Question first
appeared on March 21, 2004
I came across the following verses in my Bible readings and
didn’t quite get the meaning: Ecclesiastes
11:1,2: “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after
many days. Give a portion to
seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon
the earth.” Could you
explain?
One
can deduce the basic meaning of this text as a teaching to be generous
without discrimination and we will be rewarded for our efforts.
Specifically,
the text requires a little knowledge of King Solomon, who is reputed to
be the author of the book of Ecclesiastes.
Verse 11:1 alludes to the practice of sea-faring commerce.
One could send forth goods for trading aboard ships and they
would return bearing riches. 1
Kings 10:22 says regarding Solomon, “For
the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every
three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes,
and monkeys.”
Ecclesiastes
verse 11:2 instructs one to be generous in giving to many; the command
to give to “eight,” implies that our charity does not end with
“seven” but goes beyond. Being
generous to many will increase the chances that someone will be generous
to us in case evil will befall us.
©Very
Rev. Fr. Olof Scott, Sunday Bulletin, March 21, 2004
|
Back to Keyword/Topic Index |
Home |
|
