All [this] have I seen in the days of my vanity there is a righteous [man] that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his days] by his wickedness.
Solomon watched an upright man die while doing right. He also watched a wicked man live long in his wrongdoing. That breaks the neat rule that goodness pays and evil costs. It is an honest fact that human reason can record but cannot explain.
One writer connects the sight with Job, and notes the caution Solomon draws from it:
The Preacher notices, like Job, a just man suffering to the utmost by his righteousness, and a wicked man prolonging his days by his wickedness. He lays down a caution against pushing even good to excess. There is such a thing as being too righteous and too wise. Exaggeration is never of God, in truth or in anything else. It sacrifices other relationships and exposes a person to ruin. But righteousness is binding, just as one must avoid false wisdom: the fear of God guides one safely.
How does a person answer a fact like that on his own? One writer says the natural mind reaches for balance:
How does the natural man, the philosopher, meet this difficulty? He answers it with what people call "common sense." Do not overdo it, strike a happy medium; avoid any kind of excess. Here is more "common sense" of the natural man. Enjoy yourself, but avoid too much wickedness; have a good time but avoid excesses. Not too much righteousness and not too much wickedness; just a happy middle way. Such a way, thinks the natural man, does not fit with the fear of God.
A second writer gives a blunt verdict on that middle road:
The strange sight in Ecclesiastes 7:15 makes the writer try a middle course between righteousness and wickedness. He still keeps a certain fear of God. But in that middle course he was wrong: wisdom was far from him.
Commentators differ on tone. One reads the caution as sound advice. The others read it as human reason at work.
Solomon's wisdom looks along the earth, not above it. It gains something, but it cannot explain how God works:
It profits to see the sun, but not above the sun. But can both wisdom and wealth give a solution to man's problem? Who can make straight what God has made crooked? His ways are mysterious, and man cannot work them out; man cannot solve the providential dealings of God.
The same scene hardens one man and steadies another. It depends on whether he expects a day when God settles accounts:
The unbeliever is hardened at the sight of the just man perishing in his righteousness, and of a wicked man prolonging his life in his wickedness. The believer awaits the kingdom of God and suffers for its sake. "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil." God grants the sons of God, for Christ's sake, not only to believe on Him but also to suffer for Him. When the day comes all will be changed.
The delay is not indifference. What looks unanswered is only unanswered for now:
Evil abounds and flourishes till the Lord comes. Yet God's moral government just as surely secures good to those who fear before Him, and retribution to those who do not fear Him. Even if they were to live long, it is only a shadow. Sometimes the righteous get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked get what the righteous deserve. Whatever emptiness lies in that, God is not mocked and no one is overlooked. But this is not yet the day when righteous power allows no evil and good triumphs in the open. That day waits for the kingdom — the kingdom belongs to Christ appearing in glory, and to those who suffered with Him and are then glorified.
- Seen — An upright man dies doing right. A wicked man lives long doing wrong. Job saw the same thing.
- Wall — His wisdom sees under the sun, not above it. Reason can record the problem; it cannot untangle God's providential dealings.
- Wrong turn — The sight pushes him to a middle road: not too righteous, not too wicked. Writers call that road a mistake — wisdom stayed far from him.
- Divide — The same sight hardens the unbeliever. It teaches the believer to wait for the kingdom, and to suffer for it now.
- Day — Evil flourishes until the Lord comes, but God is not mocked and no one is overlooked. The open triumph of good waits for the kingdom. It is not cancelled.
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Ecclesiastes 7:16 follows a troubling sight. A righteous man dies in his righteousness, while a wicked man lives on. The advice that comes next — don't overdo goodness or wisdom — sounds unlike the rest of Scripture. Commentators split over it. Is it wise counsel, or a wrong conclusion drawn from a hard sight?
The verse is an answer to something the writer has just watched happen. One commentator reads the reply as the reasoning of a man working only from what he can see:
How does the natural man, the philosopher, meet this difficulty? He answers it with what people call "common sense." "Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?" Do not overdo it. Aim for a happy medium. Avoid every kind of excess. Do not be too self-righteous, or you might become proud, and then you destroy yourself.
Not every sentence in Ecclesiastes is there for us to obey. One reference work lists this verse among the writer's own false conclusions:
The book asks what is best for man, and how he should spend his life to be happy on earth. The writer speaks as a human philosopher in his wanderings. Sometimes he gets near the truth, but at other times he is far removed from it. So some passages state man's false conclusions: compare, for example, Ecclesiastes 3:18-22; 7:16-17; 8:15. God's direct teaching comes in the last few verses of the book.
On this reading, verses 16 and 17 form a compromise. Another writer traces that compromise back to what the writer had just seen:
The strange sight in Ecclesiastes 7:15 makes the writer try a middle course between righteousness and wickedness. He still keeps a certain fear of God. But in that middle course he was wrong: wisdom was far from him.
