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Hebrews 13:1, “Let brotherly love continue.”
The New Testament resounds with the command to love the “brothers,” an idiom for fellow believers in the faith (Matt. 22:39 John 1334; Rom. 13:8; 1 Cor. 13: 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 2:10; 3:10 4:7). The word “love” used in Hebrews 13:1 is φιλαδελφία transliterated from the Greek as philadelphia which means “Love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love; in the NT the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren.” We all have heard of Philadelphia before because it is known as the city of brotherly love.
Christians are to love one another because Jesus has loved them first. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 declares, “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” Loving other believers should be as easy as falling off a log. Christians should not wait to get to church where they can drink in the fellowship of the godly. For the early church, the fellowship of their new brothers and sisters was delectably mysterious to them and they rejoiced in plumbing the depths of each other’s souls.
Brotherly love is to be a telltale sign of the salvation of the people of God. As the Apostle John would later write in 1 John 3:14, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” The impulse of the early church to brotherly love provided a sweet, inner self-authentication. It also announced to the world that their faith was the real thing as noted in John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
What a glorious phenomenon brotherly love is, a sense of the same paternity (a brotherly and sisterliness taught by God, a desire to climb into each other’s souls), a sweet inner authentication, and the sign of the real thing to the world.
Christians are to practice brotherly love. Inwardly, this requires that we will consider the stupendous implications of our shared generation, that we truly are brothers and sisters with those terms being more than sentimental notions, instead being objective fact, that though we are millions, we share only one Father, that we will still be brothers and sisters when the sun is no more, and that God is pleased when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity (Psalm 133 and John 17). Our status as brothers and sisters in Christ is truly an eternal bond to be treasured. Outwardly, we must will to say and do only those things that will enhance our philadelphia. Furthermore, we must will to love one another because of the gospel.
When Jesus readied his disciples on the night of his arrest, he gave them one clear command to guide them in the days ahead, that of John 15:12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” As we look at the message of Hebrews 13:1, it must be noted the Book of Hebrews was sent to a body of Jewish believers who were tempted to revert from Christianity back to Judaism in order to escape persecution. The great refrain of Hebrews is both a warning against apostasy, against a falling away from the faith, and an exhortation to hold fast to Christ for salvation. Five times this warning is given in one form or another, including the one at the end of chapter 12 referring to the voice of God in the gospel: “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking” (v.25).
Not unlike Jesus on the night of his departure from the twelve disciples, the writer of Hebrews prepares to leave his readers, and in this last chapter he gives his final words of exhortation. It is no surprise, therefore, that he begins in the same manner Jesus did, exhorting them in verse 1 to “Let brotherly love continue.” Hebrews 13 begins with a command for Christians to take seriously, “Let brotherly love continue.” We are to live continually by this principle as Christianity is all about being in the family of God and the church is to be a community characterized by family love.
One person who wrote much about Christian love was Francis Schaeffer. Much of his life was caught up in church disputes that were quite divisive. Schaeffer was known as a powerful defender of Christian doctrines, yet at the same time he strove to maintain love within the body of believers. One of his books begins with these words, “Through the centuries men have displayed many different symbols to show that they are Christians. They have worn marks in the lapels of their coats, hung chains about their necks, even had special haircuts. But there is a much better sign. It is a universal mark that is to last through all ages of the church until Jesus comes back.”[i] That mark is love among Christians, and Schaeffer proves it with Jesus’ teaching of John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” This is a conditional statement predicated on the reality that if we love one another, the result will be that people will see this as the mark identifying the disciples of Jesus.
In another of his excellent books Schaeffer writes, “Evangelism is a calling but not the first calling. A Christians first call is to return to the first commandment to love God, to love the brotherhood, and then to love one’s neighbor as himself.”[ii] This means we are to show love as an essential part of our witness, but more importantly because God is love and we are called to Godlikeness in the world. The Apostle John puts this in challenging terms writing in 1John 4:7-8, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Loving others is an outflow of our relationship with God and it is how we show gratitude for His love to us.
