Help me understand a bible verse- this sounds horrible!

[teacups]

Ecclesiastes 9:5,
New International Version
For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten .

What deos this mean? It sounds horrendous! It was read at a funeral and I just dont understand why? It seems the opposite of comforting.

 

[Imzadi]

No offense, but doesn't this fall under religious discussion? You're asking for an interpretation which is quite different from the Sunday threads where a single bible verse is posted and there is no discussion or debate about what it is about.


BTW, yes, it doesn't sound good at a funeral.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

It has been explained to me as a verse used to tell us not to pray for the dead, or worry about the dead. They lived their lives and their souls await judgment.

Some use this verse as proof that there is no immortal soul...

 

[luvmyfam444]

you should be able to look in a commentary online that will tell you about the verse - I don't know myself without looking it up.

 

[JessicaR]

http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Bible.show/sVerseID/17481/eVerseID/17481

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

One thing to remember - Ecclesiastes is referred to as the book of vanities. Solomon was speaking of man's vanities, so that changes the meaning a bit if you take that into consideration...

 

[CowboyCO]

Ecclesiastes 9:5,
New International Version
For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten .

What deos this mean? It sounds horrendous! It was read at a funeral and I just dont understand why? It seems the opposite of comforting.

You have to read the rest of the passages to get the meaning

9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

9:8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

In other words - live life to the fullest -- take joy in your life becasue once you are passed, you don't get another shot...

 

[southernbelle5672]

Ecclesiastes 9:5,
New International Version
For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten .

What deos this mean? It sounds horrendous! It was read at a funeral and I just dont understand why? It seems the opposite of comforting.

That really does seem like a tough thing to say at a funeral. Then again, I'm not religious and I could be taking it the wrong way. I read some of the replies but .... still seems harsh.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Note: I do see that this is a 'religious discussion'... and if it is closed, then of course, that is fine... But, for the benefit of the OP, I did want to post one simple comment.


"The dead know nothing...."

When Lazarus was resurrected from the dead, he too attested that he had seen/heard/experienced nothing... like being 'asleep' or non-existant...

I actually find this verse to be one of many that attest that the dead do not experience eternal judgement/purgatory/hell-fire.

The wages of sin is death... the grave... ceasing to exist.... The gift by grace is resurrection unto eternal life.

YES, I agree that this verse can sound harsh and easily be misinterpreted.

 

[LuvOrlando]

In common terms, it means you can't take it with you.

The way I see it, when people die momentarily they get a glimpse into beyond, but just a glimpse. To me this has as much credibility as a person doing a stopover flight in another city and thinking he/she knows what it means to live there from the airport. Its not the same thing, IMO.

I also think wakes, and funerals are for the living, not the dead. Those that are gone are fine, its the survivors that need care, love and support to get them through because they are the ones who are uncertain.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Ecclesiastes 9:5,
New International Version
For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten .

What deos this mean? It sounds horrendous! It was read at a funeral and I just dont understand why? It seems the opposite of comforting.

I would see it as, don't cry for them... they know not that they are deceased. They don't even have their memory to call upon...
So, basically, we are worse off than them. We know we will die, and we are the ones left to carry the burden of their death...

Its odd, I heard it at my uncles funeral a few yrs ago, and it hit me like a ton of bricks..
Basically, we aren't crying for them, they aren't in pain. We are crying for us and the pain we feel....