Reformed (Presbyterian) Lens Commentary: Ruth 4:1-12

Reformed (Presbyterian) Lens Reading of Ruth 4:1-12

Tradition-Specific Interpretation

We read Ruth 4:1-12 as a profound testimony to God's sovereign grace working through the covenant community, culminating in the genealogy that leads to David and ultimately to Christ. Boaz acts as a kinsman-redeemer, embodying the redemptive work that anticipates Christ's ultimate redemption of His bride, the Church. The transaction at the city gate underscores the legal and covenantal framework within which God's promises are fulfilled, highlighting the continuity of the covenant of grace from the Old Testament to the New Covenant in Christ.

Key Language Decisions

In Hebrew, the term 'goel' (redeemer) is pivotal, signifying the legal duty of the kinsman-redeemer within the covenant community. This term underlines the covenantal responsibilities and foreshadows Christ's redemptive work. The public nature of the proceedings at the city gate ('sha'ar') emphasizes the communal and legal aspects of covenantal faithfulness, resonating with the Reformed emphasis on covenant community and the visible church.

Where Traditions Diverge

This Reformed reading diverges from dispensational traditions that might see the Old Testament covenants as separate and distinct from the New Covenant. Instead, we see this passage as an integral part of the single covenant of grace, progressively revealed and fulfilled in Christ. Additionally, while some may view the actions of Boaz through a moralistic lens, we emphasize the redemptive-historical significance as pointing to Christ's work.

Pastoral Application

Preaching this passage, we should emphasize the assurance of God's sovereign plan unfolding through ordinary means and faithful obedience within the covenant community. Congregations should be reminded of the certainty and continuity of God's promises, ultimately fulfilled in Christ. We must encourage believers to see their lives as part of this grand narrative of redemption, knowing that their salvation is secured by God's unshakeable decree, not by human effort. This text calls us to trust in God's providence, recognizing that even our daily faithfulness contributes to His redemptive purposes.

Cross-References: Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Matthew 1:1-17; Galatians 3:16; Ephesians 1:11

Doctrinal Connections: Covenant of Grace; Sovereign Grace; Redemptive History; Typology of Christ; Covenant Community