Love is a central mark of the Christian life because it demonstrates that the Christian has been transferred from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of God. This means love is the fruit and necessary by-product of the Christian being born again. To love one another is not a suggestion; it is a command grounded in the finished work of Jesus Christ. When Christians love one another they bear each other’s burdens (Gal. 6:1) and seek to faithfully live out the “one another” passages in the New Testament. All of this is because of the Gospel which provides the basis for loving God and loving others.
Love one another my brothers and sisters because of the great work of God’s grace. The Christian who has been born again can’t help but love his brothers and sisters in Christ because they know it is the love of God in Christ that has wooed and won them over. This is why Christians are to love one another before a watching world greatly confused about love. Let us love one another as Jesus has loved us and demonstrate His love within the confines of our local churches and to a watching world to the glory of God.
[i] Francis A Schaeffer, The Mark of the Christian, in The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 1982), 4:183
[ii] Francis A. Schaeffer, Genesis in Space and Time, in Complete works 1:85
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As a concrete thinker I generally have a hard time grasping new concepts. My first response to something new is, “Give me an example.” If I can just visualize by way of an example I feel I can better grasp what is being presented. For many people love is a tricky concept.
Many people believe love is merely an emotion. Like, two teens in high school who feel attracted to each other, and therefore believe they are “in love.” As time goes on most people realize that loving someone is more than mere attraction – it requires action. Thankfully, when husbands are told to love their wives, they are not left without example. In Ephesians 5:25-33 Paul instructs husbands how they are to love their wives:
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
For Christians, specifically men here, God has given us the supreme example of how to love our wives in Christ. It is through Christ’s self-sacrifice on the cross that provides for us the supreme example of how husbands are to love their wives. In this post we will look at three points Paul is communicating in Ephesians 5:28-33.
First, husbands are to love their wives sacrificially. The church is the bride of Christ just as a husbands wife is his bride. Christ “loved the church”, His bride, by giving “Himself up for her.” (vs. 25) The cross gives us a picture of the sacrificial love God has for His bride. Though a picture, it is more than that. Christ did not hang on a cross and endure suffering without death to show us love – He actually died physically for us and experienced a degree of separation from His Father for us. Paul tells us in Romans 5:8 that even “even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” There was nothing lovely about us, except that God, in His triune self, purposed to save a people for Himself, His bride, whom the Son gave Himself for in order to purchase their redemption. The Son left His place next to the Father in order to become a man so that He could die for His people. The self-sacrifice of Christ provides the reason and example for why husbands are to give themselves to their wives.
Men, when was the last time you gave up something you wanted or needed so that your wife could have something she wanted or needed? It might be giving up buying another book, or new fishing rod, or new hunting gear. Have you ever given up an activity or not gone to an event and felt the pain of sacrifice? This is what Christ did for His bride. This is what Christ did for you and this is what you are to do for your wife.
Second, husbands are love their wives spiritually. Has it ever occurred to you that as a husband you are in a way responsible for the spiritual health of your wife? It was not until my second year in seminary that this idea was presented to me. I remember sitting in chapel as a guest speaker preached from Ephesians 5 25-33. I will never forget how he challenged the men to take responsibility for their wives sanctification. This is not to say we are wholly responsible for their spiritual lives but it is to say that, as the spiritual head of the home, we need to make sure our wives do not fall back spiritually because of our lack of spiritual leadership. Just as we work out our own salvation, we need to be there for our wives to help them as well. This means we need to make sure we are walking with the Lord ourselves. We cannot offer the spring of living water to others if we are not first drinking of it ourselves. Through the Holy Spirit in our lives, Christ is guiding us in our sanctification so that we might be presented “without spot or wrinkle.” (vs. 27). Husbands too, as we are accountable to God for how we lead our families, need to be actively involved in our spouses spiritual lives as we bathe them in the Word.
Third, husbands are to love their wives as they love themselves. Sometime the absence of things stated in Scripture can have meaning. I find it ironic that while we are told to love everyone else, including God, we are never told to love ourselves. In fact, in the second commandment to love others, we, ourselves, are the example of how we are to love others, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39).
