Today’s Outline • • • • • Ruth’s Appeal Author Purpose Canonical Position Structure • • • • Theological Lessons Practical Applications Concept of Hesed Ruth 1:1 – Setting and Background Why do we find the book of Ruth so appealing? • Love Story: True love triumphs over multiple forms of adversity and brings good to all who are touched by it. • Happy Ending: The realized hope of others (like Naomi & Ruth) offers us perspective … we can relate to their setbacks and cheer at their bright future. • Positive Characters: We value loyalty and compassion and see it displayed in wonderful role models. “… and they lived happily every after. The End.” Ordinary People, Extraordinary God: Ruth is a profound account of God’s providence in the lives of ordinary people who observed God’s covenant in rather mundane circumstances. Who wrote the book of Ruth? • Human Author – Jewish tradition says Samuel – Commentary writers spend much ink debating if book written by male or female; before or after the exile – Context suggest book written much later than events described; probably during David’s reign or just after (but probably before Solomon came to power) – Book doesn’t identify author either explicitly or implicitly – God evidently didn’t deem it as necessary to reveal human author for understanding its contents • Divine Author Bottom Line: This is God’s Word – written to reveal His glory and unfolding plan of redemption (see 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21) Title of Book: Why is it named “Ruth”? • Ruth was not even an Israelite. She was a Moabite. This is the only book in the Old Testament canon named after a non-Israelite. • Ruth is not main character of the book; story told from Naomi's point of view. – Narrator writes of Naomi's husband, her sons, her daughters, her losses, her God, her return to Bethlehem, her people, her relative, and the land she is selling. Readers are observing events as they relate to her. – Based on the plot, the book is more appropriately titled "The Book of Naomi" • Scholars have recognized the importance of direct speech in this book. No fewer than fifty-five of the eighty-five verses contain dialogue. – Of the 1,294 words in the book, 678 (52.4 percent) occur on the lips of the characters. Of the three main actors in the drama, however, Ruth speaks least often, and her speeches are the shortest. – Based on the dialogue, the book could be titles "The Book of Boaz.” Theological Aim/Purpose • To reveal God's grace and loyal love to the believing remnant in spite of Israel's covenant unfaithfulness (1:1-6; 2:20) • To reveal God's sovereignty in furthering His purposes in spite of His people's covenant unfaithfulness (1:22b; 2:1-3; 4:13) • To reveal the character of true faith and love in light of Yahweh's sovereign grace (1:16-17; 2:11-12, 15-17; 3:1, 10-11) • To reveal a portrait of redemption (2:12; 3:12-13; 4:9-10, 14) • To reveal that even a Gentile can receive God's sovereign redemption through faith (1:4, 22; 2:2, 6, 21; 4:5, 10; cf. 2:12) • To reveal that there is always a remnant of those who believe, even in times of great apostasy (1:16-17; 2:4,11-12, 20; 3:10; see especially 4:11-14) • To reveal that God's sovereign plan of redemption continues on – through the Seed of the woman/Messiah – no matter the apparent state of the world (1:1-2; cf. 4:17-22; Judges 17:1; 19:1; 21:25; see also Rom. 8:28) Canonical Position Where should Ruth be located in our Bibles? • Old Testament scholars divide broadly along two traditional lines: – Order found in Hebrew textual traditions – Order found in the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament Megilloth: Five Scrolls Chronological/Historical Sequence • • • • • Ruth (pertaining to David) Song of Songs (Solomon's younger years) Ecclesiastes (Solomon's older years) Lamentations (exilic period) Esther (postexilic/Persian period) In this tradition, the Megilloth follows Psalms, Job, and Proverbs. Thus, Ruth follows directly on the heels of Proverbs 31:10-31 (which focuses on 'eset hayil, "a woman of strength of character"). Ruth is called an 'eset hayil ("a woman of strength of character") in Ruth 3:11. Megilloth: Five Scrolls Calendar of the Festive Year • • • • • Song of Songs (Passover: Nisan = Mar-Apr) Ruth (Pentecost: Sivan = May-Jun) Lamentations (Ninth of Ab: Ab = Aug-Sep) Ecclesiastes (Tabernacles: Tishri = Sep-Oct) Esther (Purim: Adar = Feb-Mar) In this tradition, the Megilloth follows Psalms, Proverbs and then Job. This liturgical ordering is relatively late. Reading these five books at the major festivals of the Jewish year didn’t became a custom until 600 – 1000 A.D. Septuagint (LXX) Tradition Ruth is placed in the Former Prophets, immediately after Judges. Such a placement is understandable: • Ruth 1:1 ("In the days when the judges ruled") provides natural linkage • Contrasting theme with Judges, where everything is done