Half Empty: An Interpretive Guide to Ecclesiastes - Paperback

by A. Wendell Bowes (Author)

Widely regarded as pessimistic in tone, the book of

Ecclesiastes presents unique difficulties for preaching and

teaching. Ecclesiastes seems to declare that no matter what

a person does, in the end life is as fleeting and meaningless

as vapor. What edifying value could this book have for

parishioners and students? Wendell Bowes, in Half Empty,

expertly answers this question. In this interpretive guide,

Dr. Bowes demonstrates how effectively the message

of Ecclesiastes complements the optimism of wisdom

books such as Proverbs by questioning that optimism and

underlining what is most important in life.

Like its companion volume, Half Full, on Proverbs, Half

Empty includes sermon starters, presentation ideas, sermon

title suggestions, and a substantial reference list.

Author Biography

A. WENDELL BOWES (1945-2023) was professor emeritus of Old Testament at Northwest Nazarene University, where he served as chair of the department of religion and director of the MMin program. He held a BA from Northwest Nazarene University, an MDiv from Nazarene Theological Seminary, a ThM from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a PhD from Dropsie College. Prior to his teaching career, he pastored three Nazarene churches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He authored Job in the New Beacon Bible Commentary series; Consider My Servant Job; The Wisdom Literature in the Reading and Interpreting the Bible Series; Half Full: An Interpretive Guide to Proverbs, and Half Empty: An Interpretive Guide to Ecclesiastes.