What is the meaning of Ecclesiastes 7:20? Surely The opening word places the statement beyond debate—Solomon anchors it in certainty. • Scripture often uses similar “sure” language to underscore an unchanging truth, such as Psalm 19:9, “The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever”. • 1 John 1:8 echoes this settled fact: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”. The Bible is emphatic and unified: what follows is not mere opinion but revealed reality. There is no righteous man Solomon’s claim covers every individual descendant of Adam. • Romans 3:10–12 quotes Psalm 14:2–3, “There is no one righteous, not even one”, reinforcing that fallen humanity shares the same moral deficit. • Even righteous‐reckoned patriarchs like Abraham needed imputed righteousness (Genesis 15:6) rather than possessing it intrinsically. • Old and New Testaments agree: righteousness that counts before God comes from Him, not from us (Philippians 3:9). On earth The phrase locates the problem in the present, visible realm—life under the sun. • Genesis 6:5 records that “every inclination of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was altogether evil all the time”, describing earthbound humanity before the flood. • By contrast, Hebrews 4:15 points to the only sinless Man, Jesus, who walked the same earth yet “was tempted in every way we are, yet was without sin”. His exception underscores the rule. Who does good Even our best acts fall short of God’s flawless standard. • Isaiah 64:6 admits, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags”. • James 2:10 reminds that breaking a single point of the law brands a person a lawbreaker. • Genuine good works flow from saving faith (Ephesians 2:10), but apart from that faith they remain tainted by self and sin. And never sins The concluding phrase seals the argument: sin is universal and continual. • Proverbs 20:9 asks, “Who can say, ‘I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin’?”, anticipating Ecclesiastes’ verdict. • James 3:2 agrees: “We all stumble in many ways”. • Even believers, while justified, still battle indwelling sin (Romans 7:18–25) until glorification. summary Ecclesiastes 7:20 affirms an unchanging biblical theme: every human being, apart from Christ, is inherently sinful and incapable of flawless righteousness. The verse strips away self‐reliance, driving us to depend wholly on the righteousness God provides through His Son. Its frank realism fosters humility, gratitude for grace, and a sober awareness that any good in us is God’s work from start to finish. |
    |