Thinking on Scripture with Dr. Steven R. Cook

Summary of Ruth 4:1-22:

1. The Central Idea of the Text is that Boaz fulfilled his promise to Ruth and became her kinsman redeemer.

Ruth 4:1-22

Dr. Steven R. Cook

Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there [to fulfill his promise; see Ruth 3:11-13], and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by [according to God’s providence], so he said, “Turn aside, friend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down [this was common legal practice]. 3 Then he said to the closest relative [not named], “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land [in her legal possession] which belonged to our brother [אָח ach – brother, relative] Elimelech. 4 “So I thought to inform you [according to your legal right], saying, ‘Buy it before those who are sitting here [as witnesses], and before the elders of my people [see Lev. 25:23-25]. If you will redeem it [גָּאַל gaal – i.e. to pay the price for freedom], redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.’” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance [see Deut. 25:5-6].” 6 The closest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance [by marrying Ruth and having children]. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.” 7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another [perhaps forfeiting his right to walk on the land]; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel [the writer explains the custom to his generation]. 8 So the closest relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he removed his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. 10 “Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” 11 All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah [Jacob’s wives], both of whom built the house of Israel [along with their two maids; Bilhah and Zilpah; see Gen. 30:1-13]; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. 12 “Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah [a surrogate father; see Gen. 38:6-30], through the offspring which the LORD will give you by this young woman.” 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the LORD enabled her to conceive [God controls the womb; cf. Gen. 16:2; 29:31; 30:2, 22], and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today [in contrast to Ruth 1:19-21], and may his name become famous in Israel. 15 “May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age [care for you in later years]; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons [high praise for Ruth], has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. 17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed [עוֹבֵד Obed – one who serves; perhaps Naomi in old age]. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David [a godly man from a godly line]. 18 Now these are the generations of Perez [the son Judah by Tamar; Gen. 38:27-29]: to Perez was born Hezron, 19 and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, 20 and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, 21 and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, 22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David [God did bless Boaz and Ruth; see Ruth 4:11-13; ultimately in Jesus, the Messiah; see Matt. 1:3-6, 16].

Observations & Applications:

1. The Central Idea of the Text is that Peter encourages his readers to see their Christian suffering as indicative of their union and walk with Christ. Having the divine perspective was intended to help them frame their experiences in such a way so as to give meaning and purpose to their trials.

     In our current section on case laws (Deut 19:1—26:19), we are considering how the nation of ancient Israel was to practice righteous living after they entered the land of Canaan (Deut 16:20), and how righteousness was measured by conformity to God’s laws (Deut 6:24-25). In the previous section, Moses provided instruction concerning war with cities outside Canaan (Deut 20:10-15), and cities inside Canaan (Deut 20:16-20). In this pericope, Moses set forth a law concerning an unsolved murder, and then addressed the responsibilities God placed on the leaders of a nearby city to pronounce their innocence before the Lord (Deut 21:1-9). By following this law, the leaders of the city—elders, judges, and priests—were taking responsibility for what happened in their communities. Even though the city leaders were not personally responsible for the sinful act, it was still their problem as it fell under their jurisdiction, and God expected them to handle it in a specific way that satisfied His holiness, and this because He dwelt among His people.

     Our current section opens with a scenario in which a murdered person is found lying in a field and the murderer is not known. Moses wrote, “If a slain person is found lying in the open country in the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess, and it is not known who has struck him, 2 then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance to the cities which are around the slain one” (Deut 21:1-2). As stated on previous occasions, Moses described the land as that “which the LORD your God gives you to possess” (Deut 21:1a; cf., Deut 5:16; 17:14; 18:9; 19:1, 10, 14; 21:23; 24:4; 25:15, 19; 26:1-2; 27:2-3; 28:8). God owned the land (Lev 25:23), and He was granting it to His people as He’d promised to Abraham (Gen 12:7; 15:18), Isaac (Gen 26:3), and Jacob (Gen 28:13), but with the condition that they obey Him for blessing (Deut 28:1-14).

