN UPON EARTH,.... Or "although", or "notwithstanding" d, wisdom is so beneficial, and guards and strengthens a good man, yet no man has such a share of it as to live without sin; there was not then one on earth, there never had been, one, nor never would be, nor has been, excepting the man Christ Jesus; who indeed, as man, was perfectly just, while here on earth, and went about doing good, and never sinned in all his life; but this cannot be said of any other, no, not of one that is truly and really just; not externally and in his own opinion only, but who is made so by the obedience of Christ, or by his righteousness imputed to him, while he is here on earth; otherwise in heaven, where the spirits of just men are made perfect, there it may be said of them what follows, but nowhere else; THAT DOETH GOOD, AND SINNETH NOT; it is the character of a just man to d...

PART II. CHAPTER S 7-12 1. The Good Advice of the Natural Man, Discouragement and Failure CHAPTER 7 _ 1. The better things (Ecclesiastes 7:1)_ 2. The anomalies (Ecclesiastes 7:15) 3. The strength of wisdom, yet none perfect (Ecclesiastes 7:19) 4. The worst thing he found (Ecclesiastes 7:23) Ecclesiastes 7:1. All had been tested by the royal searcher; all was found out to be vanity and vexation of spirit. Darkness, discouragement, uncertainty and despai

PROVERBS AND REFLECTIONS. After asking, What is good for man in life? (Ecclesiastes 6:12), Qoheleth gives us advice as to what a man may do by way of mitigating his worries. First of all it is advisable for him to cultivate seriousness rather than levity (Ecclesiastes 7:1). The curious remark that a (good) name is better than precious ointment (_cf._ Ca. Ecclesiastes 1:3 *) is in the Heb. a play on the words _shem_ and _shemen;_ ointment is highly esteemed in the East. Ecclesiastes 7:1_ b_ reminds us of the Thracian tribe mentioned by Herodotus ...

_For there is not a just man upon earth_ The sequence of thought is again obscure. We fail at first to see how the fact of man's sinfulness is the ground of the maxim that wisdom is a better defence than material strength. The following train of associations may perhaps supply the missing link. There had been a time when the presence of _ten_righteous men would have preserved a guilty city from destruction (Genesis 18:32). But no such men were found, and the city therefore perished. And experience shews that no such men altogether faultless will be found anywhere. No one therefore can on that ground claim exemption from chastisement. What remains for the wise man but to fall back on the wisdom which consists in the "fear of God" (Ecclesiastes 7:13), the reverential awe which will at least keep

b. Wisdom leads one to see his own sin. Ecclesiastes 7:20 TEXT 7:20 20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. THOUGHT QUESTIONS 7:20 207. What truth is stated here that is also taught in Romans 3:10? 208. In the light of this verse, why does man need wisdom as a corrective? 209. Write a definition of _righteous._ PARAPHRASE 7:20 There isn-'t a man on earth who doesn-'t need wisdom. Where is the righteous man who always does good and never sins? He cannot be found! COMMENT 7:20 This second benefit of wisdomto teach us to be humble and to depend upon strength gained apart from human resourcesis based on the conclusion of the former verse. Israel had the treasure of revel