What’s the meaning of life? Or is life meaningless? Those are questions that lots of people ask at various stages of our life. It’s maybe most important though as we get older. We wonder, was it all worthwhile. Or maybe even feel like our life wasn’t worthwhile. Could we have done things differently? Better? And maybe we wonder, what comes next?
Lots of questions. But the one I want to address here is whether or not life is meaningless. The thing is, even if we feel like our life has been fairly meaningless, mostly meaningless, or totally meaningless, if we’re still alive then we have the chance to find out two things.
- Even a life that we think is totally meaningless can still be made meaningful.
- If we’ve had a meaningful life, we’re not too old to continue to have meaning. Even more meaning than we think is possible.
A question asked by the wisest man ever – Is life meaningless?
We can find some answers to that question by turning to the wisest man who ever lived. Solomon. When I first started to do research on this topic, the very first thing that showed up, of course, was Ecclesiastes. Written by Qoheleth. The preacher/teacher, depending on the translator. Either way, it was Solomon.
The first two chapters were specifically highlighted. For instance:
Chapter summary. The Teacher launches his treatise with a cry: “Meaningless!” (1:1–2) He has examined history and nature and discovered only repeated cycles, with no progress toward any goal (vv. 3–11). The initial pessimistic affirmation is followed by a carefully reasoned presentation of proof. From 1:12 through 6:12 the Teacher explains how he reached his gloomy conclusion. He has looked at those things in which men suppose they find meaning and found each empty and vain. No ultimate value can be found in philosophy (vv. 12–16), in pleasure or wealth (2:1–11), in wisdom (vv. 12–16), or in personal accomplishments (vv. 17–23). In the last analysis, man has no control over his situation in this life (vv. 24–26). 1Richards, L. O. (1991). The Bible reader’s companion (electronic ed., p. 397). Wheaton: Victor Books.
Let’s go through that excerpt in some detail to see what it really says.
Meaningless
Depending on the translation you read, several different words may be used. Meaningless. Vanity. Futility. Absolute futility. Nothing makes sense/everything is nonsense. Utterly pointless. Absolutely pointless. No matter the word in your version of the Bible, they’re all grim words to hear when the question is, “what’s the meaning of life?
All of them are pretty self-explanatory, except vanity. But that’s the word used in many popular translations, so I think it’s important to show the others. The reason vanity is so popular, if not much understood, has to do with old definitions. Here’s a bit about the original Hebrew word:
1892 הֶבֶל [hebel, or (rarely, abs.), habel /heh·bel/] n m. From 1891; TWOT 463a; GK 2039; 73 occurrences; AV translates as “vanity” 61 times, “vain” 11 times, and “altogether” once. 1 vapour, breath. 1A breath, vapour. 1B vanity (fig.) adv. 2 vainly. 2Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
Definition 1B-2 shows a familiar word – vainly. That might conjure up thoughts of “doing something in vain”. Now we’re getting somewhere. If we follow through on another source for what the original Hebrew word means, we see this:
2039 I. הֶבֶל (hě·ḇěl): n.masc.; ≡ Str 1892; TWOT 463a—1. LN 6.96–6.101 idol, i.e., a fashioned object with a focus on its lack of value (Dt 32:21); 2. LN 65.30–65.39 meaninglessness emptiness, futility, uselessness, i.e., what is of no use on the basis of being futile and lacking in content (Ecc 1:2); 3. LN 23.185–23.187 breath, vapor, i.e., unit of air that passes in and out of the lungs through mouth and nostrils, with a focus on its briefness and lack of content (Isa 57:13; Pr 21:6) 3Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Now we see many of the other words in some translations. Meaningless. Futility. Useless.
We also see concepts like a focus on its briefness and lack of content and emptiness.
So when we have feelings like that, we’re not alone. When we wonder if our life has amounted to pretty much nothing, we aren’t alone. In fact, we’re in good company. These are the very same thoughts that Qoheleth/Solomon had. By the way, he had them when he was towards the end of his reign. And his life.
Again, when we get older, become elderly, seniors, mature – whatever word one cares to use – these thoughts are natural. The question is, what do we do about/with them? Ecclesiastes explores Qoheleth going through that thought process. And what he concluded.
He has examined history and nature …
He has examined history and nature and discovered only repeated cycles, with no progress toward any goal (vv. 3–11). The initial pessimistic affirmation is followed by a carefully reasoned presentation of proof. From 1:12 through 6:12 the Teacher explains how he reached his gloomy conclusion. He has looked at those things in which men suppose they find meaning and found each empty and vain.
Yes, Qoheleth finds the things he looks at to be empty and without purpose. And yes, it’s a very gloomy conclusion.
As a Christian, we have to wonder, how does this conclusion, from someone who was so close to God, so wise, so rich, so “everything”, reach a conclusion so far from what Jesus tells us about life?
By the way, don’t be afraid to ask questions like that. I know Christians who don’t want to ask God the hard questions, because they’re afraid He’ll answer. But hey – as Christians, that’s exactly what we’re supposed to do. In fact, what we promised to do when we got baptized. We promised to follow Jesus and obey Him.
Part of that is something we probably don’t like to remember. It’s called Christian transformation. Please see What happened to Christian transformation – becoming more Christ-like?, if you want to know more about the transformation that all of us Christians promised to go through.
