John H. Choi, «The Doctrine of the Golden Mean in Qoh 7,15-18: A Universal Human Pursuit», Vol. 83 (2002) 358-374

Two issues surrounding the doctrine of the golden mean in Qoh 7,15-18 are addressed. First, a review and critique of previous research demonstrates that the passage indeed supports the golden mean, and does not present a theological problem to the reader. Secondly, the view that the golden mean is a Hellenistic product is challenged by considering: (1) the dating and (2) nature of cultural exchange between Greece and the Near East; (3) linguistic data indicating an early date of composition for Qoheleth; and (4) the presence of Near Eastern and Eastern ideas of the golden mean. These four factors demonstrate that the golden mean in Qoheleth likely is not of Greek origin from the time of Alexander the Great, but is likely a universal phenomenon.

importantly, the so-called elliptical construction – the imperfect of hyh with an adjective in lieu of a verbal cognate – occurs at least twice elsewhere in Qoheleth, with neither use denoting pretense¹³.

        It has also been argued that the hithpael stem of the root Mkx in v. 17 adds an element of pretense to the verb¹⁴. This conclusion is problematic, however, as the only other occurrence of the hithpael of Mkx, in Exod 1,10, refers to a demonstration of, not pretense to, wisdom. The hithpael of Mkx does occur in Later Biblical Hebrew, specifically four times in Sirach, but these uses do not refer to a pretense of wisdom, either¹⁵. The "pretense" view of these warnings, then, is cumbersome, as it forces the reader to reckon two nearly symmetrical phrases in extremely divergent ways¹⁶. This cannot hold, as the nearly identical structure between the two verses calls for an identical interpretation¹⁷. Thus, both warnings must point to either a pretense of righteousness and wickedness, or to actual righteousness and wickedness. Since the passage does not shy away from ethical categories, and because it does not refer in any way to pretense, Qoheleth’s warnings must be against extreme, actual righteousness and wickedness.

        In taking a deeper look at the warnings, then, it must be noted that the advice for moderation is rooted in yet another of Qoheleth’s "life" observations - that a righteous person dies wqdcb and a wicked person lives wt(rb. This observation is a strong challenge to traditional wisdom, but, like the rest of Qoheleth’s "challenges", are only