The book of Kohelet has been interpreted in very different, even opposing ways. There are rather divergent views on its main theme. Is Kohelet a God-fearing sage or a hedonistic sceptic? A godly preacher or a godless provocateur? This article shows three important interpretations of the book through the centuries and highlights their presuppositions, methods and results.
Elisabeth Birnbaum studied theology at the University of Vienna. She specialised in Old Testament Studies and wrote her doctoral thesis on the reception history of the Book of Judith. From 2007 to 2017 she was active in researching and lecturing in Vienna, Dresden and Linz. Since 2017 she has been director of the Austrian Catholic Biblical Association.