Difference between revisions of "Sermon for May 23rd, 2021"

Revision as of 20:27, 22 May 2021

Ruth 3:1-18

Today's scripture reading is chapter three of the Book of Ruth, which you can find in your pew Bibles on page 243. Just as I have for the past two weeks, I'll intersperse the reading and the story with the sermon itself. So as we prepare to hear God's word, let us pray: (prayer for Illumination).

I feel like I need to give you an extra warning today--Chapter three of the Book of Ruth should be rated at least PG-13, if not R. If you haven't figured it out yet, Ruth is a love story, a biblical romance story. And often, in a romantic movie or story...things can get a little steamy. Of course, most English translations of the Bible try to hide this a bit, or downplay it--but it's there, and it's there for good reasons. So I'm not going to dance around it. There's still plenty of time to send your children to the playground if you're worried.

But first, to recap from the last two weeks: Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth are both widows. Their husbands died in the land of Moab, making them destitute, and so they have returned to Naomi's home country of Judah, where Ruth has been working in the field of a man named Boaz. Boaz, though presumably much older than Ruth, has shown kindness to her, and we have learned that he is actually a close relative of Naomi's deceased husband Elimelech.

Let's read. Chapter three, verse 1: Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. 2 Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.” 5 She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”

Nothing like a little bit of stalking to get a relationship going! That's a joke (stalks of wheat? threshing?). Although it does seem like Naomi is coaching Ruth in the arts of a more traditional kind of stalking. Ruth is instructed to put on her best clothes and anoint herself with oil--which would be the equivalent of modern day perfume. But what's really interesting is that Naomi tells Ruth to wait until Boaz is asleep, and then to "uncover his feet and lie down." Why would you uncover someone's feet in the middle of the night? That doesn't sound nice at all! Unless feet aren't really feet.

In several places in the Old Testament, as well as in Jewish Rabbinic literature, feet are often a euphemism for the male reproductive organ. Reading the story this way, it starts to make more sense...and is probably more familiar, too.

Verse 6: So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came stealthily and uncovered his "feet," and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled, and turned over, and there, lying at his "feet," was a woman!

The word that the NRSV translates as "and there" is my favorite Hebrew word: הִנֵּה (hine) which older versions sometimes translate as "Lo!" or "Behold!" but I prefer Thomas Cahill's translation of that word, using the modern day acronym WTF. Because that's probably what Boaz actually thought--WTF, there's a woman!

Verse 9: (and you have to love the awkward comedy in this!) He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.”

And BAM! Right there with those simple and direct words, Ruth lays everything on the table (literally and figuratively).

Spread your cloak over your servant. For a man to spread his cloak over a woman--covering her nakedness in the act of intercourse--is essentially a marriage proposal. So Ruth is saying to Boaz--propose to me. But it's more than that; it's also a beautiful metaphor. Because back in chapter two, when they first met, Boaz prayed that GOD might spread his wings over Ruth to shelter and protect her. Now it's as if she's saying, why don't you make that prayer come true, and act on God's behalf?

But there's still more: Spread your cloak over your servant...for you are next-of-kin. The Hebrew word for next-of-kin is גֹאֵ֖ל (go-el). It literally means "redeemer" or "rescuer" but as we've seen before, in Old Testament law it meant the relative of the deceased husband, who was required to marry the widow and therefore carry on the family line. Not only is Ruth saying, "propose to me, Boaz." She's saying "You must propose to me Boaz--it's your duty."

Don't let anyone ever tell you that women in the Bible are meek, passive, or

10 He said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not be afraid, I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman. 12 But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I. 13 Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kin for you, good; let him do it. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kin for you, then, as the Lord lives, I will act as next-of-kin for you. Lie down until the morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could recognize another; for he said, “It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Then he said, “Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and put it on her back; then he went into the city. 16 She came to her mother-in-law, who said, “How did things go with you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.”