Tithing Despite Feeling of Futility and Lack of Reward
The feeling of futility and lack of reward in labor is a recurring theme in biblical wisdom literature, particularly in Ecclesiastes and Job. This sense of toil without contentment is articulated in Ecclesiastes 4:8, where a solitary man's endless labor still leaves his eyes "not content with his wealth," leading him to question, "For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?" This is explicitly called "futile—a miserable task" [1]. Similarly, Ecclesiastes suggests that working merely to accumulate possessions is like "working for the wind," resulting in frustration, discouragement, and anger [5].
The book of Job also frequently expresses the apparent pointlessness of existence and labor. Job laments having "months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me" [2]. He questions why he should "labor in vain" when already condemned [3]. Job's complaints highlight the bitter poverty and futility he experiences [4]. The weariness described in Job is likened to a slave longing for the shadow of evening or a hireling hoping for wages at eventide, as the entire day has been consumed by toil [6]. John Gill interprets Job's lament as possessing "months of vanity" instead of refreshing rest, and wearisome nights instead of relief [9].
Rabbinic interpretations also touch upon this theme. Rashi, commenting on Ecclesiastes 10:15, explains that the labor of fools exhausts them because they busy themselves with profound matters without understanding simple ones, likening them to those who stumble and grow weary trying to enter a city without knowing the way [8]. This weariness without achieving a goal resonates with the broader biblical sentiment of labor that feels unrewarding. Even early Christian thinkers like John Chrysostom expressed concern about the potential for "unprofitable" husbandry, questioning if their efforts were "sowing upon the rocks" or if the "seed fall without our knowing it by the wayside, and among thorns" [7]. The misery of the slothful, as described in Proverbs, is that they desire gains but hate the effort, leading them to "have nothing" [10].
Sources
- Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 4:8 (BSB) — There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.”
- Job “Job 7:3 (BBE) — So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.”
- Job “Job 9:29 (LITV) — I have been condemned; why should I labor in vain?”
- Job (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Job 21:25: 21:25 in bitter poverty: Job repeatedly complained about the apparent futility of existence (3:20; 7:11; 9:18; 10:1).”
- Ecclesiastes (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ecclesiastes 5:16: 5:16-17 Working simply to gain possessions is like working for the wind; it leads to being frustrated, discouraged, and angry.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Job 7:2: As a slave who longs for the shadow As a slave, who toils all day through and longs and yearns, “When will the shadow of evening come?” And as a hireling, who hopes for his wages at eventide, because the whole day was to him for toil, and he yearns for the sunset.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: Homily XIII. John i. 15 “John beareth witness of Him, and crieth, saying, This is He of whom I spake, saying, He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.” [1.] Do we then run and labor in vain? Are we sowing upon the rocks? Does the seed fall upon the rocks? Does the seed fall without our knowing it by the wayside, and among thorns? I am greatly troubled and fear, lest our husbandry be unprofitable; not 313 313 al. “nothing.” as though I shall be a loser as well as you, touching the reward of this labor. For it is not with ”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Ecclesiastes 10:15: The labor of the fools exhausts them. Their foolishness causes them labor, 28 Fools busy themselves to understand profound and mysterious matters, when they lack comprehension of even simple matters. They are compared to those who wish to enter a city but do not know the way. They stumble and grow weary without achieving their goal. (Ibn Ezra) which wearies them, because they did not learn the ways of the approaches to the city, and he becomes weary by entering by way of pits and marshes, and he is wearied by his feet sinking into the mire;”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 7:3: So am I made to possess months of vanity,.... This is not a reddition or application of the above similes of the servant and hireling, Job 7:1; for that is to be understood, and to be supplied at the end of Job 7:2; that as those looked for the shadow and payment of hire, so Job looked for and earnestly desired death, or to be removed out of the world; besides, the things here instanced in do not answer; for Job, instead of having the refreshing shadow, had months of vanity, and instead of rest from his labours had nothing but wearisome nights, and continual tossings to a”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 13:4: Here is, 1. The misery and shame of the slothful. See how foolish and absurd they are; they desire the gains which the diligent get, but they hate the pains which the diligent take; they covet every thing that is to be coveted, but will do nothing that is to be done; and therefore it follows, They have nothing; for he that will not labour let him hunger, and let him not eat, Th2 3:10. The desire of the slothful, which should be his excitement, is his torment, which should make him busy, makes him always uneasy, and is really a greater toil to him than labour wou”