I've read a couple of other editions of Ancient Christian Commentary and again, I'm intrigued by what these Sages, church fathers (old guys) had to say about the scripure; more evidence that what we are experiencing today is not any different than men before us. A wise king once said something about "there is nothing new under the sun." ;-)My notes are a bit different this time.

As I read and pondered this book I posted (Tweeted) some of what these old guys had to say on Twitter, which in turn posts through to my Facebook account. It brought about a few interesting comments.

These Tweets were posted at @DannyLSmith.

Good times with family & friends. I'm reminded of Augustine's take on Ecc 8:15- "To be made a sharer at the table is to begin to have life."8:16 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

We are like the brutes except our belief in Christ raises us up to heaven and promises eternity to our souls. Jerome on Ecc 9:28:27 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

.....before you came to the grace your doings were "vanities of vanities." Cyril of Jerusaleum on Ecc 9:78:29 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

No one, therefore, can hear the Word of God unless he has first been sanctified...holy in body and spirit. Origen on Ecc 9:8.8:34 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

The Holy Spirit teaches us not to put off things but to do to our soul all the good that is possible. Horsiesi (c 305-390) on Ecc 9:88:46 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

Since the hours and moments are running away, see to it they are filled with what will earn the wages of a good work. Gregory on Ecc 9:108:56 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

Since we do not know the time of our coming death and we cannot work after death, it remains for us to seize the time granted us....Gregory9:01 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

So death itself will be defeated when it comes, if we always fear it before it comes. Gregory the Great on Ecclesiastes 9:109:02 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

..nor can penance be granted when the time for repentance is past. Hurry while you are still alive. Pacian of Barcelona (c. 400) on Ecc 9:109:07 AM Sep 7th from Echofon

It is up to us to start, but it is up to God to grant success. Didymus the Blind on Ecclesiastes 9:11.7:42 PM Sep 8th from Echofon

He does not prohibit running for the goals nor to desire them. But he does prohibit belief they are reached by one's own effort. Didymus.7:48 PM Sep 8th from Echofon

Leave not your place. The devil wishes to take it from you, for he is jealous of your hope and of your task ~ Ambrose on Ecclesiastes 10:48:01 AM Sep 9th from Echofon

Let us who are in the Lord observe closely his wonders, draw joy to our hearts from the contemplation of them ~ Basil the Great on Ecc 10:48:04 AM Sep 9th from Echofon

A house never suddenly collapses but for an old weakness in the foundation or because of extended disregard by tenants~Cassian on Ecc 10:187:56 AM Sep 10th from Twitterrific

One is advised not to say bad things about others. A curse is nothing else but a wish for something bad... ~ Didymus the Blind on Ecc 10:208:06 AM Sep 11th from Echofon

He stretches out his arms, calms troubled spirits, calling them back to one way of thinking....at the end of Ecclesiastes-Gregory the Great

Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is all there is to man - Bede on Ecc 12:13

Ecclesiastes 12:11 "The sayings of the wise are like goads....."

Knowledge will pass away, but the whole duty of humanity is to fear God and keep his commandments - Shepherd of Hermas on Ecc 12

Writing of too many books & fashioning of too many words is a danger that threatens those given to the pursuit of divinity -Origen on Ecc 12

....Let us affectionally love God, not fm fear of hell but fm desire of the kingdom. What is comparable to seeing Christ?Chrysostom-Ecc 12:8

....Let us affectionally love God, not fm fear of hell but fm desire of the kingdom. What is comparable to seeing Christ?Chrysostom-Ecc 12:8

Solomon had no enjoyment from these things. Let us believe him and lay hold in which there is truth and what is based on a solid rock.....

If Chrysostom is correct on his interpretation of Ecc 12:8, then for what purpose did God put forth Adam and Eve to work?