Commentators differ here. Another reads the words as a real warning about pushing even good things too far:
The Preacher notices, like Job, a just man suffering to the utmost through it, and a wicked man prolonging his days by his wickedness. He gives a caution against pushing even good to excess. There is such a thing as being righteous and wise overmuch. Exaggeration is never of God in truth or in anything else. It sacrifices other relationships and exposes one to ruin. But righteousness binds, and one must shun false wisdom: the fear of God guides one safely.
If the warning is real, the danger is not obeying God too well — it is congratulating yourself on it. One writer points to the young man in the gospels, whose own goodness undid him:
Take care that uprightness does not prove a snare to you. The young man in the gospel might have been better if he had not been so good. His honesty and moral uprightness was his undoing — or rather, his high opinion of them. Better to be a tax collector, driven to Christ by a sense of sin, than a Pharisee, kept from Him by a good opinion of his own integrity. Maybe you are honest and upright in your ways. Bless God for it, but take care not to congratulate yourself on it: there is the danger. This is one way of being "righteous over much." There is undoing in this over-doing, as much as in any under-doing.
The same fault turns outward when believers deal with each other. One writer names who gains when strictness costs gentleness:
In some cases the devil himself likes to see believers righteous overmuch, at the cost of "the meekness and gentleness of Christ." Paul could add, "for we are not ignorant of his devices." Sadly, we often cannot say the same.
The words are also used as an insult, thrown at anyone whose devotion looks excessive. One writer pleading with an unconverted reader expects the charge and accepts it:
Shall my loud and bitter cry be to you like the noise of some fanatic — or of one who is righteous overmuch? Well, let it be so; all these and more. I speak from feeling, not by rule. I am content if only you will think again and flee at once to Jesus, who has paid the ransom price of the sinner's redemption.
The chapter ends with the writer admitting his own limits:
But the wise man makes a wise confession: "I said I will be wise; but it was far from me." He owns his ignorance. Everything has left him unsatisfied. He cannot find out by wisdom that which is far off and exceedingly deep. All is imperfection. "There is not a just man on the earth, that does good, and sins not."
- Sight — the verse answers a hard sight: the righteous perish while the wicked live on. The answer comes from "common sense."
- Middle — the answer reached is a middle course between righteousness and wickedness. Commentators differ: wise counsel, or a false conclusion?
- Excess — read as counsel, it warns that exaggeration is never of God. It sacrifices other relationships and exposes one to ruin.
- Self — the real danger is not goodness itself. It is congratulating yourself on it: there is undoing in this over-doing.
- Confession — the search ends in "I said I will be wise; but it was far from me." No one on earth does good and never sins.
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish why shouldest thou die before thy time?
The Preacher has just watched a just man suffer for his goodness and a wicked man live long. His answer is a warning against going too far in either direction. Commentators differ over whether that answer is God's wisdom or one man's best guess.
Ecclesiastes records a man's own search, so not every line in it is God's verdict. One reference work names this very passage among its false conclusions:
This expression "under the sun" occurs no fewer than twenty-eight times in the twelve chapters. It gives the character of the book. It describes life "in Adam," and seeks an answer to the questions: What is best for man? How should he spend his life to be happy on earth? The writer speaks as a human philosopher in his wanderings. Sometimes he gets near the truth, but at other times he is far removed from it. So some passages state man's false conclusions: compare, for example, Ecclesiastes 3:18-22; 7:16-17; 8:15. The direct divine teaching comes in the last few verses of the book.
On that reading, the verse is plain human calculation. One writer follows the logic of both halves of the advice:
How does the natural man, the philosopher, meet this difficulty? He answers it with what people call "common sense." "Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?" Do not overdo it, strike a happy medium; avoid every kind of excess... Here is more "common sense" of the natural man. "Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?" Enjoy yourself, but avoid too much wickedness. Have a good time, but avoid excesses. Not too much righteousness and not too much wickedness; just a happy middle way. Such a way, thinks the natural man, is not compatible with the fear of God.
The compromise does not hold. One writer says plainly where it left him:
The strange sight in Ecclesiastes 7:15 makes the writer try a middle course between righteousness and wickedness. He still keeps a certain fear of God. But in that middle course he was wrong: wisdom was far from him. Wisdom has its difficulties, which man cannot solve.
Later the writer looks back at his own advice and cannot settle it:
But what about his earlier saying, "Be not overly righteous — be not overly wicked"? He is in perplexity... He is like a shipwrecked man swimming through raging waves to reach land. The waves he tries to master keep throwing him back. For all his wisdom, his searching, his conclusions and fine sayings, he is thrown back, and once more he cries "vanity."
Commentators differ here. Others take the caution at face value. Even a good thing can be pushed too far:
Like Job, the Preacher notices a just man suffering to the utmost because of his justice. He also notices a wicked man prolonging his days by his wickedness. So he gives a caution against pushing even good to excess. There is such a thing as being righteous and wise overmuch. Exaggeration is never of God, in truth or in anything else. It sacrifices other relationships and exposes a man to ruin. But righteousness binds, as false wisdom must be shunned: the fear of God guides one safely.
