What does ‘cast your bread upon the water’ mean?

A familiar Bible passage asks believers to “cast your bread upon the waters/for you will find it after many days.” (Ecclesiastes 11) This week’s clergy discuss how to interpret that oft-quoted advice.

Rabbi Todd Chizner

Temple Judea, Manhasset

Never before have I given much thought to this particular verse in Ecclesiastes. I may have overlooked it because it feels out of character for the author. It sounds too positive for the same one who wrote “Vanity of vanity, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2-8) and “there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) One of the appeals of the book of Ecclesiastes over the centuries has been its unvarnished take on life and, at times, its outright cynicism. If Ecclesiastes was being true to form when he wrote this verse, his words would need to be read with sarcasm. In this way, he is mocking the notion that if we put good (in this case bread) into the world, it will eventually come back to us by the forces of the universe (in this case water). As we know from life, sometimes this can appear to happen and sometimes not. However, there is a chance that he wasn’t being sarcastic. In the very end of the book, Ecclesiastes admits that even if we can’t always make sense of things that happen to us, nonetheless we should follow God’s laws. My faith insists on living with this principle and so, in truth, I tend to put as much goodness out there as possible. If it comes back to me, great. If it doesn’t come back to me, but someone or something else benefited? Also great!

Bishop Lionel Harvey

First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury  

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” A key principle of our walk with God is a faith that requires us to release whatever we are holding on to and surrender it to God. We trust Him to provide the things we need. Although we don’t know when, where or how, we do know and believe God will work it out, for our good and for His glory….