The BEMA Podcast – Episode 465: Qohelet’s Reflection
Date: August 28, 2025
Hosts: Brent Billings, Marty Solomon
Guest: Josh Bosse
Overview
This episode wraps up a dense, multi-episode exploration of Qohelet (Ecclesiastes), shifting from analyzing the text to reflecting personally and communally on its philosophical impact and application. Rather than letting Qohelet have the last word, the hosts and guest reflect on how this wisdom literature has shaped their perspectives on meaning, accumulation, presence, and action—especially as they relate to modern discipleship and life in a “post-exilic” context.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Series Reflections and Methodology
- The episode takes an introspective turn, reviewing the major themes and surprises uncovered through the study of Qohelet.
- Josh Bosse notes the journey was “surprising and revelatory,” revealing more depth than anticipated (00:19).
- Marty Solomon affirms the need for a reflection episode to “boil this down to application points and some takeaways” (00:41).
- The group acknowledges how varied and deep their discussion was, touching topics such as justice, death, and existential questions (01:00).
2. Major Takeaways: Marty’s Four Themes
a. The Importance of Caution
- Recurring disclaimers served as “caution tape” reminding listeners to resist misusing Qohelet—especially to avoid nihilistic readings (03:55).
- Marty: “We are so quick to do stuff with Qohelet that we should not do... let it be very nihilistic...” (02:15-03:45)
b. Post-Exilic Wisdom and Jesus
- The idea that Qohelet and Job represent “post-exilic wisdom” resonated deeply.
- Marty connects this with scholarly research (notably Ben Witherington’s work) noting that Jesus aligns with this tradition—“a wisdom prophet” in the stream of Job, Qohelet, and apocryphal writings (05:40-08:15).
- Marty: “He [Witherington] says, I believe the historical Jesus is somebody that sees himself as squarely in the wisdom tradition of post-exilic Jewish wisdom, namely Job, Qohelet... and I was just like, wow, so juicy.” (07:38)
c. Wisdom in Action: Shrewd Activism
- The arc of Qohelet moves from existential futility to “wisdom in action” or “shrewd activism.”
- Marty: “Kohelet has called me not to nihilism, but, like, almost anti-nihilism. Called me to action...” (10:39)
- References to Brueggemann’s “accommodation resistance”—the strategy of staying involved to influence change, rather than withdrawing (09:00-11:19).
d. Transition from Accumulation to Presence
- The book subtly but fundamentally shifts from seeking “more”—wisdom, possessions, experiences—to emphasizing presence and contentment with what is (11:19-13:28).
- Josh: “She is also trying to transform her own relationship with wisdom... amassing wisdom… wasn’t enough.” (12:07)
3. Challenging the Narrative of Accumulation
- Qohelet’s critique is not just about material goods but the entire logic of quantifiable gain—whether knowledge, reputation, or righteousness.
- Josh points out that “the narrative of what your life means” often falls into the trap of accumulation, but Qohelet “ruthlessly” undermines this idea (13:28-16:08).
- Marty: “It’s not just material accumulation… If I just had more philosophy, more answers, more stuff...” (15:17)
- Josh: “Your possessions are not the arc of your life and not even just like property possessions, like your own wisdom, your own reputation or standing.” (16:08)
4. Being Present: The Antidote to Futility
- The group repeatedly returns to the critical theme: "be here." Presence, not accumulation, is the antidote both to existential despair and to missed opportunities for meaning (19:24-29:15).
- Marty: “The wisdom of Ecclesiastes is that it keeps calling us to presence... Just be here.” (15:25)
- Josh shares from personal health struggles that confronting finitude and presence has led to more freedom and meaning, rather than despair (26:48).
5. Legacy, Meaning, and the Limits of Control
- Rather than clinging to personal legacy via control and accumulation, true impact flows through community and relationship—paralleling the “body of Christ” metaphor (26:48-29:15).
- Josh: “Whatever in my life is going to continue on is going to be through other people....that sounds a heck of a lot like the body of Christ to me.” (28:52)
- Letting go of individual control is both difficult and essential for true freedom.
