"Inbetweenness" in Hevel, Meaning, Absurdity, and Faith: An Analysis of the Meaning of Human Existence based on Ecclesiastes 2:17, 12:13-14 and Søren Kierkegaard's Thoughts Directed to "Death toward Life" through the Grace of Jesus Christ
Keywords:
Grace in Faith, Death toward Life, Ecclesiastes, Hevel, Søren Kierkegaard, Leap of Faith, Despair (Fortvilelse), AbsurdityAbstract
Human life is often faced with the reality of hevel (הֶבֶל)—vanity, absurdity, and pain as described in the Book of Ecclesiastes. This seemingly meaningless existence is also highlighted in the thinking of Søren Kierkegaard, who asserts that humans, when they cling only to the aesthetic and ethical realms, remain in a state of hidden despair. However, he offers a way out through a “leap of faith” that transcends beyond rationality and brings humans into an existential relationship with God (the religious realm). In addition to discussing Kierkegaard's thinking, this paper also focuses on examining Ecclesiastes 2:17 and 12:13-14 in relation to Kierkegaard's thinking, highlighting how faith in God and recognition of His existence become a way to transcend the absurdity of life. Furthermore, the concept of "death toward life" by leaving all our lives behind to follow God in the teachings of Jesus Christ can be understood as a grace that redeems humans from despair and directs them to true life in relationship with God. With this, life is not merely a meaningless experience of suffering, but an existential call to realize the Kingdom of God in the midst of transience. In essence, this paper seeks to emphasize that faith is not only an answer to hevel, but also a means to bring God's love, truth, and justice into a world that seems meaningless. Through the grace of Christ, human life is no longer trapped in emptiness, but is directed toward a true fullness, namely, a life that transcends hevel and centers God in all aspects of existence.
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Data Availability Statement
I did not make the research data available. When writing this paper, I only used a model of understanding that was then formulated into a philosophical thought that touched on my two favourite aspects of Biblical Theology and Philosophy, namely the Book of Ecclesiastes (Hevel) and Søren Kierkegaard.
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