Free group study handout
Ecclesiastes 10: Group Study Handout
How to use: read Ecclesiastes 10 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.
Overview
Folly can ruin reputation, as seen when 'dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor' (v. 1). A wise man acts wisely, while a fool reveals his foolishness through his actions (vv.
Key verse
“Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom: for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.”
Ecclesiastes 10:20 (WEB)
Outline
- Ecclesiastes 10:1–2 Folly Ruins Reputation
- Ecclesiastes 10:3–4 Foolishness in Daily Life
- Ecclesiastes 10:5–7 Perils of Leadership
- Ecclesiastes 10:8–10 Hazards of Carelessness
- Ecclesiastes 10:11–15 The Consequences of Words
- Ecclesiastes 10:16–19 Conditions of the Land
- Ecclesiastes 10:20 Caution in Speech
Discussion questions
- In v6, why is folly described as being 'set in great dignity'?
- What does the phrase 'the spirit of the ruler rises up against you' indicate in v4?
- The statement in v16, 'woe to you, land, when your king is a child': what are the implications for leadership?
- In v19, the phrase 'money is the answer for all things' raises what questions about wealth's role in life?
- When have careless words led to unintended consequences for you, as seen in v12?
Go deeper
Passages that echo Ecclesiastes 10: Ephesians 4, Proverbs 18, Colossians 4.
Before next time: read Ecclesiastes 11.