     When the murderer could not be found, God instructed the elders and judges to investigate the matter and to “go out and measure the distance to the cities which are around the slain one” (Deut 21:2b). These would not be the judges and elders in the nearby city (Deut 16:18; 19:12), but those who served at the central sanctuary and served as a higher court (Deut 17:8-9). Warren Wiersbe states:

• "The “elders and judges” mentioned in Deuteronomy 21:2 are probably the “sanctuary court” mentioned in 17:8–13, and this would include the priests (21:5). This was the highest tribunal in the land and murder was a heinous crime. Furthermore, nobody had yet measured to see which city was nearest, so the elders and judges couldn’t have come from that city. Once the nearest city had been determined, the elders of that city participated in the assigned ritual. We assume that the elders and judges investigated the case thoroughly before they took the steps outlined in these verses."[1]

     God owned the land the Israelites would possess (Lev 25:23), and it was the place where He dwelt among His people. The Lord had said, “You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel” (Num 35:34). The land itself was to be treated as holy, as God Himself resided in it, among His people. When innocent people were murdered, God declared that “blood pollutes the land” (Num 35:33a). This was true when Cain killed his brother Abel, and God said to Cain, “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground” (Gen 4:10). Concerning murder, the Lord also said, “no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it” (Num 35:33). That is, there was no atonement for the murderer that would acquit him of the punishment for his crime. The murderer was to bear the punishment for his crime, and this by the local government (Gen 9:5-6). However, in the current situation, the murderer could not be found to pay for his crime, yet God’s holiness needed to be addressed. Some method of justice needed to be followed in order to remove the corporate guilt of the community.

     Though the murdered person was not the fault of anyone living in the nearby city, it was still their problem, and God expected them to deal with it in a righteous manner. Corporate responsibility was common to ancient cultures. For example, in the ancient law Code of Hammurabi, if a person was murdered, and the murderer could not be found, then “the city and governor shall pay one mina [500 grams] of silver to his people.”[2] This payment was given to the family of the victim, and this by the governor of the city. Thomas Constable states, “Cities were responsible for murders committed within their jurisdictions. This indicates that there is corporate guilt in God’s government. The ritual prescribed removed the pollution caused by bloodshed.”[3] Earl Kalland adds, “When the perpetrator of the crime cannot be detected, some method of removal of the guilt that then falls on the land and people must be secured…The procedure given in this section of Deuteronomy provides the means for satisfying the Lord’s justice by the removal of corporate guilt.”[4]

     The people of the city were to understand that all that happened in their community had an impact on God Himself. The city nearest the slain person would be required to take responsibility and follow the required actions to remove the guilt of their community. Specifically, it was the elders of the city who were to act, as they represented the community as a whole. Concerning the city elders, Moses said, “It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not been worked and which has not pulled in a yoke; 4 and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley” (Deut 21:3-4). The actions included taking a heifer that had never been worked, bring it to a valley with running water, which valley had never been plowed or sown, and there break the animal’s neck. The unworked heifer, the clean running water, and the unplowed valley seem to provide a picture of purity. To be clear, this was not a sacrifice, for the animal was not offered by a priest on an altar. Rather, killing the heifer appears to be a symbolic act of what the officials—and the community—would do to the murderer if he were in their hands. In this way, they demonstrated to all that they were willing to take responsibility for their community and adhere to God’s high standards of justice.

     After the elders of the city performed this act, God then called for the priests, saying, “Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the LORD; and every dispute and every assault shall be settled by them” (Deut 21:5). Though the city elders were mainly responsible for adjudicating the matter—for they represented their community—God also required the Levitical priests to be present, as they represented the people to God. Here we see both a horizontal and vertical aspect of righteousness within a community. The function of the priests seems to picture a final absolution of the matter. Furthermore, we see in this situation a shared responsibility between the religious and the judicial.

     After the priests had performed their duty, Moses then states, “All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, and they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it’” (Deut 21:6-7). Here, the elders of the city who followed this act were then to wash their hands over the dead body of the heifer and pronounce their innocence concerning the murder, that they neither had any part in the heinous act, nor knew who the murderer was. Earl Radmacher states, “The elders of the city bore the responsibility for the murder, even though they were not personally guilty. It was up to them to seek atonement for the murder.”[5] Peter Craigie adds:

• "The elders of the city that accepted responsibility for the dead man washed their hands over the broken-necked heifer. The symbolism of the various actions now becomes clear: the crime deserved to be punished, as the broken neck of the heifer indicated, but the hand-washing of the elders showed that, although they accepted responsibility for what had happened, they were nevertheless free from the guilt attached to the crime."[6]

