In the previous six chapters the Teacher had recorded his investigation of the sore travail or distressful business, which the Lord had given men to be occupied in. That is, having rebelled from him (Genesis 3), mankind was driven from the presence of God and made to live as though he had no God. How would he choose to live, seeing that he chose to know good and evil without the Lord’s input. Man believes that he, not God, has his (man’s) best interest at heart. Therefore, the Lord gave man up to pursue his own understanding. Thus, as a result of the investigation of the wisest man in the world, he concluded mankind had greatly erred, for he had chosen a profitless enterprise in this life without God. Nevertheless, although the Lord had left man to his own devises, he also provided an escape for those who would repent and desire to live in the Lord’s presence. To them he gave the gift of joy in life or the pleasure of being satisfied in one’s labor. Nevertheless, how is this done? How does one escape the errors of man’s chosen worldview to live in the worldview that the Lord has our best interest at heart and is willing to help us in our walk before him? This will be the Teacher’s next theme in his thesis.
The Teacher began by saying: “a good name is said better than good oil…” (Ecclesiastes 7:1)! Actually, good isn’t present in the text for name, and the text is literally: “a name is better than good oil…” Moreover, there is a play on the Hebrew word name that is missed in the English translation. It is: “a name (H8034; sem or shem) is better than oil” (H8031; semen or shemen). For the ancients oil was a symbol of prosperity and riches (cp. Joel 2:24) and the blessing of God (Psalm 23:5). However, it can also be used of seductive speech, where an enemy’s words are like smooth oil, but in reality, they are drawn swords (Psalm 55:21). So, I believe the sense of the Teacher’s statement is a man’s reputation is better than prosperity. A good name is better than either the riches gained through seductive speech (Proverbs 5:3) or even legitimate riches gained with the Lord’s blessing (Psalm 23:5).
In another place Solomon clearly made oil a symbol of a man’s good reputation:
For Your ointments (H8031) have a lovely fragrance; Your name (H8034) is as oil (H8031) poured out; therefore, the virgins love You. (Song of Solomon 1:3)
Similarly, when folks dwell in unity, it can be said that their common bond is as precious oil poured over one’s head (Psalm 133:1-2), an expression of honor even during the days of Christ (Matthew 26:7). So, folks who love a good name will gather around a man, whose reputation is exemplary, a man held in honor and well respected. This is to be desired over riches. It is the most pleasant thing the Teacher is able to conclude in his study of the distressful business, which occupies men’s labors in their rebellion against their Creator (Ecclesiastes 1:13; cp. Genesis 3:14-19). Reputation, a good name, is to be pursued in one’s labor. It, not riches, should occupy one’s labor. A good name is the one thing a man should never stop pursuing. In fact, it is the very first responsibility God had given man to do: be his image in his creation (Genesis 1:26-28). A good name is what sums up an honorable man’s life, and it is the end that is desired over the beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:1).
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