Notable Quotes and Moments
-
On Caution and Interpretation
“We are so quick to do stuff with Qohelet that we should not do… let it be very nihilistic… I thought that disclaimer and warning was really well placed.”
— Marty Solomon (03:18) -
On Post-Exilic Wisdom
“I believe the historical Jesus is somebody that sees himself as squarely in the wisdom tradition of post exilic Jewish wisdom, namely Job, Qohelet, and a few apocryphal works.”
— Marty Solomon, paraphrasing Ben Witherington (07:38) -
On the Narrative of Accumulation
“There is a very easy narrative to project onto just about anything that follows the logic of accumulation… and that is, I think, one of the reasons why so often people end up with nihilism or perceiving nihilism in Kohelet.”
— Josh Bosse (13:41) -
On Presence vs. Accumulation
“If your reliance on it, if your emotional relationship with your possessions is locked into the present, then that is the escape from possessions and accumulation defining the arc of your life… Whatever the meaning is, it has to be above and beyond this.”
— Josh Bosse (16:08) -
On Finite Life and Letting Go
“That sense of being constantly aware of, like, yep, I'm finite. I'm going to die. I'm going to pass away. That can lead people to nihilism. But…if we put aside accumulation, how do we tell our story?...The meaning will be…when I plant a seed and it grows.”
— Josh Bosse (26:48) -
On Havel/Abel as a Model
“Maybe him just being a good shepherd was enough. Maybe it wasn't even the sacrifice. Maybe it was him being a good shepherd…If that's not too little for God, then we also can't judge ourselves in that same way.”
— Josh Bosse (36:11)
Practical Application and Spiritual Formation
1. Being Present as Practice
- Josh: “The Bible is here exhorting us… to be here, to be present. And… one of the really important applications of that is…trusting what God’s put in front of you.” (30:13)
- Trust your intuition in discipleship; practice gratitude; act on what’s in front of you without over-fixating on finding the “one right answer.”
- Presence is not just mindfulness but “being physically here, because this is the only thing that matters” (32:53–34:39).
2. On Action and Mistakes
- Accept mistakes and trust in grace. “The whole point of grace is to say, okay, you make a mistake… that can be fixed, that has already been fixed. Just do what's in front of you.” (34:39)
3. Purpose in Relationships and Community
- Legacy is ultimately about “giving what we have to others”—our impact and meaning go through other people, not through self-contained achievement (26:48, 42:15).
- Brent shares a personal story about how shared experiences (not solitary achievement) brought true meaning (40:08).
“Carrying It Forward”: Concrete Steps from Qohelet
Two Core Ideas (as distilled by Josh, 30:13–32:53):
- Be Present – In spiritual practice and action. “Be present not just in terms of appreciation, but in terms of what you're moving toward.”
- Act with What You’ve Been Given – “What your life means is not something that you figure out before you do it. You figure it out as you’re doing it. It is revealed through action.”
The BEMA Lens (Marty, 44:15)
- Discipleship starts with “creating space” for God and others—spiritual formation leading to action in the world.
- Especially relevant for college students and young adults in periods of transition and preparation (47:55).
Additional Themes & Context
The Role of Discipleship and Campus Ministry
- The conversation closes with practical encouragement and an invitation: involvement in campus ministry, opportunities to connect, and ways to support the evolving BEMA network (44:14–59:19).
Timestamps of Key Segments
- Opening reflections on the series: 00:06–02:15
- Marty’s four takeaways: 02:15–11:19
- Josh on accumulation and presence: 13:28–19:24
- On legacy/community, personal vulnerability: 26:48–29:15
- Two practical steps for listeners: 30:13–32:53
- Brent’s personal story about meaning in shared experience: 40:08–42:15
- Final practical reflections and applications: 43:15–49:15
- Information on campus ministries and support opportunities: 50:41–61:35
Conclusion
In this distilled and heartfelt conversation, the BEMA team models the very wisdom reflected in Qohelet—moving from theorizing to living, from accumulation to presence, and from anxiety about impact to trust in God’s ongoing work through community and discipleship. Their reflection is an invitation: Be present. Act on what you have. Let go of control over results. And above all, give what you’ve received to others, trusting that this is more than enough.