     Then the elders of the city were to say, ‘“Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O LORD, and do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel.’ And the bloodguiltiness shall be forgiven them” (Deut 21:8). Forgiveness followed the action of the elders who followed the Lord’s instructions. The word forgive, which appears twice in this verse, translates the Hebrew verb כָּפַר kaphar, which commonly means “to appease someone…to make amends…to make atonement.”[7] The word is often connected with the atonement that comes when a priest sheds an animal’s blood on the altar (Lev 17:11). Here, however, the word connotes an appeasement for justice. Though the elders of the city were innocent, they accepted responsibility for the horrendous crime committed nearest to their community, and sought to balance the scales of justice by means of killing a heifer (as though he were the murderer), washing their hands (a picture of innocence), and by prayer to God (who is the offended Person). Their request to God was, “Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O LORD” (Deut 21:8a). The language recalled God’s redemptive work for all Israel, when He redeemed His people from Egypt and called them out to be a special people who represented Him to others. Here was a corporate mindset in which the elders of the community took responsibility for those under their care. If they followed these procedures as prescribed, then “the bloodguiltiness shall be forgiven them” (Deut 21:8b).

     The act of the elders did not forgive the murderer of his crime. The blood of the animal was not shed. Furthermore, the act was performed by the elders of the city as the priests watched. The place where the animal was killed was an unworked field, not at an altar. There was no removal of sin for the murderer, only the elimination of any suspected guilt on the part of the elders of the city and the community as a whole.

     Moses closed this pericope, saying, “So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD” (Deut 21:9). Murder is bad business, as it stains the community where it occurs. The stain was washed away when the elders and priests of the city accepted responsibility for the matter and followed the Lord’s instruction for cleansing. The elders and priests were not admitting guilt for the crime, for they were innocent. Rather, by following the Lord’s instructions, they were publicly testifying concerning what they would do to the murderer if he were in their hands, and in this way, showed their sense of righteousness agreed with the righteousness of God. In this way, God’s justice was emphasized and upheld.

     In the grand scheme of life, no one gets away with murder. God sees all that happens. ‘“Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?’ declares the LORD’” (Jer 23:24). Though the murderer was not found and judged by human courts, God Himself sees what happens in His world, and He will eventually execute justice in His time and way. For God is “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), and He “is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day” (Psa 7:11). No one escapes God’s final judgment.

Present Application

     The Bible teaches both individual and corporate responsibility. God holds each person accountable for what they think, say, and do. However, individual actions can impact the lives of others, both in the moment as well as in the future. For example, when Adam sinned, we all sinned with him (Rom 5:12), and so we are spiritually dead (Eph 2:1-2). Here is corporate guilt. On the other hand, Christ died for sinners (Rom 5:8), and when we trust in Jesus as Savior (John 3:16), we share in His life and righteousness (John 10:28; Phil 3:9). We are all born in Adam at physical birth, and are born again spiritually at the moment of faith in Christ. All humanity is either in Adam or in Christ (1 Cor 15:21-21).

     Individual actions have consequences that impact the lives of others. Abraham’s disobedience in going to Egypt caused problems both for him and Sarah (Gen 12:10-20). David’s disobedience to God in taking an unauthorized census led to the death of 70,000 Israelites (1 Chron 21:1-14). Of course, God disciplined David because of his affair with Bathsheba as well as the murder of her husband, Uriah, and God’s judgment impacted David’s family in the years that followed (2 Sam 12:5-15; cf. 2 Sam 13:1—18:33). Jonah’s disobedience nearly killed his fellow travelers (Jonah 1:12). When Joshua and the army of Israel came against the city of Ai, Israel was soundly defeated and 36 soldiers died (Josh 7:1-5). When Joshua cried out to the Lord and asked why they were defeated (Josh 7:6-10), the Lord said, “Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things” (Josh 7:11). When investigated further (Josh 7:12-19), it was found that one man, Achan (likely with the knowledge of his wife and family), was responsible for the sin. Achan said, “I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel” (Josh 7:20).

