Ecclesiastes 12:14

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 12:14

For God shall bring every work into judgment
Not in this life, but in the day of the great judgment, as the Targum explains it; that is, whatever has been done by men, from the beginning of the world, or will be to the end; all being observed and taken notice of by the omniscient God, who has registered them in the book of his remembrance, and, being Judge, will be able to bring them all into account at that awful day: which is here given as a reason why men should fear God, and keep his commandments; with every secret thing;
that has been committed in secret by men, and is unknown to others, even every secret thought of the heart; see ( 1 Corinthians 4:5 ) ; or, "with every secret" or "hidden man" F23; whose works are hidden from men, and are not known to be what, they are, and who thought to hide themselves from, God; but these, with their works, shall be brought into open court in judgment; whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil:
it shall then be examined according to the rule of the word, and be judged, and declared to be what it truly is, good or evil; and so be either rewarded in a way of grace, or punished: or, "whether [the man, the hidden man, be] good or evil" F24, so Alshech; all mankind, everyone, will he bring into judgment, whether he be good or evil. This is the last end of all things, and in which every man will be concerned. This shows, as well as many other things in this book. Solomon's belief of a future state and judgment; and that there is nothing in it to encourage the epicure and atheist: which being observed by the ancient Jews, they readily admitted it into the canon of Scripture.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (Mlen lk le) "super omnem occultum, sc. hominem", Schmidt.
F24 "Sive bonus fuerit, sive malus", Schmidt.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 In-Context

12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The King James Version is in the public domain.