The book of Ecclesiastes is probably best known for its repeated refrain that "everything is meaningless," or "vanity." However, a thorough reading demonstrates that this is not its final conclusion.
Knut Heim's Tyndale commentary shows that the book is intellectually sophisticated, theologically rich, emotionally deep—and full of humor. While it is realistic about life, it is life-affirming and immensely practical. It is also politically engaged, presenting its critique of a repressive foreign regime in an entertaining and thought-provoking way.
The Tyndale Commentaries are designed to help the reader of the Bible understand what the text says and what it means. The Introduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting, and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties.
In the new Old Testament volumes, the commentary on each section of the text is structured under three headings: Context, Comment, and Meaning. The goal is to explain the true meaning of the Bible and make its message plain.
Knut Martin Heim, PhD is Professor in Old Testament at Denver Seminary Littleton. He is a Presbyter in the Methodist Church of the United Kingdom. He is a member of The Society of Biblical Literature, The Institute of Biblical Research, The Society for the Study of the Old Testament (UK), and The Tyndale Fellowship (UK). His PhD was completed at the University of Liverpool, and his books include Like Grapes of Gold Set in Silver: An Interpretation of Proverbial Clusters in the Book of Proverbs and Poetic Imagination in Proverbs: Variant Repetitions and the Nature of Poetry.