     Addressing individual responsibility, God said to Ezekiel, “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die” (Ezek 18:4). And, “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself” (Ezek 18:20). There is suffering that can come from God, and there is suffering that can come from our connection to others. Children may bear the consequences of their parents’ sins, but only as the consequences fall naturally into the lap of the child because of their relationship with their parents. But children do not suffer by the hand of God for the sins their parents commit. John Barry affirms, saying, “Corporate responsibility for sin does not mean succeeding generations are punished for the sins of earlier generations. But, the consequences of the sins of earlier generations may affect later generations.”[8]Walter Kaiser states:

• "Ezekiel 18 focuses on the responsibility of the individual for individual guilt. That is one side of the coin. But the Bible also recognizes the reality of the concept of corporate responsibility when it comes to accounting for the effect of some individual sins. The case of Achan in Joshua 7:1–26 is the best example of corporate solidarity, for when Achan sinned, it was said that all Israel had sinned as well. We can understand how one traitor can sell a whole army into major trouble, but we forget how the effects of some sins fall on whole communities, nations or assemblies of persons. In the case in Ezekiel 21, the sword would cut both the righteous and the wicked. That is because in war often both the good and the bad fall. But that was not to say that everyone was individually guilty; no, it was the effect that reached and impacted all."[9]

     Corporately, Israelite communities were organic, with each part touching and impacting the other, such that no one operated in complete isolation, nor in a completely neutral manner. Like two sides of a coin, individual actions impact a community, for better or worse; and the communities’ overall health affects its individual members, either in positive or negative ways. William Raccah states, “Ancient Israelite culture was therefore organic in that each of its parts was interdependent on the others, yet at the same time retained its independence in certain aspects”[10]

     It should be noted that God sometimes allows His innocent people to be swept up in the judgment He brings upon a nation, and this because He plans to use them to serve as His representatives. God permitted Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, and Ezekiel to go into Babylonian captivity, though they had not personally been disobedient to the Lord. God then worked through these men to demonstrate to others how a godly life could be maintained in the midst of a hostile pagan culture. Their trials provided an opportunity for them to grow spiritually and to shine in a dark place.

     Just as God was seen to be in the midst of His people, Israel (Num 35:34), so today, in the church age, Jesus walks in the midst of His churches and evaluates us. In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, the seven churches in Asia Minor were referred to as lampstands, and Jesus is seen “in the middle of the lampstands” (Rev 1:13) as “the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands” (Rev 2:1). Each home-church was under constant review by the Lord Jesus Christ. Out of the seven churches, Jesus gave praise only for two (Smyrna and Philadelphia), both praise and rebuke to four (Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, and Sardis), and rebuke only for one (Laodicea). And Jesus also gave instructions for each church, to continue what was right, or to correct what was wrong.

     Though individual in nature, each church was part of the “body of Christ” (Eph 4:12; cf. Eph 1:23) which makes up the universal church. Paul wrote, for “you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it” (1 Co 12:27), and, “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor 12:26). As Christians, we must think in terms of individual and corporate responsibility, realizing our actions not only impact us, but the lives of others with whom we are in regular contact. It is essential to our spiritual development that we accept responsibility for the things we do as well as the things that come into our lives, even though we may not be the cause. And we can pray for God to remove difficulties, but what He does not remove, He intends for us to deal with, and this for our spiritual development and witness to others.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Equipped, “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub., 1999), 139–140.

[2] James Bennett Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament , 3rd ed. with Supplement. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969), 167.

[3] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Dt 21:1.

[4] Earl S. Kalland, “Deuteronomy,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 130.

[5] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 255–256.

[6] Peter C. Craigie, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 279–280.

[7] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 494.

[8] John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Dt 24:16.

[9] Walter C. Kaiser Jr. et al., Hard Sayings of the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1996), 315.

[10] William Raccah, “Sociology and the Old Testament,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

     The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of making good choices, especially as it relates to friends. Solomon wrote, “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray” (Prov 12:26 NIV). Elsewhere, Solomon said, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Prov 13:20). The word walk translates the Hebrew verb הָלַךְ halak, which here refers to “a lifestyle, [or] a pattern of conduct.”[1] Our lifestyle is influenced by our friends, who reinforce our path, either for good or harm. The one who chooses wise friends will gain wisdom and be blessed. A wise person—biblically speaking—is one who fears the Lord (Prov 1:7a), whereas, “fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov 1:7b). The wise person receives “instruction in wise behavior, doing what is right, just, and fair” (Prov 1:3), and this according to the standard of God’s Word. Simply stated, the biblically wise person is the one who learns and lives God’s Word on a regular basis. Jesus said, “everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt 7:24).

