Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro to Handout

-We’ve been looking at the book of Ruth as a case study for how to study, interpret, and apply OT narrative

-We’ve got this diagram at the top that helps us understand the basic structure of narrative

**walk through the diagram**

-The Exposition for the book of Ruth is found in 1:1-4 with the backstory of her family moving to Moab

-The Conflict is really summed up in 1:5, showing us the problem the must be overcome in this account

-The Rising action follows with Ruth’s choice to stay with her mother-in-law, and then Naomi’s bitterness against Yahweh

-The rising action continues in chapter 2, with Ruth just happening to go to glean in the field of Boaz, a wealthy, kind, distant family member

-All of this is meant to pique our interest and continue to build out the plot

**go through and summarize the Principles/Questions to ask**

So, this brings us all to the close of the account, which will include the climax and then how the account ends

Ruth 3

**The narrative slows down here**

Vs. 1

-Naomi deems herself responsible for Ruth’s well-being

-Ruth has given up everything to come and be with Naomi and take care of her, and so Naomi feels obligated to respond in kind and take care of Ruth

-Daniel Block in his commentary notes that a covenant was a mutual agreement between two people, and so Naomi feels responsible towards Ruth in a similar way that Ruth feels responsible towards Naomi

Vs. 2a

-Naomi’s plan revolves around their rich, kind relative Boaz, who has clearly shown great kindness and care towards them

-Although Boaz has been incredibly kind and compassionate, he has not initiated any move towards Ruth in redeeming her

-This may be out of respect for her being a widow

-Perhaps she’s still mourning the loss of her husband

-But for whatever reason, he’s not moving forward, so mother-in-law Naomi deems it time for her to push this snowball downhill so to speak

Vs. 2b-3

-She notes that Boaz will be winnowing barley this evening

-This usually takes place soon after the barley and wheat are harvested

-The harvesters would take the stalks up to a hill usually

-And they’d have a place where they would beat the stalks, often with some kind of stick

-This would force the heavier kernels out of the stalks

-And then the wind up on that hill would cause some of the lighter, worthless stuff to blow away

-Naomi tells Ruth to wash, perfume herself, and put on her “best garments”

-Now, that translation, “put on your best garment” is probably not a great translation

-More than likely it didn’t have as much to do with dressing up really nice — think about it, why dress up really nice when you’re going out in the dark anyway — as much as dress appropriately for warmth, or even maybe urging her to put aside her mourning clothes if she was still wearing them

-She was to go out there, but not make herself known until Boaz was done with the festivities that often accompanied winnowing and he lay down

Vs. 4

-When this happened, she was to go over and uncover his feet and lie down

-Now, there are plenty of questions regarding this text

-Many scholars think that this indicates some kind of immoral act, that Ruth here is being commanded to seduce Boaz

-I won’t go into the exegetical reasons due to time sake, but suffice to say, it seems best not to take this passage in this way, but to simply take it at face value as her going and laying down at his feet

-This may seem extremely odd to us as modern readers

-But remember, we are OT Israelites and therefore would understand this as what it is

-Ruth here is making a proposal of marriage to Boaz, asking that he would redeem her

-Now, this was a risky proposition!

-He could very easily reject her

-She is a Moabite after all, which is a people who were cursed by God and often looked down upon in this culture

Also, this is risky to go out in the middle of the night to the threshing floor, for she could have been caught and maybe hurt or taken advantage of by someone (as was indicated by Boaz back in chapter 2)

-Or, in his sleepy state, Boaz could have mistook her intentions as possibly trying to seduce him, which he could have then either committed immorality with her, or shooed her away

So the whole thing is pretty risky, which adds to the suspense of the narrative

Vs. 5-7

-Ruth obeys her mother-in-law and goes to the threshing floor

-Boaz has enjoyed the festivities, and is ready to go to sleep, having been well fed and full

-Ruth waits quietly until he’s asleep, then goes and uncovers his feet and lays down there by his feet

Vs. 8-9

-So Boaz turns over in his sleep, and is startled to find there’s a woman lying there!

-He asks who it is

Ruth identifies herself in a humble way — “Ruth your maidservant”

-It’s interesting to note, as one commentator pointed out, that she really turns the focus back on him

-It’s not important who Ruth is, the better focus is who Boaz is!

-He’s the close relative, the family redeemer!

-This is extraordinary initiative on Ruth’s part, similar to the Syro-Phoenician woman we looked at back at the beginning of the month!

-She’s a nobody!

-She’s poor

-She’s a widow taking care of another widow

-She’s a Moabite

And Boaz is rich

-he’s important

-he’s an Israelite

And yet, she boldly throws herself on his mercy, proposing that he redeem her

-This is a great moment of suspense for us, the readers

-How will Boaz respond to this brazen act and even more brazen request?

vs. 10-11

-Boaz responds kindly and compassionately

-He blesses her by the name of Yahweh

-And he notes that she has shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning

-What does he mean by that?

-I believe he’s referring back to 2:11 when he blessed her for leaving her people and homeland to be with Naomi

-And this act, boldly proposing marriage to Boaz, shows even greater kindness, because she is foregoing other suitors (younger men), in order to marry a man of noble character who will take care of her and Naomi

-She could have gone after younger men, perhaps someone who was more attractive, or even someone who was more likely to be able to give her a child

-Now, Boaz is not necessarily someone who’s old and decrepit, considering he’s obviously still able to work in the field when he needs to

-But Ruth has obeyed her mother-in-law, chosen a kind man of character, and Boaz recognizes this

Vs.

11

He has no problem moving forward with her, because she too is a woman of virtue, and that’s evident to the whole town through what she has done for her mother-in-law

Vs. 12-13

-Just when we as the readers breathe a sigh of relief, Boaz introduces a complication into this seeming happy ending we were about to end up with

“There’s a relative closer than I”

-Now, what we would immediately recognize as OT Israelites is that this closer relative gets the first chance at redeeming Ruth and the piece of land that belongs to Mahlon (as we’ll see comes into play next chapter)

-So in order for Boaz to be able to marry Ruth, this closer relative must be willing to forego his right of redemption first

-He swears to her that he will take care of this first thing in the morning

-If this guy wants to redeem her, then that’s his right

-But if not, then Boaz will redeem her

-So he tells her to lie back down until morning, when he will go get this taken care of promptly

-Just when we think we’ve got to the resolution, this gets brought up and we’re once again in suspense

Vs. 14-15

-Ruth leaves early in the morning, seeking to protect her reputation and that of Boaz

-He sends her off generously to her mother-in-law with some food, in keeping with his kind and noble character

Vs. 16-18

-Ruth tells Naomi of what transpired that night, how Boaz had responded favorably to her, but there is someone in line to redeem her ahead

-She also shows her the barley he sent to supply for herself and Naomi

-Naomi is confident that Boaz will take care of the matter quickly like he has promised, and they will not wait long to hear of the results

-Which brings us to the final chapter of our the book of Ruth