₦airaland Forum

Ecclesiastes 10:19

A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.

The Preacher's statement that "money answers everything" (Eccl. 10:19) is a simple practical observation that wealth is a tool that can meet the need for food, clothing, shelter, and so on. *We should not take his words as endorsing the idea that absolutely every issue one can think of can be solved with money.*
Most likely, “money is the answer for everything” is simply an expression of folly. The proverb mentions feasting, wine, and merry-making as well as money. To the foolish, “it is money that is the answer to everything” (Eaton, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, 16:138). In modern terms, the life of the foolish is circumscribed by partying, alcohol, and money. We see this foolishness play itself out in the world daily. There’s nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

It is unfortunately true that “money talks” and seems to be the answer to everything in our world. But wisdom decrees, to the king on down, that the pursuit of riches leads to trouble (see 1 Timothy 6:9–10). Not all problems can be fixed with money. In the end, Mammon is a hard taskmaster, and only a fool would say, “Money is the answer for everything.”