In this week’s passage, Qohelet (the Teacher of Ecclesiastes) reflects on the reality of death, and surprises us by telling us the answer to death is bread and wine (v. 9).

There is nothing we can do to avoid death, nor to predict when or in what circumstance it will ultimately come. Death comes for the righteous and the wicked, the good and evil, those who worship God and those who don’t (v. 1-2). In fact, while life is better than death, one of the struggles of life is knowing that life itself is fleeting (v. 5). There is no solution for death “under the sun,” so the best advice from that perspective is to enjoy what we can and do what we can while we can (v. 10). We should receive God’s blessings of marriage (v. 9), material comforts (v. 8), and bread and wine (v. 7) as our portion in life. 

While this wisdom rightly exhorts us to make use of our lives, and to enjoy God’s good gifts, “Enjoy bread and wine” seems to ultimately leave us without hope in the face of death—especially because death is a sign of our rebellion against God and his judgment of our sin (Gen 2:15-17, Rom 6:23).

And yet, God has dealt with sin and death in the cross and resurrection of Jesus. He descended to the dead and took the keys of Death and Hades (Rev 1:18). He is the Living One, and in John 6:40 promises to share his resurrection and eternal life with all who believe in him. And Jesus gave his disciples a special meal through which he fills us with eternal life. He promised “whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (John 6:54), and that “whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:58). 

In other words: God’s answer to death is bread and wine.

How does this passage challenge you to do what good you can while you can?

How does this message change how you perceive and receive God’s good gifts, especially the Lord’s Supper?