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Ecclesiastes 4
Haystack bible commentary"Stacks and stacks of commentary...."
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==ecclesiastes 4:9-12:
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Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. |
Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, “If they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” One of the most precious (and severe) mercies of a brother is how he responds to our sins and failures. Many men fall into sin without another man strong enough, loving enough, or courageous enough to call him to repentance. Good men not only speak up when they see sin, but they love when others show them their own sin, however hard it may feel in the moment.Every man can fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). You and I can fall. And if we live as if we cannot, we are far more likely to fall. And if we do fall, and we all inevitably fall in various ways, we need brothers who will confront us (2 Samuel 12:7–9), restore us (Galatians 6:1), and then walk with us back out onto the battlegrounds for holiness. The preacher continues, “If two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:11). This may make modern men squirm (or even laugh), but that’s only because we have known so little of war. We’ve never woken up to a fellow soldier who froze to death overnight. Men of God know they need the heat of one another’s love for God. We need to be spurred on by one another’s passion, hard work, sacrifice, courage, and ambition for Christ. We don’t just need male friends; we need male friends on fire for God. --Marshall Segal; Desiring God; Uncommon Brothers 7/20/20
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November 19, 2024: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported: Wayland Baptist University formally installed its new president with an inauguration ceremony. Donna Hedgepath became the 14th person and first woman to serve in the position when she started her role in July. Since then, she's hit the ground running under the theme "Better Together," based on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Citing Matthew 13:3-8, Hedgepath said Wayland is "fertile soil preparing for a good crop.""The work that is occurring now to update technology, repair and improve our learning and student spaces, to hire the best faculty, coaches and staff who pour into our students, and plan for programs and opportunities that will set our students up to succeed and set us apart not only in their profession but in kingdom work — that's why the world needs Wayland," Hedgepath said. "Because we are already showing that we are 'Better Together,' we can make the world — our Father's world — stronger." |
Matthew Henry
Surely he has more satisfaction in life, who labours hard to maintain those he loves, than the miser has in his toil. In all things union tends to success and safety, but above all, the union of Christians. They assist each other by encouragement, or friendly reproof. They warm each other's hearts while they converse together of the love of Christ, or join in singing his praises. Then let us improve our opportunities of Christian fellowship. In these things all is not vanity, though there will be some alloy as long as we are under the sun. Where two are closely joined in holy love and fellowship, Christ will by his Spirit come to them; then there is a threefold cord. -Matthew Henry
The famous line, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” is not a fifth advantage of life together. It seems to be a concluding metaphor of life together. Strands were cords or lines or strings. Apart they can easily be snapped. Together they can hardly be broken (torn apart). Sometimes this passage is used in weddings with each strand representing a three-way relationship between the bride, the groom, and God. That is not the phrase’s context but could be an application of the principle. There is a certain peril to isolation. We are most often better together. --Mark Scott; Christian Standard 8/19/19