Very good article.
It makes it easier to understand the interpretation of scripture if we use the Greek or Hebrew meanings. I am just getting into that myself. I like studying scripture and seeing it's true meaning. Lately, I've been reading a commentary on Eschatolagy specifically the Post-Millenial view, and it's interesting all the deep interpretations that are in Matthew 5, Luke 21 and Mark 13 that are not understandable to those just reading it without looking deep and maybe even without reading good commentaries along with them. I am studying Eschatolagy to determine my view on it and the effects of it.
What are your thoughts on that subject?
I remember reading those verses in Ecclesiastes. It is one of my favorite books.
Thanks again for the article.
1-10-12 / Sorrow is better than laughter (Ecclesiastes 7:3)
Ecclesiastes 7:3 - Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Often when I am driving into work, I like to listen to the audio Bible on my phone. I put it on speaker, and it takes me about 15 minutes to get to work. I will often get to hear about 1.5 chapters of any given book in that time. Today, I had began in Ecclesiastes 6, and I get to listen intermittently on the drive.
When it came to this verse, it really struck me. I have heard it before, but it never popped out to me like it did today. Does our Bible really tell us that it is good to have sorrow? YES!
In the midst of books such as "Your Best Life Now", people are always struggling to find more happiness in their Christian walk. We are tired of the struggles of everyday life, and we want something more. Messages such as what is written in the book are a comfort to the hurting soul, but is happiness the only answer? According to the Bible, NO! God even uses sadness as a blessing in our growth.
Let's take a quick look at Ecclesiastes 7:3 - "sorrow is better than laughter". The word "sorrow" comes from the Hebrew word "כַּעַס" (kah'·as), which means "anger, vexation, provocation, grief". The words in the text that are used as English translations are (grief 7, provocation 4, wrath 4, sorrow 3, anger 2, angry 1, indignation 1,provoking 1, sore 1, spite 1). The word "better" comes from the Hebrew word "טוֹב" (tōve), which means "good, pleasant, agreeable". The words in the text that are used as English translations are (good 361, better 72, well 20, goodness 16, goodly 9, best 8, merry 7, fair7, prosperity 6, precious 4, fine 3, wealth 3, beautiful 2, fairer 2, favour 2,glad 2, misc 35). Finally, the word "laughter" comes from the Hebrew word "שְׂחוֹק" (sekh·ōke'), which means " laughter, laughing stock, mocking, derision". The words in the text that are used as English translations are (laughter 6, derision 5, laughing 1, mock 1, laugh to scorn 1, sport 1).
A paragraph like this may seem like more of an English class than a Bible lesson. HOWEVER, it is important to understand EVERY word in the Bible - EVEN the ones that we think we already know. Revisiting the meanings from time to time helps bring us back to the basics.
What can we get out of the first part of Ecclesiastes 7:3? That we should not be so quick to shun things in life that cause grief, or sorrow. I am sure that in this context, the word "kah-as" (Hebrew for "sorrow") would not mean anger or indignation, or even provoking, although in some definitions it can be used that way. But it surely relates to emotions that are generally the unwanted ones - intense sadness, for instance. However, the Bible teaches that it is better to have sadness than laughter.
Does this mean that the Bible is against feeling good? NOT AT ALL! As a matter of fact, the Bible promises us that God will birth a spirit of joy in our hearts if we walk with Him. However, when we walk with Him, He begins to expose the things in our lives that are offensive to His nature. Of course, He is always kind to do it in a gentle way, but we still see where we fail Him. He also shows us shortcomings in the lives of friends and family, and the desperate outcome of the lost if they choose not to repent. Surely seeing all this is enough to birth a spirit of sorrow in the heart of the godly. We even read in Ecclesiastes 1:18 a very bittersweet scripture - "For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." People want to know everything, but if they knew it the way He knew it, they would have such a mourning for the lost - the same kind of mourning Jesus had when he hung on the cross and prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34).
Also, God is faithful to chasten, or to discipline, His children. He often will allow situations to arise in our lives, to cause us to exercise our spiritual muscles. Some think God is being unfair by allowing adverse situations to come across our paths. However, if there was no obstacle, there would be no opportunity to grow in God. Therefore, the sorrow that God allows to begin has a purpose - it gives you the opportunity to overcome it and become the warrior that God has in mind. REMEMBER - a soldier is never self-led. He knows how to obey orders! To truly be a soldier of Christ, you must be willing to go WHEREVER He leads you - even to places that you wouldn't normally go. This includes the places and situations in life that are sorrowful.
Now, let's look at the last part of Ecclesiastes 7:3 - "for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." Let's begin by taking a look at the original meanings of the words. The word "sadness" comes from the Hebrew word "רֹעַ" (rō'·ah) which means "badness, evil,sadness". The English words derived from this word include (evil 11, wickedness 3, bad 1, badness 1, naughtiness 1, sorrow 1, sadness1). The word "countenance" comes from the Hebrew word "פָּנִים" (pä·nēm' ) which means "face, in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of". The English words derived from this word include (before 1137, face 390, presence 76, because 67, sight 40, countenance30, from 27, person 21, upon 20, of 20, ...me 18, against 17,
...him 16, open13, for 13, toward 9, misc 195). The words "made better" comes from the Hebrew word "יָטַב" (yä·tav') which means "to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad, to make glad, rejoice". The English words derived from this word include "well 35, good 21, please 14, merry 5, amend 4, better 4, accepted 2,diligently 2, misc 20".
I want to assure you that even though it may not be much fun to research the original meanings of the words in the Bible, the small investment of time is EXTREMELY fruitful. I have learned so much about the Bible by taking time NOT reading as fast and as much as I could in the Bible, but rather spending time trying to understand what was written, and also praying for understanding. Of course, praying for understanding is a CRUCIAL part of learning what the Bible truly says - how can you understand the Bible, if you spend no time with the one who inspired it? :-)
In short, "for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better" is saying that even though we may go through sad moments in life, God will use them to help us grow spiritually.
YES - SADNESS IS A PART OF OUR CHRISTIAN GROWTH!!! In a church age where you are taught to only be happy 24 hours a day, Christians are dealt an unbalanced, UNBIBLICAL message of "If you aren't happy, then something just isn't wrong". Guys, God understands that we are going to be unhappy sometimes. He will allow moments to come to help us grow. With the sunshine, there will also be rain.
I want to finish this lesson with a very known piece of the Bible - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which inspired a very famous song by The Byrds, "Turn Turn Turn" - God bless!
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.