Advice With Regard to a Wise Man's Responsibility in Serving the King (Ecclesiastes 8:1-9).
We must not interpret these verses without regard to what we know about this king. His instruction will surely accord with his own views on authority, and its responsibilities. So our interpretation will depend on our view of who and what the writer is. Some see these instructions as being general advice, given simply in the light of the fact that most kings were despots. Others see them as the instructions of an enlightened king. In fact both interpretations are possible from the wording. It is a question of approach. But it seems to us that the latter is the reasonable position to take.
‘Who is as the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face shine and the severity (‘strength') of his face is changed.'
No one can compare with a wise man. No one else can solve problems like he can. His very wisdom makes his face glow, and his face is peaceful and content, demonstrating the genuineness of his wisdom. It does not carry the signs of discontent and worry like the faces of others. Thus he has great responsibility.
‘I say to you, keep the king's command and that in regard of your sacred oath (‘the oath of God'). Do not be hasty to leave his presence. Do not persist in an evil thing. For he does whatever pleases him. For the king's word is powerful (‘has power'), and who may say to him, “What are you doing?”. Whoever does what he is commanded will know no evil thing, and a wise man's heart discerns time and judgment.'
First the wise man must recognise that if he serves the king he is under authority, so he must prove that he is wise. He must have regard to his sacred oath and not be too hasty about leaving the king's presence, that is, in order to avoid giving unpleasant advice. The thought is that he should not be in a hurry to avoid unpleasant problems by suggesting he has no knowledge on the matter, or that he is not the best person to ask, thus basically tactfully refusing his assistance. He must stand firm and give his wise advice.
Or it may refer to planned disloyalty. In which case the ‘evil thing' would be whatever was being planned against the king.
‘Do not persist in an evil thing.' That is in continuing to advise, or approve of, something that he feels is wrong, (or alternately something that would displease the king. But it is not likely that this writer would expect his wise men to be so subservient). He must give the king honest advice, and if necessary advise a different course. (We must remember that the writer is against oppression - Ecclesiastes 4:1).
‘For he does whatever pleases him. For the king's word is powerful (‘has power'), and who may say to him, “What are you doing?” ' This might mean that to refuse to assist the king, or to do something that will displease him, will only put him in trouble, because the king's word is powerful and he can do whatever he wants. But it is more likely that it is pointing out that the wise man should consider that because the king is all powerful, to give him bad advice will be harmful, in view of the fact that he has absolute authority to carry it through (compare the false advice of Hushai the Archite which resulted in the defeat of Absalom (1 Kings 16:31)). Thus he must ensure that he gives only the best of advice.
‘Whoever does what he is commanded will know no evil thing, and a wise man's heart discerns time and judgment.' If the wise man is obedient to what he is commanded he need have no fear of the consequences. For the reason that he has been chosen as a wise man is because he knows what is the right time to do things, and what is the best way to go about it. So he must speak his mind and give good advice in the light of what is known.
‘A wise man's heart discerns time and judgment.' It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that underlying these words are two themes of the book, the passing time-line under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11) and the fact of final judgment (Ecclesiastes 11:9; Ecclesiastes 12:14). The wise man discerns both. He is aware both of time and everlastingness.
Others see it as meaning that he is to understand that obedience is the wise course, because he will then avoid unpleasantness or worse, but this would not be the advice of a benevolent king, and this writer is portrayed as a benevolent king.
‘For to every proposal (purpose) there is a time and judgment, for the misery of man is great upon him. For he does not know what will be, for who can tell him how it will be?'
The wise man's advice is needed because every proposal needs to be put into effect at the right time and in the right way, in view of the fact of the heavy burden of misery under which most people live. They do not know what is going to happen next, and have no one to give them guidance. It would not be good to add to their misery by giving bad advice.
‘There is no man who has power over the breath to retain the breath, nor has he power over the day of death. And there is no discharge in that war. Nor will wickedness deliver him who is given to it.'
None of the people can prevent themselves from dying, for they do not have control over the breath of life. Nor do they know when the day of their death will be. And none can ask to be discharged from the war of life and death. It is not in their hands. Nor can a wicked man finally avoid it by wicked methods (contrast Ecclesiastes 7:15). He may avoid it for a time, but in the end death will catch up with him. So death is unavoidable for all.
‘All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.'
The writer had paid great attention to all that was being done on the earth. And one thing that he had recognised was that there are times when one person's action can cause great harm to another. He sees the wise man's behaviour as an example of this. If he does not give honest advice in some circumstances others may well suffer grievously. Thus he must give his advice honestly. And indeed all who are put in a position where their decisions may affect others, should behave honestly.
This is a reminder to us all that our actions can affect other people. We too must therefore be honest and thoughtful in all we do, considering its effect on others.