Author: Administrador

This week’s reading concludes the book of Ruth, which was begun last week.  The prescribed passages appear to be representative of the book overall, and especially this week preachers must fill in the gaps. For background and chapters 1 and 2, see last week’s lectionary comments. Before returning to Bethlehem Naomi had expressed concern for … Continue reading “Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 Commentary by Patricia Tull”

By the time the reader gets to these passages, she knows that the characters in this story are beyond reproach. Naomi shares her wisdom with Ruth. Ruth follows Naomi’s sage advice. Naomi blesses Boaz. Boaz blesses Naomi and Ruth. What began with tragedy ends with blessing for the closing verses hint that Ruth, the Moabite, … Continue reading “Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 Commentary by Alphonetta Wines”

This week, we have as our text the first chapter of the book of Ruth, which gives us a good taste of the whole story, but just a taste. Don’t be afraid this week to spend a good amount of time just re-telling the story of this beautiful little treasure of a book. Just to … Continue reading “Ruth 1:1-22 Commentary by Kathryn M. Schifferdecker”

A story of human love reflecting and enacting divine love, the book of Ruth is a rich text for a sermon series, particularly in August days when farm fields flourish with the promise of an abundant harvest. Themes of emptiness and fullness abound in this little book: famine turning to abundant food, loss turning to … Continue reading “Ruth 1:1–4:22 Commentary by Kathryn M. Schifferdecker”

Ruth is a story of biblical proportions including everything from famine, widows, gleaning in the fields, levirate marriage, and justice at the gate to the birth of children of destiny. Ruth is also one of the few places in the male-dominated world of Scripture where women play the major roles and are the central characters. … Continue reading “Ruth 1:1-18 Commentary by Brent A. Strawn”

The Old Testament readings for this week and next come from Ruth.  The selections seem designed to evoke the whole short book. Today’s reading encompasses most of chapter 1, up to the point that Naomi and Ruth leave Moab.  The lectionary omits their return to Bethlehem and all of chapter 2, in which Ruth goes … Continue reading “Ruth 1:1-18 Commentary by Patricia Tull”

People are often surprised to find that the words from Ruth 1:16b-17, often heard at weddings, are not about the joys of beginning a new life together. Instead these words are an affirmation of Ruth’s commitment to her mother-in-law, Naomi, after a series of losses devastated their family. In other words, the context of these … Continue reading “Ruth 1:1-18 Commentary by Alphonetta Wines”

The story of Naomi and Ruth is set during the period before monarchs ruled in Israel. The book opens with the verse, “In the days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1). This is a period in Israel’s history depicted as a state of continuous decline, where people did whatever was right in their own eyes … Continue reading “Ruth 1:1-17 Commentary by Vanessa Lovelace”

Deborah is among the most prestigious female leaders in the Old Testament and her exemplary leadership may provide encouragement to lay and ordained female leaders in the church today. It is unclear whether Deborah was the wife of a man named Lappidoth, of whom nothing is known, or if the etymology of the Hebrew words … Continue reading “Judges 4:1-7 Commentary by Ralph W. Klein”

Women’s Work Judges 4:1-7 introduces two biblical chapters which focus on Deborah, in the form of a story (4) and a song (5). These materials are interesting for a number of reasons. First, this is the only text from the Book of Judges to be listed in the Revised Common Lectionary.  Second, Deborah is the … Continue reading “Judges 4:1-7 Commentary by James Limburg”