wrongly. – Covenant, custom and institutions go awry – Everyone did what was right in his own eyes – There are sin cycles that progressively gets worse • The contrast with the Ruth story is striking. Here things go as they should, people make the right decisions, and Yahweh is anything but lost. Structure of the Book of Ruth • The Prologue (1:1-6) provides setting & predicament. A Judahite family’s males have died in Moab leaving Naomi without a male to care for her. – Act 1 (2 scenes) narrates Naomi’s return (1:7-22). Scene 1, Naomi & her daughters-in-law are on road to Judah (1:7-19a); Scene 2, Naomi & Ruth arrive at Bethlehem (1:19b-22). – Act 2 (3 scenes) narrates developments between Ruth and Boaz in the fields (2:1-23). Scene 1, Ruth gleans in a field that happens to belong to Boaz, Naomi's relative (2:1-3); Scene 2, Ruth and Boaz meet on the harvest field and Boaz is exceedingly generous (2:4-17a); and Scene 3, Naomi evaluates the meeting: Boaz is one of their kinsman-redeemers (2:17b-23). – Act 3 (3 scenes) narrates further developments in relationship of Ruth & Boaz at threshing floor (3:1-18). Scene1, Naomi discloses her plan for Ruth and Boaz (3:1-5); Scene 2, Ruth executes Naomi's plan and Boaz offers to be the kinsman redeemer (3:6-15); and Scene 3, Naomi evaluates the encounter: Boaz will act (3:16-18). – Act 4 (2 scenes) narrates Boaz's arrangements to marry Ruth (4:1-12). Scene 1, Boaz confronts the unnamed kinsman (4:1-8); and Scene 2, in Boaz acquires the right to redeem Naomi and Ruth (4:9-12). – The Epilogue (4:13-17) narrates conclusion & resolution to main character Naomi: A son is born to Ruth and Boaz, which restores Naomi to life & fullness. • Finally, there is a coda to the story – a genealogy that traces the ten generations from Perez to David (4:18-22). Class Syllabus for Book of Ruth • 25 Mar: • 1 April: Introduction and Background The Prologue (1:1-6) provides setting & predicament • 8 April: Easter • 15 April: Act 1, Sc. 1, Naomi & her daughters-in-law on road to Judah (1:7-19a) • 22 April: Act 1, Sc. 2, Naomi & Ruth arrive at Bethlehem (1:19b-22) • 29 April: Act 2, Sc. 1, Ruth gleans in a field that happens to belong to Boaz, Naomi's relative (2:1-3); and Act 2, Scene 2, Ruth and Boaz meet on the harvest field and Boaz is exceedingly generous (2:4-17a) • 6 May: Friendship Sunday School • 13 May: • 20 May: • 27 May: • 3 Jun: • 10 Jun: • 17 Jun: Act 2, Sc. 3, Naomi evaluates the meeting: Boaz is one of their kinsmanredeemers (2:17b-23) Act 3 Sc. 1, Naomi discloses her plan for Ruth and Boaz (3:1-5); and Act 3, Sc. 2, Ruth executes Naomi's plan and Boaz offers to be the kinsman redeemer (3:6-15) Act 3, Sc. 3, Naomi evaluates the encounter: Boaz will act (3:16-18); and Act 4, Sc. 1, Boaz confronts the unnamed kinsman (4:1-8); Act 4, Sc. 2, Boaz acquires the right to redeem Naomi and Ruth (4:9-12) Epilogue (4:13-17) narrates conclusion & resolution to main character Naomi: A son is born to Ruth & Boaz, restoring Naomi to life & fullness. Coda to the story – a genealogy that traces the ten generations from Perez to David (4:18-22). General Observations Central message: Writer of book of Ruth uses space, time, and circumstance to build the central message of the book – Naomi's restoration from emptiness to fullness through the selfless acts of loyal love (hesed) by Ruth and Boaz. Contrast used to good effect: • Pleasant (meaning of "Naomi") and bitter; full and empty; living and the dead • Use of contrast most strikingly developed between two of the main characters, Ruth and Boaz: The one is a young, foreign, destitute widow, while the other is a middle-aged, well-to-do Israelite securely established in his home community. For each, there is a corresponding character whose actions highlight, by contrast, her or his selfless acts: Ruth versus Orpah, Boaz versus the unnamed kinsman-redeemer. The issue of initiative: After the disasters of the prologue and the bitter emptiness expressed in Act 1, each of the main characters seizes the initiative • In Act 2, Ruth seizes the initiative, since Naomi is engrossed in self-absorbing bitter-ness and despair. She goes out to glean, to meet the needs of two destitute widows • In Act 3, it is Naomi who seizes the initiative; she concocts a plan to meet the needs of her daughter-in-law • In Act 4, Boaz seizes the initiative. He secures the rights of redemption for the field and for the marriage of Ruth. In all three cases, the initiator is acting out of or motivated by issues of hesed. Bibilical topics we will address • • • • • • • • • • The meaning of hesed The alien The fatherless The widow The law of gleaning Wheat and barley harvest Threshing and winnowing The role of the kinsman-redeemer (go’el) Levirate marriage Function, role and theology of genealogy Theological Lessons • God will not let his promises to Israel and Judah and David die • God works in a mysterious