When we go through that transformation, we really begin to understand and experience something Jesus said.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Yes, I pulled those words out of a longer sentence. A longer passage. With none of the context. But isn’t that exactly what we often do? We do it with the Bible. We do it with our lives. It’s so common we don’t even think about it.
Not to worry, I’ll add the context as we go along. And as it turns out, Qoheleth, in the end, wouldn’t disagree with what Jesus said at all.
What we need to examine is the process that Qoheleth went through in his examination. How he reached the “conclusion” that everything is useless, and what his “real” final conclusion was. After all, if we’re in the same place he was when he concluded life was useless. Maybe we can also follow his path out of feeling like that as well.
No ultimate value …
No ultimate value can be found in philosophy (vv. 12–16), in pleasure or wealth (2:1–11), in wisdom (vv. 12–16), or in personal accomplishments (vv. 17–23).
We’ll look at what those words mean. As a Christian, we probably think we know what they all mean. However, we’ll see something different in Qoheleth’s examination. And in ours.
In the last analysis …
In the last analysis, man has no control over his situation in this life (vv. 24–26).
True. In a sense. Very untrue in a different sense. That will be understood when we see and understand Qoheleth’s final conclusion.
What’s the meaning of life? Or is life meaningless? Spoiler alert.
Is life really meaningless?
The answers are yes and no.
Really, the best answer is – life doesn’t have to be meaningless. But if we don’t choose to do the things necessary for our life to be meaningful, then it will be meaningless.
Remember, I just said that the statement man has no control over his situation in this life can be true – or false. Again, it’s our choice.
And it’s an “all in” – or “all out” choice. As the priests used to say when I was a kid, there’s no sitting on the fence. Sitting on the fence, so to speak, is not being “all in”. Not making a choice isn’t being “all in”. And not being “all in” means life will be very much meaningless, empty, pointless, Etc. Why? Because if we pay attention to what Jesus said, if we’re not all in, then we are out.
On the other hand, being “all in” leads to a life that we’d never even dream of.
I used to think I was “in”. Then I spent two months being really sick – one week in the hospital and five weeks recovering at home. During that week in the hospital, I really went “all in”. It was the most amazing week of my life. And it hasn’t been the same ever since. You can read about it at, God – is it time for me to go home?.
Having gone “all in” is why I’m writing this now.
Going “all in” – making life meaningful
There’s something Jesus told Peter. It was just before telling Peter that he’d deny Jesus three times. Peter reacted like he was “all in”. But he wasn’t. Peter really did deny Jesus three times.
Look at what Jesus told Peter:
Lk 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus prayed for Peter. But not that Satan wouldn’t “sift him as wheat”. No. That was going to happen. Just like it happens to us. Jesus told his disciples – and that includes us – that those things would happen. He didn’t pray to stop or prevent them.
What Jesus prayed for was that our faith wouldn’t fail. Jesus prayed that we’d turn back to Him. And then Jesus told Peter (and us) that after we turn back, we should strengthen our brothers (and sisters).
Look at how meaningful Peter’s life turned out to be.
We aren’t Peter, but …
We won’t be Peter. But that doesn’t mean we can’t strengthen our brothers and sisters. It doesn’t mean we can’t have a meaningful life, rather than a meaningless life.
There can be an ultimate value to our lives. We do have control over that much.
If we still have the “breath of life” in us, we can, and should, choose to have meaning to our lives. But, it’s up to us. It’s not up to someone else. If we ask God to provide us opportunities to have a meaningful life, He will provide them. But we must ask. And we must follow through. He will be with us the whole way, if we let Him. All the way through, as you can see, it’s up to us to choose to do these things.
We must also realize, when we ask, it’s not going to be easy. It won’t be beyond our capabilities, as long as we keep God with us and depend on His power, strength, and peace. But it will be, let’s call it a growth opportunity. Part of our transformation. For more on asking God for opportunities to have a meaningful life, please see If you want to walk on water … expect a storm.
What’s the meaning of life? The conclusion from Qoheleth
The Conclusion of the Matter
Ecc 12:9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one Shepherd. 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
Ecc 12:13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.
Solomon lived under the Old Covenant. We live under the New Covenant. What Jesus tells us in the Parable of the Talents, is that when we live a meaningful life, we can hear this:
Conclusion – What’s the meaning of life? Or is life really meaningless? – The beginning
Obviously, I haven’t answered all the questions that were raised above. Nor have I given all the information promised above.
Why not? One article can’t really do justice to the topic. We all have different lives. God doesn’t have one “master program” that we’re all supposed to follow. There’s something for every one of us. But not the same “something” for each of us.
I’ve written a fair amount about my own life. It’s become especially meaningful after my stay in the hospital with the staph infection. And then still more meaningful after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The level of meaning ratcheted up when I found out surgery didn’t remove all of the cancer. So there’s more coming on that. If it’s part of God’s plan for me, a lot more.
And there’s stuff already written about things I’ve observed in the world we live in. Some I witnessed in person. Most from reading or seeing it online, in the news, Etc.
This is the first of a new category of articles – Is life meaningless?
Given the nearly 700 existing articles and the time needed to write new stuff, the list will grow, but over time. You can subscribe to this site to get emails when new items are published and/or check back on the page: Is Life Meaningless to see if there are existing articles add to it.
Footnotes
- 1Richards, L. O. (1991). The Bible reader’s companion (electronic ed., p. 397). Wheaton: Victor Books.
- 2Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.
- 3Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.