In Ephesians 5:28-33 Paul uses a slightly different reason for why husbands are to love their wives. Husbands are to love their wives because they are a part of them. “For no one ever hated his own flesh.” In Genesis 2:24 we are told that when a man and a woman are married they become “one flesh.” There is a joining together at marriage that cannot be separated. Paul says that “he who loves his wife loves himself.” (vs. 28) This is because they are one flesh. It is in the best interest of the husband to love his wife because in doing so he is contributing to the well-being of his own life. Doing what is best for his wife is also doing what is best for him. This is not a selfish love. It is a love that does what is best for the one flesh the two have become.
Though a little trite, the saying “a happy wife is a happy life” has a lot of truth to it. You will rarely meet a happy man who does not also have a happy wife. Conversely, an unhappy man probably has an unhappy wife. As the bride of Christ, Paul says there is a mystical union between Christ and the church, His blood bought people. Christ does what is best for the church because it is in some part of Him. He has given Himself for her, joined Himself to her and now lives for her. As believers we are joined to Christ and Christ loves His bride.
A husband who doesn’t sacrificially love his wife is not only hurting his wife, he is hurting himself as well by tearing at his own flesh. Husbands, how are you loving your wife and continuing to build your marriage? Can you identify some areas of growth and needed change in your marriage? Husbands, though you many complain that your father never set a good example of how to love a wife, you are not without one. Look to Christ, who, in loving His bride the church, provided the supreme example of how a husband is to love his wife. From the cradle to the cross, Christ loves His bride and now calls husbands to look to Him even as they lead their wives as Christ leads His church. As husbands love Jesus they will naturally grow in their love for their wives. As husbands do so, they will reflect the love Christ has for His bride, the church.
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Editors note: This is a brand new series designed to help you love the Lord with all of your heart, mind and strength so you can love your neighbor (Matthew 22:39-40). The first post in this series was by Brian Hedges who wrote on Love and Spiritual Transformation. In the second post, Matthew Sims wrote on God So Loved. The third post in the series is by Matthew Fretwell who wrote on sharing love. The fourth post was written by Dave Jenkins on How To Love and Care for your Wife. The fifth post was written by Dave on Valentines Day, Love and the Gospel. The sixth post was written by Mike Boling Love is Patient, Love is Kind. The seventh post was written by Dave Jenkins on Love and Marriage: Seven Years of Love, Bless and Trials. Today, Dave Jenkins writes on Reading and Love: Loving God and Serving Others.
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I have a confession to make—I’m a book nerd. That wouldn’t surprise you if you knew me or you’ve been to my office, as I have five large book cases and one small book case in my closet. Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved reading.
When Jesus talked about loving Him and loving our neighbor, He included a most interesting phrase, namely to love Him with all of our hearts, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27). Christians throughout the history of the Church have started schools, hospitals, churches, and many other good and noble ministries because they have loved the Lord and sought to serve others. To love the Lord means to take Him at who He says He is in all of His infinite and unchanging worth.
Christians are to be a people of one book, the Bible which is inspired, inerrant, sufficient, and authoritative for all of life under God. Christians are to have a love for God’s Word because it is God’s love letter to man. Since God loves His Word, Christians should have a love for reading, studying, and meditating on His Word. Not only this, but Christians should also read godly books that will aid them in their growth in Christ.
I encourage you this month to fall in love not only with reading the Word of God but also other godly books. Challenge yourself to start with daily reading your Bible and reading one book a month. By doing this, you’ll find that you are growing in your understanding of God and His Word, as well as developing a desire to love and serve your neighbor.
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In this post, we will work our way through Ruth 2:8-16. We will be utilizing the Complete Jewish Bible translation unless otherwise noted.
8 Bo’az said to Rut, “Did you hear that, my daughter? Don’t go to glean in another field, don’t leave this place, but stick here with my working girls.
9 Keep your eyes on whichever field the reapers are working in, and follow the girls. I’ve ordered the young men not to bother you. Whenever you get thirsty, go and drink from the water jars the young men have filled.”
10 She fell on her face, prostrating herself, and said to him, “Why are you showing me such favor? Why are you paying attention to me? After all, I’m only a foreigner.”
11 Bo’az answered her, “I’ve heard the whole story, everything you’ve done for your mother-in-law since your husband died, including how you left your father and mother and the land you were born in to come to a people about whom you knew nothing beforehand.