way … His wonders to perform and His goals to perform • In all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). • Genuine piety is expressed primarily in devotion, sensitivity, grace, and kindness toward others and openness to the working of God. • God's grace knows no boundaries. Even a despised Moabitess is incorporated into the nation of Israel. In fact, the royal [and Messianic!] line has Moabite blood in its veins. Practical Application Topics • Widowhood and marriage • Bareness (infertility) and childbirth • Loss of a child • Single parenthood • Ending Well: Growing old and wise • Being a godly caregiver • Happy Wife, Happy Life • Suffering and the sovereignty of God • Social security vs. God’s safety net • How to choose a spouse • Dating and romance • Questioning the goodness of God • How to deal with anger and depression • Assimilating into another culture • Parental decision-making and its impact on our children • Racial and ethnic diversity and harmony • Learning to appreciate God’s hard providence • Dealing with our in-laws • Choosing where to live and work • How to honor our parents as adults • How to be a great boss: being a servant leader • Honoring God in our vocations The Concept of Hesed Sources: • Baer and Gordon, “Hesed,” New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis, 1997. • Botterweck and Ringgren, “Hesed,” Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, 1978. • Clark, The Word Hesed in the Hebrew Bible, 1993. • Routledge, “Hesed as Obligation: A Re-examination,” Tyndale Bulletin, 1995. • Sakenfeld, The Meaning of Hesed in the Hebrew Bible: A New Inquiry, 1978. The Concept of Hesed • The concept of hesed is important to understanding the book of Ruth since it is used to describe both secular and divinehuman relationships • No word in the English language captures its exact meaning. It is variously translated with words like "kindness," "mercy," "loyalty," "loving-kindness," "loyal, steadfast, unfailing (or just plain) love" – words that certainly touch on what hesed means but by themselves don't begin to do justice to this powerful, richly laden word • Hesed is a strong Hebrew word that sums up the ideal lifestyle for God's people. It's the way God intended for human beings to live together from the beginning – the "love-your-neighbor-as-yourself" brand of living, an active, selfless, sacrificial caring for one another that goes against the grain of our fallen natures. The Concept of Hesed • Two parties are involved – Someone in desperate need (weaker person) and – A second person who possesses the power and the resources to make a difference • Hesed is driven, not by duty or legal obligation, but by a bone-deep commitment – A loyal, selfless love that motivates a person to do voluntarily what no one has a right to expect or ask of them – They have the freedom to act or to walk away without the slightest injury to their reputation – Yet they willingly pour themselves out for the good of someone else • It's actually the kind of love we find most fully expressed in Jesus … hesed is the gospel lived out Exodus 15:13 “You have led in your steadfast love (hesed) the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.” • How is the LORD’s hesed characterized in this verse? • What other attribute is connected to God’s love in this passage? Psalm 118 “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love (hesed) endures forever!” (v. 1) • What does the psalmist say about the LORD’s hesed? “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.” (vv. 6-7) • What benefits come to believers as a result of God’s hesed? Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (hesed), and to walk humbly with your God?” • According to Micah, how do God’s people know to practice hesed with one another? • What other concepts does the prophet link to hesed? Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” • What is the most perfect expression of God’s hesed? Hesed in the book of Ruth Book of Ruth employs hesed on both divine and human levels • Divine Use of hesed: – The Lord's hesed is the factor that eventually leads to the successful remarriage of Naomi's daughter-in-law, so that it cannot help but be recognized in the provision of a "kinsmanredeemer" (go’el) for Ruth – Yahweh's act of "giving" a child in Ruth 4 should certainly be understood as an act of hesed • Hesed at human level: – Interestingly, the only human actors who are explicitly said to have exercised hesed are Orpah (once) and Ruth (twice) (1:8; 3:10). Thus, ironically, Moabites (in particular Ruth) are the people who most clearly manifest hesed in this book. – Boaz's acts of hesed are only seen by way of allusions … it serves as the basis for the discussion between Boaz and Ruth as negotiations are made (3:9-13) – Human hesed is a reflection of divine hesed, God’s unconditional grace, mercy, and love through Jesus Christ.