     There is a danger in choosing foolish friends, for the one who befriends a fool will end a fool, and this with injury. Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Matt 7:26). Dwight Pentecost states, “A fool is not necessarily one who is marked by a low iq but one who leaves God out of his consciousness…The fool is the man who does not take God into consideration in every area of his life.”[2] Merrill F. Unger adds, “The ‘fool’ is not so much one lacking in mental powers, as one who misuses them; not one who does not reason, but reasons wrongly. In Scripture the ‘fool’ primarily is the person who casts off the fear of God and thinks and acts as if he could safely disregard the eternal principles of God’s righteousness (Psa 14:1; Prov 14:9; Jer 17:11; etc.).”[3]

     As Christians, we choose what paths we follow. Biblically, there is a righteous path and a wicked path, and we must choose the former and avoid the latter. David wrote, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” (Psa 1:1; cf. Prov 4:14-17). David generally made good choices throughout his life, and this meant avoiding wicked people. He said, “I do not sit with deceitful men, nor will I go with pretenders. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked” (Psa 26:4-5). Elsewhere he said, “He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me” (Psa 101:7).

     The psalmist also wrote, “I am a companion of all those who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts” (Psa 119:63). Allen Ross writes, “The psalmist’s loyalty to the LORD also finds expression in his association with other believers—he is a companion (חָבֵר) to all who fear the LORD, meaning those who keep his commandments. The tie that binds the devout together is the commitment to keep God’s commands.”[4] And Charles Spurgeon adds, “We can hardly hope to be right in the future unless we are right now. The holy man spent his nights with God and his days with God’s people. Those who fear God love those who fear him, and they make small choice in their company so long as the men are truly God-fearing.”[5]

     In the New Testament we learn about the good choices Christians were making as they “were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). The words continually devoting themselves translates the Greek word προσκαρτερέω proskartereo, which denotes steadfast commitment and constant devotion. The two things these Christians were constantly devoted to were: 1) the apostle’s teaching, and 2) fellowship with other believers (which included a time of meals and prayer).

     Christians are to live righteously, as this is consistent with our identity in Christ. The apostle Paul implores us “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love” (Eph 4:1-2). Here, our pattern of behavior should mirror our position in Christ. Paul uses similar language when he writes, “You were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light; for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:6-10). Since we are called to such a high standard of living, it’s very important that we choose our friends carefully, to make sure there is mutual interest in walking with God and living as He directs.

     For this reason, Paul directed the Christians at Corinth not to associate with people who are committed to live by worldly values. Of the unbeliever, Paul wrote, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor 6:14). Of the worldly Christian, Paul wrote, “not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?” (1 Cor 5:11-12; cf., Jam 4:4). The general reasoning behind these directives is that “bad associations corrupt good morals” (1 Cor 15:33).

     Close relationships should be developed over time, only as we get to know others, hearing their words and watching their ways, and feeling confident they are among the faithful righteous. Some of the characteristics of a righteous person include:

1. A commitment to learning God’s Word (Psa 1:1-2; Acts 2:42; Rom 6:17).

[1] William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 924.

[2] J. Dwight Pentecost, Designed to Be Like Him: Understanding God’s Plan for Fellowship, Conduct, Conflict, and Maturity (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2001), 55.

[3] Merrill Frederick Unger, R. K. Harrison, Howard Frederic Vos et al., “Fool”, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988).

[4] Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms (90–150): Commentary, vol. 3, Kregel Exegetical Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2016), 519.

[5] C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 111-119, vol. 5 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.), 257.

Summary of Ruth 3:1-18:

1. The Central Idea of the Text is that Ruth proposes marriage to Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer, and he agrees.

