救赎（redeem）这个字是“买回”的意思， 对波阿斯来说，就是用他的金钱来买回一个亲属的土地，和与路得生一个孩子来为那亲属的家族留名。
和路得一样，波阿斯也是一个品格高尚的人。正如路得紧紧尊崇婆婆拿俄米和她的神，波阿斯也谨守并尊崇神的话语，因他知道一切尊荣和颂赞都属耶和华。和那些喜欢思想神话语的人一样，波阿斯“像一棵树栽在溪水旁”（诗篇 1:3），根既深，水分也十分充足，就必定不会枯干。根据我们对波阿斯的认识，我们相信，当路得在麦场上对他诉求时，他必定愿意成为路得和拿俄米需要的“救赎者”。
波阿斯大可以婉拒这个复杂的诉求，因为原来她们还有另一个更近的亲属，然而他没有这样做。他当时就许愿说：“我指着永生的耶和华起誓，我必为你尽了本分”，以此来表明他的意愿。一个喜爱神话语的人，是不会随便许愿的（申命记 23:21-23）。
掌管天地的神曾应许赐给我们一位“圣洁、无邪恶、无玷污、远离罪人、高过诸天的大祭司”（希伯来书 7:26），就是道成了肉身的耶稣基督，而且神已经兑现了衪的应许。我们若接受耶稣做我们的救主，我们的罪债便可以藉着衪偿还了。你是否这样相信呢？
主啊，祢藉着基督的牺牲，为我们的罪付上了极重的代价，使我们得到救赎。为此，我们满心感谢祢。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
路得记 3:7-13 Ruth 3:7-13
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。”
Redemption
The word redeem means “to buy back.” For Boaz this meant using his money to buy back a relative’s land, and having a child with Ruth to preserve the family name of that relative.
Like Ruth, Boaz is a person of noble character. As Ruth clung to Naomi out of respect for her mother-in-law and for the Lord, Boaz clung to the Word of God, recognizing that all honor and praise belong to the Lord. Like one who meditates on the Word of God, he was “like a tree planted by streams of water” (Psalm 1:3). Well-rooted and -watered, that tree would not wither. From what we have seen of Boaz, we note that his words and deeds are so well-rooted and -watered that by the time Ruth speaks to him at the threshing floor, he will become the redeemer Naomi and Ruth need.
Boaz could have passed up this opportunity, for there was another redeemer. But he didn’t. He went out of his way to make his intentions clear with a vow: “As surely as the LORD lives, I will do it.” Someone who loves the Word of God does not make a vow lightly (Deuteronomy 23:21-23).
The God of heaven and earth promised to send us “one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26)—Jesus Christ, the Word of God himself. And God has kept his promise. Through Jesus we are redeemed from the debt of sin, if we believe in him as our Savior. Do you?
For the costly price of our redemption through Christ’s sacrifice, we thank you, Lord. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
