Ecclesiastes 10:1-15 Wisdom and Folly (January 18, 2025 PM, Dr. Michael Grasso)

"In Ecclesiastes 10:1–15, Solomon continues his extended meditation on wisdom by placing it side by side with folly and showing, in concrete and practical ways, that wisdom is far better than folly. Though wisdom is often overlooked and undervalued, folly is destructive, self-harming, and ultimately impossible to hide.Building on the previous passage, Solomon reminds us that wisdom is not merely intelligence or accumulated knowledge, but knowledge rightly applied to life under the fear of God. A person may be intellectually gifted and yet live foolishly, continually harming himself and others. True wisdom governs every area of life and brings the whole person into submission to God.Solomon begins with a striking image: just as dead flies ruin a perfumer’s ointment, a little folly can outweigh much wisdom and honor. This teaches us that partial obedience or compartmentalized faith is not enough. Wisdom must govern the whole life. The wise and the foolish are moving in opposite directions, and while wisdom is often difficult to recognize outwardly, folly is always revealing itself.The passage then turns to leadership and authority. It is a great evil, Solomon says, when fools are elevated to positions of power while the wise are ignored. Such disorder leads to societal ruin, because decisions made in folly affect many, not just the individual.Solomon goes on to show how folly repeatedly comes back upon the fool himself. Those who dig pits fall into them. Those who act without wisdom injure themselves. Life lived in foolishness is harder, more dangerous, and more exhausting—like trying to cut wood with a dull axe. Wisdom, by contrast, brings success and safety.A significant portion of the passage focuses on speech. Wisdom and folly are especially revealed in words. The words of the wise are gracious and constructive, while the words of fools multiply endlessly, grow increasingly incoherent, and weary both the speaker and the hearer. Fools believe their many words will make them appear wise, yet this is precisely how their folly becomes obvious.In the conclusion, Solomon presses the warning home. One of the great dangers of folly is that fools rarely know they are fools. Therefore, the question is not merely whether we can identify foolishness in others, but whether we are willing to examine our own hearts. The dividing line is clear: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and hardness of heart toward God is the beginning of folly.True wisdom is found in humility before God, repentance of sin, love for Christ, and joyful submission to His Word. To reject this path is to walk steadily toward self-destruction, even while remaining blind to it. May God grant us grace to fear Him, to walk in wisdom, and to find that wisdom fully revealed in Christ.#Ecclesiastes #BiblicalWisdom #FearOfTheLord #WisdomVsFolly #ChristianSermon #OldTestament #ChristIsWisdom #BibleTeaching"