NO PROFIT UNDER THE SUN

Intelligence Brief

Bible Dictionary: 'Yithron' (profit, advantage, gain) is a commercial term — what remains after costs are subtracted. Solomon's verdict: under the sun, the final balance sheet shows zero. You cannot take it with you; you cannot guarantee its preservation; death cancels all accounts. Historical Context: This is devastating from the richest man in history. If anyone could show profit from earthly labor, it was Solomon. His conclusion is not sour grapes but empirical observation: I had everything, tested everything, and the net gain is nothing that survives death. Scarlet Thread: Jesus reframes the profit question: 'What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?' (Mark 8:36). Solomon gained nearly the whole world and found no profit; Christ offers profit that death cannot cancel — eternal life, treasure in heaven, an inheritance that does not fade.

Scripture References