Early Church Fathers Scripture Index : Texts

Ecclesiastes 7:3

There are 2 footnotes for this reference.

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 9, page 440, footnote 1 (Image)

Chrysostom: On the Priesthood, Ascetic Treatises, Select Homilies and Letters, Homilies on the Statutes

The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch. (HTML)

Homily XV (HTML)

CCEL Footnote 1620 (In-Text, Margin)

4. For this then let us be thankful, and let us not be petulant or discontented; for that fear is a good thing, what we have said hath made manifest. But hear Solomon thus uttering a lesson of wisdom concerning it; Solomon, who was nourished in every luxury, and enjoyed much security. What then does he say? “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of laughter.”[Ecclesiastes 7:3] What sayest thou, I ask? Is it better to go where there is weeping, lamentation, and groans, and anguish, and so much sadness, than where there is the dance, the cymbals, and laughter, and luxury, and full eating and drinking? Yes, verily, he replies. And tell me why is it so, and for what reason? ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 9, page 440, footnote 4 (Image)

Chrysostom: On the Priesthood, Ascetic Treatises, Select Homilies and Letters, Homilies on the Statutes

The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch. (HTML)

Homily XV (HTML)

CCEL Footnote 1623 (In-Text, Margin)

6. All this Solomon perceived when he said, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of drinking.”[Ecclesiastes 7:3] From the one grows listlessness, from the other an earnest anxiety. From the one, contempt; from the other, fear; a fear which conducts us to the practice of every virtue. If fear were not a good thing, Christ would not have expended such long and frequent discourses on the subject of punishment, and vengeance to come. Fear is nothing less than a wall, and a defence, and an impregnable tower. For indeed we stand in need of much ...