12 May ADONAI reward you for what you’ve done; may you be rewarded in full by ADONAI the God of Isra’el, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
13 She said, “My lord, I hope I continue pleasing you. You have comforted and encouraged me, even though I’m not one of your servants.”
14 When meal-time came, Bo’az said to her, “Come here, have something to eat, and dip your piece of bread in the [olive oil and] vinegar.” She sat by the reapers, and they passed her some roasted grain. She ate till she was full, and she had some left over.
15 When she got up to glean, Bo’az ordered his young men, “Let her glean even among the sheaves themselves, without making her feel ashamed.
16 In fact, pull some ears of grain out from the sheaves on purpose. Leave them for her to glean, and don’t rebuke her.”
Commentary:
8 Bo’az said to Rut, “Did you hear that, my daughter? Don’t go to glean in another field, don’t leave this place, but stick here with my working girls.
9 Keep your eyes on whichever field the reapers are working in, and follow the girls. I’ve ordered the young men not to bother you. Whenever you get thirsty, go and drink from the water jars the young men have filled.”
The second section of Ruth 2 begins with a back and forth interaction between Ruth and Bo’az. The conversation begins with Bo’az addressing Ruth as “my daughter.” The word used in this passage for daughter is the Hebrew noun bath which in this context refers to the disparate age between Bo’az and Ruth. K. Lawson Younger notes that Bo’az, in demonstrating a level of care and concern for Ruth, outlined a “beneficent program for Ruth in his field despite the fact that she is a Moabitess:
1. Don’t go and glean in another field;
2. and don’t go away from here;
3. Stay here with (lit., stick close to, dbq) my servant girls;
4. Watch the field where the men (and girls) are harvesting;
5. and follow along after the girls;
6. I have told (ordered) the men not to touch you (or hoot at you);
7. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”[1]
Some discussion has occurred among scholars as to what it was the servants of Bo’az had been doing to Ruth that led him to issue the statement that he had ordered his male servants not to bother or touch her. Daniel Block submits “Normally the verb naga means “to touch,” but in this case it functions more generally for “to strike, harass, take advantage of, mistreat.”[2] Ruth was granted by Bo’az unimpeded access to glean in his field. Not only was she afforded protection from whatever it was the male servants were doing or what they might have done should they have been given the chance, Ruth was also given the privilege of gleaning alongside the servant girls of Bo’az.
Finally, yet another special privilege was granted by Bo’az to Ruth, namely the ability to drink from the water jars that his servants had filled for their use. F. B. Huey notes “This was a privilege not ordinarily permitted to gleaners. The liquid is not specified in the Hebrew; water was probably intended, as every other occurrence of the verb sa’ab (“to draw”) in the OT is used exclusively for drawing water.”[3]
This is a rather extraordinary turn of events. Not only was Ruth allowed to glean as commanded by God, Bo’az apparently is drawn to Ruth and institutes for her specifically additional allowances not normally granted to the poor who gleaned the edges of the fields for food. This is no chance meeting as we will soon see as the story continues to unfold.
10 She fell on her face, prostrating herself, and said to him, “Why are you showing me such favor? Why are you paying attention to me? After all, I’m only a foreigner.”
