But you should understand that Solomon is not speaking about persons but about the things that men do, be they wise or foolish, because these things are overlooked. The memory of men abides in books but not in the government of the state. Their historic accomplishments are recorded in the annals, but no one pays attention or cares. The descendants are not stirred by the example of their ancestors and are always interested in something new. Whatever is present is boring, whatever is absent is intriguing. And yet there is nothing new. For once it is present, it is already old; it brings no pleasure, and something else seems desirable. In sum, the ability to be content with what one has is simply a gift of the Holy Spirit and is impossible for the flesh, which is always being drawn away from what it has to the things that are to be and, in following the latter, loses the former and thus is deprived of the use of both. The greedy man is deprived both of what he has and of what he does not have. What happens to the greedy man in the case of money happens to the entire human race in the case of desires and plans; that is, they have nothing, even if they have everything. Alexander the Great may serve as an example. Even after he had conquered all of Asia, his heart was not satisfied. If this is true of outward affairs, why would it be surprising that it is true of the Gospel? When we have it, we still do not have it, because we are not moved by it but want something else. Christians, on the other hand, even while having nothing, possess everything (cf. 2 Cor. 6:10). (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.43-44)

The Roman people longed for the death of Nero, supposing that then the state would be better, but afterwards the state was no better off. Solomon governed his realm in such a way that he hoped it would last forever, but it was divided right after his death. For Rehoboam, who succeeded Solomon, was not content with his father’s wise administration of the state; he ruined everything, and his kingdom was cut into two parts. But this does not happen only in external and political affairs, where such foolishness is more tolerable, since it does damage only to physical matters, but also in religion and in the Word of God. The descendants always neglect the purity of the doctrine handed down to them by the fathers and look for something new. This is what is now being done by those who, after the Gospel has once more become known, are not content with the purity of faith and the doctrine of the Gospel but are stirring up new controversies about the sacraments; and when these controversies have run their course, an infinite number of new sects will arise. For the flesh cannot remain content with the one simple and true doctrine. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.43)