Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes: Foundations for Expository Sermons

by Sidney Greidanus

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2010

Overview

As Sidney Greidanus points out, the biblical book of Ecclesiastes is especially relevant for our contemporary culture because it confronts such secular enticements as materialism, hedonism, cut-throat competition, and self-sufficiency. But how can preachers best convey the ancient Teacher’s message to congregations today? A respected expert in both hermeneutics and homiletics, Greidanus provides readers with the foundations for a series of expository sermons on Ecclesiastes. He walks students and preachers through the steps from text to sermon for all of the book’s fifteen major literary units, explores various ways to move from Ecclesiastes to Jesus Christ in the New Testament, and offers insightful expositions that help the preacher in sermon production but omit the theoretical and often impractical discussions in many commentaries.

In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

Key Features

• Provides readers with the foundations for a series of expository sermons on Ecclesiastes
• Explores the steps from text to sermon for the book’s fifteen major literary units
• Discusses various ways to move from Ecclesiastes to Jesus Christ in the New Testament
• Offers insightful expositions that help the preacher in sermon production

Contents

Top Highlights

“Contradictions, however, are natural in wisdom literature because life is complex.^{17” (Page 6)}

“These considerations lead to the following theme formulation: Since all worldly endeavors are futile, find enjoyment in God’s daily gifts of food, drink, and toil.” (Page 54)

“What is the nature of wisdom literature? Elizabeth Achtemeier responds, ‘Wisdom is the result of practical experience and the careful observation of both the natural and human worlds. Out of all of the chaos of experience, Wisdom finds customary ‘orders’ in the world—ways in which human beings and natural phenomena ordinarily behave. Its aim, then, is to teach men and women these ‘orders,’ so they may know how to act in harmony with the world around them.’” (Page 3)

“The textual theme, then, can be formulated as follows, ‘Since all human endeavors ‘under the sun’ are vanity, find enjoyment in God’s daily gifts of food, drink, and toil.’” (Page 54)

“We should also note an alternating pattern of horizontal and vertical strands in Ecclesiastes. The horizontal strands describe life ‘under the sun,’ while the vertical strands point to God.” (Page 17)

Praise for the Print Edition

One of those rare volumes that should be read by all preachers who take the task of interpretation and proclamation with great seriousness.

—Preaching

[This book] will help preachers develop homiletical muscle memory that will transform them from workmen into artisans.

—Calvin Theological Journal

Product Details

• Title: Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes: Foundations for Expository Sermons
• Author: Sidney Greidanus
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Print Publication Date: 2010
• Logos Release Date: 2014
• Pages: 360
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible. O.T. Ecclesiastes › Sermons--Outlines, syllabi, etc; Jesus Christ; Bible. O.T. Ecclesiastes › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9780802865359, 0802865356
• Resource ID: LLS:PRCHNGCHCCLSSTS
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T02:20:31Z

About Sidney Greidanus

Sidney Greidanus is professor emeritus of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan.