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Response
Ecclesiastes 9:5 states, “For the living know that they will die, / but the dead know nothing; / they have no further reward, / and even their name is forgotten.” This verse is sometimes cited as evidence for annihilationism, but that interpretation is not what is intended here. The “dead know nothing,” but in what manner?
It is evident from other passages in the Bible that this verse cannot imply that the deceased have absolutely no awareness. For instance, Matthew 25:46 mentions eternal consciousness: “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Every individual will spend eternity with God in heaven or separated from Him in hell. Each person will possess emotions, thoughts, and faculties that endure in eternity.
Moreover, Luke 16:19–31 provides an illustration of human capacities in the afterlife. Lazarus experiences eternal joy in paradise, while the wealthy man endures torment in hell (referred to as “Hades”). The wealthy man experiences emotions, can communicate, and retains the ability to recollect, think, and rationalize.
The key to grasping the declaration “the dead know nothing” lies in the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is composed specifically from a worldly viewpoint. The recurring phrase, under the sun, is used about thirty times in the book. Solomon is reflecting on a life bound to earth, “under the sun,” devoid of God. His recurring conclusion in the book is that everything from that perspective is “vanity” or emptiness «Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. », (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
When an individual dies “under the sun,” the earthly perspective, without God, suggests that it is the end. They are no longer under the sun. There is no additional knowledge to acquire or impart, only a grave to mark their remains. Those who have passed away have “no further
Reward” in this life; they no longer have the ability to enjoy life like those who are living. Eventually, “even their name is forgotten” «For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. », (Ecclesiastes 9:5).
Ecclesiastes 9:5 displays a chiastic structure (ABBA format) like this:
A “For the living know that they will die,
B but the dead know nothing;
B they have no further reward,
A and even their name is forgotten.”
Lines 1 and 4 are parallel thoughts in the sense that the living know death is coming while those who remain after a person dies quickly forget those who have died. The second and third lines lay down associated ideas in parallel: the dead know nothing, and the dead can no longer enjoy or be rewarded for their activities in this life.
The saying “the dead know nothing” seems to be a negative sentiment, but it is not without a positive message. Solomon encourages his readers to live life to its fullest, knowing life is short. In the end, the fullest life is one that honors God and keeps His ways (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