Why would wickedness cut a life short? One writer gives two reasons: what sin brings on itself, and what God does with evil men:
On the other hand, sin naturally tends to shorten life. "Men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days." Excesses bring their own consequences. Violence often brings human vengeance down on itself. Besides this, God makes examples of evil men, especially those who claim to be under His government. Korah, Dathan and Abiram are an instance of this in the Old Testament, and Ananias and Sapphira in the New.
- Sun — The book measures life "under the sun," in Adam. Some of its statements are man's false conclusions, not God's teaching; the divine answer comes in the closing verses.
- Sight — One disturbing sight starts it all: a just man suffering for his goodness while a wicked man lives long.
- Strategy — The natural man's reply is a happy medium: enough righteousness to avoid ruin, enough pleasure to enjoy life, and no excess either way.
- Shipwreck — That middle course was wrong, and wisdom was far from him. Looking back at his own advice, he is left in perplexity and cries "vanity" again.
- Safety — Commentators differ on how much of this counsel to keep. But safety lies not in balancing extremes; the fear of God guides a man safely.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.
Verse 15 has just shown a righteous man dying in his righteousness and a wicked man living long in his wickedness. Out of that puzzle comes verse 18, and commentators differ sharply over it: is this settled wisdom, or a man reasoning without God?
Verse 18 tells you to take hold of one thing and not let go of another. Commentators read those two as the warnings just given: do not overdo righteousness, do not give yourself to wickedness. On one reading the caution falls on excess itself, and the last clause names what keeps a person safe.
The Preacher notices, like Job, a just man suffering to the utmost because of it, and a wicked man prolonging his days by his wickedness, and he lays down a caution against pushing even good to excess. There is such a thing as being righteous and wise overmuch. Exaggeration is never of God in truth or in anything else. It sacrifices other relationships and exposes a person to ruin. But righteousness binds, as false wisdom must be avoided: the fear of God guides one safely.
Other writers hear something different — not wisdom, but plain human common sense. Read that way, the advice is a comfortable average. (The phrase "righteous overmuch" below comes from an older translation; the ESV reads, "Be not overly righteous.")
How does the natural man, the philosopher, meet this difficulty? He answers it with what people call "common sense." "Be not righteous overmuch, neither make yourself overwise; why should you destroy yourself?" Do not overdo it, strike a happy medium; avoid any kind of excess... Enjoy yourself, but avoid too much wickedness; have a good time but avoid excesses. Not too much righteousness and not too much wickedness; just a happy middle way; such a way, thinks the natural man, is not compatible with the fear of God.
A second writer reaches the same verdict, and says where that middle course left the man who took it.
The strange sight in Ecclesiastes 7:15 makes the writer try a middle course between righteousness and wickedness, still keeping a certain fear of God. But in that middle course he was wrong: wisdom was far from him.
Either way, the phrase has a clear target. It is not a warning against being too holy. The danger is in what a man thinks of his own uprightness.
Take care that uprightness does not prove a snare to you. The young man in the gospel might have been better had he not been so good. His honesty and moral uprightness was his undoing — or rather, his high opinion of them. He would have been better off as a tax collector, driven to Christ by the sense of his sin. Better that than a Pharisee, kept from Him by an opinion of his own integrity. Perhaps you are honest and upright in the way you live. Bless God for it, but take care not to congratulate yourself on it: there is the danger. This is one way of being "righteous over much." There is undoing in this over-doing, as well as in any under-doing.
There is a further danger. Strictness can cost a believer the meekness and gentleness of Christ, and one writer names who gains by that.
Note it well! The very devil himself in some cases likes to see believers righteous overmuch, at the expense of "the meekness and gentleness of Christ." The Apostle could add, "for we are not ignorant of his devices." Sadly, so often we cannot truthfully say that.
Each extreme has an end, and one writer names both.
The self-sufficient effort to be righteous only ends in shame; to be active in evil ends in death.
What clears the way out is not a careful balance but the fear of God. Wisdom, one writer notes, begins there.
Wisdom is inseparable from the fear of the Lord, which is its beginning. It consists of entering into His mind. So it solves questions that no one could otherwise answer in the tangle that man everywhere presents, as he is now.
- Two roads down. Self-effort at righteousness ends in shame. Activity in evil ends in death.
- Two readings. Commentators differ. Some hear a sober caution against pushing even good things to excess. Others hear a man reasoning without God, settling for a comfortable middle way.
- Over-doing undoes. "Righteous overmuch" is not too much holiness. It is congratulating yourself on it — the thing that kept the Pharisee from Christ, while the sense of his sin drove the tax collector to Him.
- A useful trap. Strictness at the cost of the meekness and gentleness of Christ is what the devil likes to see.
- One way out. Balance does not save you from either extreme. The fear of God does, and there wisdom begins and tangled questions find answers.