Buildings,riches,bustle,high thoughts, ostentation-all vain. They come not from hand of God..They gave no useful end. Chrysostem on Ecc12:9 10:06 AM Sep 20th from Echofon

Dust returns to earth, spirit to heaven..this is clearly expressed by God's inbreathing by which Adam was first ensouled~J.Cassian, Ecc 12:7 10:00 AM Sep 20th from Echofon

Since we possess a body fm earth & spirit fm heaven,we ourselves are earth & heaven-in both,body & soul,we pray God's will be done. Cyprian 9:52 AM Sep 20th from Echofon

The shattered picture and broken wheel are allegories of death ~ Jerome on Ecc 12:6 9:47 AM Sep 20th from Echofon

When Scripture describes the spoken & written word as silver,this means a weaving of words that link & fit to each other~ Didymus/Ecc 12:6 9:46 AM Sep 20th from Echofon

By gold in Scripture one has to understand the spirit.... By gold the thought and by bowl the sphere of reason ~ Didymus on Signs of the End 9:42 AM Sep 20th from Echofon

The good will enter his eternal home with rejoicing..the bad will fill their homes with mourning ~ Didymus on Ecc 12:5. Define good and bad? 9:32 AM Sep 20th from Echofon

Bede the Venerable (c. 672-735) talks about Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 being the "wheel of our life." 6:17 AM Sep 18th from Echofon

Sometimes we are caught up in anger, but don't let this anger into the heart, where it becomes a permanent condition ~ Didymus on Ecc 11:10 6:14 AM Sep 18th from Echofon

Put sorrow far from your flesh, sadness from your thoughts, except only for your sins you should be constant in sadness~Ehpram on Ecc 11:10 6:11 AM Sep 18th from Echofon

Moving from Moore's "The Last Men's Book..." to my old guy reading on Ecclesiastes and irony sets in.... 6:08 AM Sep 18th from Echofon

He certainly does not write to a certain age group in the physical sense but to a soul made young. Didymus the Blind on Ecc 11:8 7:58 AM Sep 15th from web

He (Solomon) shows himself to live with prudence and circumspection. Gregory the Great on Ecclesiastes 11:8 7:19 AM Sep 15th from web

I will sow in you the Word of God, the seed of truth and life from the morning hour to the evening hour. Peter of Alexandria on Ecc 11:6 7:16 AM Sep 15th from web

The morning hour is the young childhood of man, and the evening hour is old age. Peter of Alexandria on Ecc 11:6 7:14 AM Sep 15th from web

Let us turn now and ponder the word just as the natural philosopher has said, and let us know its power. Peter of Alexandria on Ecc 11:6 7:13 AM Sep 15th from web

...but cannot comprehend his judgments that are wrought by him above their understanding. Gregory the Great (c.540-604) on Ecclesiates 11:5 7:12 AM Sep 15th from web

...because they know by grace him by whom they were made... Gregory the Great on Ecc 11:5 7:11 AM Sep 15th from web

They therefore both know him whom they preach, and yet do not know his works - Gregory the Great on Ecc 11:5 7:10 AM Sep 15th from web

...lest always you be found wanting and naked of knowledge of God. For he who is fearful or watches the winds, sows not. Nineveh on Ecc 11:4 7:04 AM Sep 15th from web

But, trusting in god, manfully make a geginning upon the way that is filled with blood....Neneveh on Ecc 11:4 7:03 AM Sep 15th from web

Let not wisdom become a stumbling block to your soul and a snare before you ~ Nineveh on Ecclesiastes 11:4 7:01 AM Sep 15th from web

Didymus was connecting Ecc 11:3 to Song of Solomon 4:16, sending the evil north wind away with good wind of the south. 9:07 AM Sep 12th from Twitterrific

....But when the warm south wind blows through the garden of the soul,..then the pores are widened. Didymus the Blind, cont'd on Ecc 11:3 9:00 AM Sep 12th from Twitterrific

...a cold wind closes the openings of the so-called invisible pores and elements of fragrance are kept inside. ~ Didymus, cont'd on Ecc 11:3 8:58 AM Sep 12th from Twitterrific

"The north wind indicates evil, the south good." This sentence is meant in a figurative and spiritual sense... ~ Didymus on Ecc 11:3 8:52 AM Sep 12th from Twitterrific

He who reads much and also understands is filled; he who has been filled sheds water upon others. ~ Ambrose on Ecc 11:3 8:48 AM Sep 12th from Twitterrific