Too often neglected or stigmatized as overly pessimistic, the book of Ecclesiastes speaks eloquently to the uncertainties and anxieties prevalent in today's world. James Limburg brings to life this ancient resource that still offers wisdom and hope to people in our probing, questioning twenty-first-century times.
Drawing on years of careful study and classroom exposition, Limburg takes readers through this fascinating book systematically, pointing out connections to Jewish festivals and New Testament themes and incorporating interpretations by Martin Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Harold Kushner. He guides readers through the contemporary existential themes that Ecclesiastes illuminates: the quest for meaning in life, the incompleteness of our knowledge, the place of work in human lives, and the need to discover God amid life's uncertainties. Limburg argues that, rather than a summons to flee the concerns of this world, Ecclesiastes is really a call to worldly involvement.
Not a highly technical, verse-by-verse commentary but rather a fresh, relevant discussion arising from Limburg's extensive teaching experience, Limburg's "Encountering Ecclesiastes" will be ideal for students, church study groups, and any readers seeking to understand the timeless, questioning wisdom of Ecclesiastes.
