A Biblical Commencement Speech

Joe Carter, editor of the Gospel Coalition, spent some time thinking about what a biblical commencement speech would look like. With college commencements approaching (and I'm thinking of one in particular), I thought this might be a timely post. Here is the introduction; I'll post the speech tomorrow.

The most popular commencement address never given falls short of the biblical ideal at several points. But what would a biblical commencement address sound like? And who would be the best person to deliver such a speech?

Several candidates from the New Testament may seem to be obvious choices (the apostles Peter or Paul), though wouldn't they be more likely to deliver a sermon than a graduation address? Similarly, the Old Testament offers a range of excellent speakers—namely all the prophets. But if you were waiting to get your diploma and head off to the post-graduation party, wouldn't you be disheartened to see Isaiah take the stage? When you consider all the options there is only one clear favorite, a man who would have been the best commencement speaker in history: King Solomon.

Solomon had all the attributes we look for in a commencement speaker. He was fabulously wealthy (2 Chron. 1:14-17), accomplished (his biography as well as three of his written works are included in the best-selling book of all time), worldly-wise (“I have seen everything that is done under the sun. . .”)(Eccl. 1:14), and able to provide suitably aphoristic advice for young people (he even wrote a wildly popular advice book)(Proverbs 1).

Given all of this, what commencement speech might King Solomon deliver? I'll share that in tomorrow's post.