路得为什么要这么顺服拿俄米,以致把自己呈献给波阿斯呢?她为什么不作一些自己喜欢的事呢?答案其实很简单。路得不肯回娘家,因为她“舍不得”拿俄米(路得记 1:14)。在其他地方,这个希伯来文动词,是用来形容丈夫和妻子的紧密相连的关系的(参看创世记 2:25)。
从婚姻的观点来看,路得甘愿离开家园,把自己归属于另一个人。而在这里,她愿意归属的是婆婆拿俄米,要分担她的困难、忧伤,和空虚。那天晚上,当晚她来到麦场,其实就是求亲的举动,而她这样做,目的是要解决拿俄米没有儿子和后嗣的困境。当路得对波阿斯说“求你用你的衣襟遮盖我”时,意思是说:“求你按神为我们家族所立的约娶我为妻,让我投靠在你的翅膀下”。
从某种角度来看,这个故事和耶稣所讲的撒玛利亚人的比喻(路加福音 10:25-37)有相似之处。两个故事都在教导神的子民“爱邻舍”是什么意思。耶稣问,哪一个路人是真正向受伤的人彰显神爱的,答案当然是:“怜悯他的”。
路得愿意来到麦场,因为她是一个怜悯、高尚的女子,她多么愿意尊崇耶和华。今天,让我们也以怜悯和高尚的情怀对待我们的邻舍,以此来尊崇我们的神吧。
主耶稣,感谢祢,因为当我们需要你的怜悯时,祢没有不理不睬我们。求祢帮助我们,同样以祢的怜悯和关怀,对待我们忧伤的邻舍。奉耶稣的名祷告,阿们。
路得记 1:16-17; 3:1-13 Ruth 1:16-17; 3:1-13
16路得说:“不要催我回去不跟随你。你往哪里去,我也往那里去;你在哪里住宿,我也在那里住宿;你的国就是我的国,你的上帝就是我的上帝。
17你在哪里死,我也在那里死,也葬在那里。除非死能使你我相离!不然,愿耶和华重重地降罚与我。”
1 路得的婆婆拿俄米对她说:“女儿啊,我不当为你找个安身之处,使你享福吗?
2你与波阿斯的使女常在一处,波阿斯不是我们的亲族吗?他今夜在场上簸大麦;
3你要沐浴抹膏,换上衣服,下到场上,却不要使那人认出你来。你等他吃喝完了,
4到他睡的时候,你看准他睡的地方,就进去掀开他脚上的被,躺卧在那里,他必告诉你所当做的事。”
5路得说:“凡你所吩咐的,我必遵行。”
6 路得就下到场上,照她婆婆所吩咐她的而行。
7波阿斯吃喝完了,心里欢畅,就去睡在麦堆旁边。路得便悄悄地来掀开他脚上的被,躺卧在那里。
8到了夜半,那人忽然惊醒,翻过身来,不料有女子躺在他的脚下。
9他就说:“你是谁?”回答说:“我是你的婢女路得。求你用你的衣襟遮盖我,因为你是我一个至近的亲属。”
10波阿斯说:“女儿啊,愿你蒙耶和华赐福。你末后的恩比先前更大;因为少年人无论贫富,你都没有跟从。
11女儿啊,现在不要惧怕,凡你所说的,我必照着行;我本城的人都知道你是个贤德的女子。
12我实在是你一个至近的亲属,只是还有一个人比我更近。
13你今夜在这里住宿,明早他若肯为你尽亲属的本分,就由他吧!倘若不肯,我指着永生的耶和华起誓,我必为你尽了本分,你只管躺到天亮。”
Merciful, Nobel, Obedient
Why should Ruth obey Naomi and make herself available to Boaz? Why not make her own choices? The answer is straightforward. When she refused to go back home, Ruth “clung” to Naomi (Ruth 1:14). The same verb in Hebrew is used elsewhere to describe a husband and wife being united together (see Genesis 2:25).
As in marriage, Ruth left her home willingly to join herself to another. In this case, she willingly shared Naomi’s family situation, her God, her sorrow, her emptiness. Going to the threshing floor that night was a gesture requesting marriage—for the purpose of filling a part of Naomi’s emptiness: her lack of a child and heir. When Ruth said to Boaz, “Spread ... your garment over me,” it meant, “Take me under your wing to be your wife, by the terms of God’s covenant for our related families.”
In a way, this story is like Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Both stories teach God’s people what it means to love their neighbor. When Jesus asked which traveler showed the love of God to the man who needed help, the response had to be “The one who had mercy on him.”
Ruth went to the threshing floor because she was a merciful, noble person who wanted to honor God. Let us also honor God by being merciful and noble to our neighbors.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for not passing us by when we were in need of your love. Help us to respond with your love and care for our hurting neighbors. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