Ruth 1:1-22 Naomi Emptied; Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem
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Ruth 1:1-22 Naomi Emptied; Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem
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Summary of passage
Hebrew names often add irony to the story. As my mother told me first impressions are important; apparently God believes the same thing and in the case of the story of Ruth names reveal to us how messy life is.
Naomi and her family (her husband and two sons) leave Bethlehem (the house of bread) during a time of famine for the foreign land of Moab. Her husband's name was Elimelehch - "God is my king." While there the two sons marry pagan women (Oprah and Ruth). Noami's three men die there. Upon hearing the famine is over in Bethlehem (the house of bread), Naomi decides to return to her hometown. Upon Naomi's arrival home, she changes her name to Mara (a name change from pleasantness to bitter).
Original Context & Exegesis
Exegesis of passage
(as a whole or verse-by-verse, if helpful). Scenes begin with the introduction of characters and end with a change in character or message.
Scene 1 - vs. 1-5
Famine in the House of Bread (Bethlehem) where a man by the name of "God is my king" (Elimelech) took his family to the heathen nation of Moab- a cursed nation that was out of bounds of the covenant God made with Abraham and Moses. While there Elimelech's and Naomi's, his wife, sons married two Moabite women: Oprah and Ruth. We are told that they went to sojourn there, but they lived there for a period of 10 years when the three men died. In the OT ANE context death of the patriarch and one's sons left the women of the family virtually "dead" as they had no protection or provision. Naomi was without hope. Ruth and Oprah, presumably, had family members nearby as this was their homeland.
Scene 2 - vs. 6-14
Famine left the house of food (Bethlehem) and Naomi decides to leave Moab and return to her former home. Her daughter in laws decide to leave their families and stay with her. But Naomi seeks to talk them out of this. (vs. 8-13) Here we begin to see the character of Naomi come out. At first glance it appears that she has Ruth and Oprah's best interests at heart. But that is not what the next scene tells us. Naomi tells her daughter in laws to return home for there is no hope for them with her. She wants Yahweh to deal kindly with them as they have dealt kindly with her. Problem she is encouraging them to find rest in the house of their pagan husbands (presuming they are to be remarried). After their first protest she reasons with them that it is impossible for them to remarry one of her sons. She believes that God has judged her by taking her two sons and husband away. This rationale works and convicts Oprah who leaves her. Ruth, we are told, clung to her.
Scene 3-vs. 15-18
Naomi turns her focus on Ruth now. It is clear that Naomi encourages them to go back to their pagan gods (vs. 15) Ruth replies with beautiful words of belief in Yahweh and commitment to Naomi. (vs. 16) After an amazing testimony similar to the wedding vow "til death do us part" Naomi's reaction is that of a 4 year old girl who did not get that ice cream she wanted. (vs. 18) Naomi wanted her daughter in laws not to be with her. She wanted to revel in her misery. Upon Ruth's marvelous commitment to her "she said no more." This gives the idea that Naomi did not talk but pouted the entire journey back to Bethlehem.
A traditional understanding of the previous and current scene is that Naomi is explaining the cost of discipleship to Oprah and Ruth. According to this interpretation we see one pass, one fail, and Naomi exalted as the patron mother in law. (See Sinclair Ferguson's The Faithful God for a standard reading.) But I have issue with this interpretation. She encouraged her daughters to return to their pagan gods, pouted when she did not get her way, and as we see in the next scene she changes her name to bitter. (Names mean everything in Hebrew).
Scene 4 - vs. 19-22
Naomi comes into town and all her old friends see her. (vs. 19, The whole town was stirred because of them.) They wanted to know if this was Naomi. She confirms their suspicions but says that she left full and returned empty. What of this marvelous gentile women who said 'your people will be my people, your God my God, where you die, I die, and there I will be buried.' (vs. 16-17)? Rudeness characterizes Naomi. She came back empty? Ruth is by no means nothing as we see in the coming chapters. One presumes that Ruth was at her side when Naomi said these words.
Passage Boundaries
Q: Why are these verses grouped together in this chapter or pericope?
A: The introduction of people. When Oprah leaves a new scene begins. When location changed a scene changed. (It would be the same with message.)
Literary Features
Q: What genre is it? What literary devices (e.g. metaphor) does it use?
A: Narrative.
Connections to the rest of book
Q: What purpose does this pericope serve in the bigger picture of the book?
A: Sets the scene for the rest of the book and introduces the characters and give the necessary data (i.e. Naomi's character- important as she makes a transformation later.) Ruth speaks big, but can she live up to her high standard?
Connections to the rest of Scripture
How is it referenced or alluded to elsewhere?
Jesus Christ: The Redemptive-Historical Context
Where is Christ and the Gospel present in this passage?
How does this passage point to Christ or depend on Christ?
How does Christ fulfill this passage? How was it fulfilled already? How will it be fulfilled?
What does this passage tell us about God’s plan of redemption in Christ?
Current Context
Connect the teaching of the passage to ourselves, our world, and the human condition
What are some modern parallels, examples, or illustrations of this passage?
What is the call/command/invitation of the passage?
How does Christ & the Gospel in this passage enable us to see, think, and live differently?
Links/References/Bibliography
Representative sermons on the passage
Commentaries on this book
Articles on this book or passage
Citations
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