Wisdom and Folly are Meaningless: Ecclesiastes 2:12-16
Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 2:12-16. Please join us in study.
Today’s Questions:
- 2:12 is the second time that the Teacher has turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly (See 1:17). Can you see any differences in his attitude now than the first time? Are there any differences in his conclusions?
- Why do you think the Teacher considers ‘madness and folly’ along with wisdom in both of these cases?
- What is that makes a wise man wise, a mad man mad and a fool foolish? What are the differences between the basic assumptions that drive the behavior of each? On what do the assumptions of the wise man rest? On what do the assumptions of a mad man rest? On what do the assumptions of a fool rest?
- What are the Teachers’ conclusions about the differences between a wise man and a fool?
- What are the Teachers’ conclusions about the similarities between a wise man and a fool?
- Can you make any tentative conclusions about why the Teacher is doing what he is doing? What is he looking for?
- Have you turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly? How does that consideration apply to your life? How does that consideration apply to the ultimate fate that overtakes both the fool and the wise man?