How does Ruth 4:1 connect to Deuteronomy 25:5-10 regarding family obligations? The scene at Bethlehem’s gate (Ruth 4:1) “Meanwhile, Boaz went to the gate and sat down there. Soon the kinsman-redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came along. Boaz said, ‘Come over here, my friend, and sit down.’ So he went over and sat down.” The Mosaic backdrop (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) • 5 “If brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow of the deceased shall not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife, fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her, • 6 and the first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. • 7 But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, she is to go to the elders at the gate and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel…’ • 8 Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak with him… • 9 his brother’s widow is to… remove his sandal… and declare, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ • 10 And his family name in Israel shall be called ‘The house of the Unsandaled.’” Connecting the two passages • The city gate in Ruth 4:1 is the same setting Deuteronomy prescribes for legal matters—public, accountable, under the eyes of elders. • Boaz identifies “the kinsman-redeemer” (lit. “goel”) who stands first in line to fulfill Deuteronomy’s obligation. • Naomi’s deceased husband (Elimelech) and sons left no heir; Ruth’s appeal echoes the widow in Deuteronomy 25 seeking to “preserve the name” of the dead. • The elders soon gathered (Ruth 4:2) mirror the elders required to adjudicate refusal or compliance in Deuteronomy 25:7-9. • The sandal exchange in Ruth 4:7—though without spitting—directly cites the Deuteronomic ritual of relinquishing redeeming rights. Family obligations spelled out 1. Obligation to the dead brother: – Maintain his name and inheritance (Deuteronomy 25:6; cf. Ruth 4:5,10). 2. Obligation to the widow: – Provide protection, provision, offspring, and place within Israel’s covenant community (Deuteronomy 25:5; Ruth 3:9). 3. Obligation to the wider clan: – Keep land within the tribe (Leviticus 25:23-25 links land redemption with the goel’s duties). 4. Obligation to God’s covenant: – Obedience ensures “that his name will not be blotted out” (Deuteronomy 25:6), demonstrating faithfulness to God’s statutes (Psalm 119:44). How Boaz honors the Law • He takes initiative—no coercion needed—reflecting love for God’s commands (Psalm 19:8-10). • He calls witnesses to ensure everything is “established by two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15). • He openly declares that marrying Ruth is part of buying the land to “maintain the name of the dead” (Ruth 4:9-10). • By following the letter and spirit of Deuteronomy 25, Boaz becomes a model of covenant faithfulness and a link in Messiah’s genealogy (Ruth 4:13-22; Matthew 1:5-6). Why the connection matters today • Scripture’s unity: The narrative in Ruth demonstrates Deuteronomy in action, proving God’s Law is practical and life-giving. • Redeeming love: Boaz’s obedience foreshadows Christ, our ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer (Hebrews 2:11-17; Galatians 4:4-5). • Covenant community: God designed families—and churches—to protect the vulnerable and honor His name (James 1:27). |
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