Ruth 3:1-18

Dr. Steven R. Cook

Then [at the end of harvest season] Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? [i.e. lasting security] 2 “Now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids you were? Behold, he winnows barley at the threshing floor tonight [threshing = separating the kernels of grain from the chaff]. 3 “Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes [perhaps to indicate she is passed grieving her deceased husband; see Gen. 38:14; 2 Sam. 14:2], and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 “It shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down [a picture of submission implying a request for marriage]; then he will tell you what you shall do.” 5 She said to her, “All that you say I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down [an expression of submission]. 8 It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering [כָּנָף kanaph – lit. wing – i.e. “cover me with the covering I removed from you”; a picture of protection and provision; cf. Ezek. 16:8] over your maid, for you are a close relative [גֹאֵל - goel – kinsman-redeemer].” 10 Then he said, “May you be blessed of the LORD, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness [חֶסֶד chesed – loyal-love; i.e. to carry on the name of her deceased husband] to be better than the first [to sacrifice all to care for Naomi; see Ruth 1:16-17] by not going after young men, whether poor or rich [Ruth pursued a marriage that would provide protection and provision for her and Naomi]. 11 “Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask [concerning marriage], for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence [אֵ֥שֶׁת חַ֖יִל - esheth chayil – woman of worth; cf. Prov. 31:10  the woman of excellence has a strong work ethic, commitment to family and concern for others]. 12 “Now it is true I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I [Boaz recognizes the legal right of a closer relative; thus honoring/submitting to God’s word]. 13 “Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will redeem you [as the Law directs], good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as the LORD lives [i.e. swearing an oath of promise; see 1 Kings 1:29-30]. Lie down until morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said [probably to his workers], “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor [to avoid gossip and protect her reputation].” 15 Again he said, “Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her [approximately 60 pounds, as a sign of his good will]. Then she went into the city. 16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did it go, my daughter?” [i.e. did Boaz agree to the proposal?] And she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 She said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” [Boaz is thoughtful about others] 18 Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he has settled it today.” [Boaz is not a procrastinator]

Summary of Ruth 2:1-23:

1. The Central Idea of the Text is that Ruth fell under the gracious care of Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer.

Ruth 2:1-23

Dr. Steven R. Cook

Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech [see Ruth 1:3], whose name was Boaz [בֹּעַז Boaz - quickness]. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess [emphasizing her Gentile heritage; cf. Ruth 1:22; 2:6, 21; 4:5, 10] said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain [see Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22; Deut. 24:19] after one in whose sight I may find favor [חֵן chen – favor, grace].” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened [by divine providence] to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “May the LORD be with you.” [an expression of faith that desires God’s best for the needy] And they said to him, “May the LORD bless you.” [an expression of faith that desires God’s blessing to the merciful-wealthy] 5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” [Boaz takes note of Ruth] 6 The servant in charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab 7 “And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves [asks permission rather than assuming her rights].’ Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while [working hard, taking short breaks].” 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. 9 “Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw.” [offering Ruth protection and provision beyond what the Law required] 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” [Ruth was surprised by grace] 11 Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know [demonstrating unselfish love to care for Naomi; see Ruth 1:16-17]. 12 “May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge [The Lord would fulfill Boaz’ request through Boaz himself].” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.” 14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar [making Ruth feel welcome in his company].” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left. 15 When she rose to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her. 16 “Also you shall purposely pull out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it that she may glean [providing more than what the Law prescribed], and do not rebuke her [i.e. do not make her feel rejected].” 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley [i.e. about thirty pounds]. 18 She took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took it out and gave Naomi what she had left after she was satisfied. 19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed [realizing Ruth had received special treatment].” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he [Boaz] be blessed of the LORD who has not withdrawn his kindness [חֶסֶד chesed – loyal-love] to the living and to the dead [i.e. Ruth, Naomi, and her dead sons].” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is our relative, he is one of our closest relatives [גָּאַל gaal – redeemer, i.e. a family-guardian who cares for the widows of his diseased relatives; see Deut. 25:5-10; Ruth 4:5].” 21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You should stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maids, so that others do not fall upon you in another field [and harm her].” 23 So she stayed close by the maids of Boaz in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest [two month process – April thru June]. And she lived with her mother-in-law [and cared for her].

Summary of Ruth 1:1-22:

1. The Central Idea of the Text is that Ruth abandoned her birth-family and culture and entrusted herself to God, committing to care for Naomi, her mother-in-law.