In response to the clearly gracious act bestowed upon her by Bo’az, Ruth responds by falling down before Bo’az, inquiring of him as to why he is showing her such favor, especially since she is from a foreign land. While falling down and prostrating yourself in response to such an act of kindness may seem odd to modern minds, Huey comments “Ruth’s response is typical of ancient Near Eastern expressions of gratitude and humility.”[4]
Furthermore, an interesting wordplay exists in Ruth’s response to the kindness of Bo’az and it is only by examining the Hebrew that the interesting nature of her choice of words becomes evident. Block states:
“The addition of the circumstantial verbless clause (lit.), “Now I am a foreigner” (we’anoki nokriyya), creates an effective wordplay after lehakkireni. Both words, lehakkireni and nokriyya, derive from the root nkr, which must have meant “to be strange, unknown.” By a strange quirk of linguistic development, another form of the verb (the hiphil stem) means the virtual opposite, “to investigate (what is unknown), to recognize, to take note of.” Here the last-cited definition applies. Even though we do not know whether Boaz even knew Ruth’s name at this point, he acknowledged her. But there is more than one form of acknowledgement. The foreman had noticed her, and it was taken for granted that other men in the fields would take notice of her, as a potential victim of abuse – hence Boaz’s proscription on touching her. But Boaz had dignified this destitute widow from a foreign land and treated her as a significant person, on par socially with his hired and presumably Israelite field workers. Ruth, who is obviously extremely self-conscious about her alien status, cannot believe Boaz’s indifference to the fact that she is a Moabitess.”[5]
So we have in Ruth’s response a definite sense of amazement at the goodness of Boaz towards a foreign woman in contradistinction to the indifferent and apparently abusive responses given by the other individuals in the story who worked the fields of Boaz. This is a definite comparison purposefully made by the author to note the character of Boaz as opposed to his workers as well as how God is slowly moving this story to its overall climax. The redemption motif is beginning to unfold.
11 Bo’az answered her, “I’ve heard the whole story, everything you’ve done for your mother-in-law since your husband died, including how you left your father and mother and the land you were born in to come to a people about whom you knew nothing beforehand.
12 May ADONAI reward you for what you’ve done; may you be rewarded in full by ADONAI the God of Isra’el, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
In response to the prostration and amazement of Ruth, Bo’az provides a response, one that begins to fill in some of the proverbial blanks, especially the question of how much Bo’az knows up to this point about Ruth and her background. Bo’az was fully aware of the entirety of Ruth’s story. It is interesting that he does not focus on her status as a foreigner, but rather on the acts of kindness bestowed by Ruth on Na’omi, specifically the fact that Ruth left everything she knew and followed Na’omi to a land and a people she knew nothing about.
Verse 12 fully engages the redemption motif of the Book of Ruth with Bo’az declaring that is was Adonai, the God of Israel who had made this take place, bringing Ruth under His protection as a place of safety and refuge. As we have noted thus far in our journey through Ruth, this book is replete with interesting word choices that continually drive home the book’s intended message. This passage is no different as the Hebrew word for wings, kanap, “connotes the image of a bird tenderly protecting its young. Like a defenseless starling, Ruth sits securely under Yahweh’s mighty wings.”[6] God, in His sovereignty, was watching over Ruth, something Bo’az clearly recognized.
13 She said, “My lord, I hope I continue pleasing you. You have comforted and encouraged me, even though I’m not one of your servants.”
Ruth responds to the words of Bo’az with another display of humility, thanksgiving, and likely a continued element of surprise at the mercy and grace being bestowed upon her by Bo’az. Ruth showed respect to Bo’az by addressing him as “lord”. Huey comments that the phrase “I hope I continue pleasing you”, is an “expression of confidence about the future. Ruth was not pleading with Boaz to be kind; she was grateful that he was kind.”[7]
Ruth makes such a statement because the kindness of Bo’az has comforted and encouraged her. The word translated as comforted is the Hebrew verb nacham, a word that means in this context “to breathe deeply” noting that any tension Ruth had as to the situation had disappeared. His kindness had eased her mind. Block rightly states “Like a young chick frightened by the pouring rain, she has come out of her fears and found comfort and security under the wings of God. Those wings are embodied in the person of Boaz.”[8]
The kindness of Bo’az is once again noted by Ruth, this time demonstrated by the use of the word servant, noting Ruth’s recognition that Bo’az was not taken aback by her status as a handmaiden. In verse 10, Ruth expressed a great deal of amazement that Bo’az was not concerned with her status as a foreigner. In verse 13, we see that neither racial issues nor societal status were much of a concern for Bo’az when it came to Ruth. In the mind of Ruth, she was not worthy of such recognition and compassion.
14 When meal-time came, Bo’az said to her, “Come here, have something to eat, and dip your piece of bread in the [olive oil and] vinegar.” She sat by the reapers, and they passed her some roasted grain. She ate till she was full, and she had some left over.
The text seems to indicate the passage of time between the conversation that takes place in verses 8-13 and the event outlined in verse 14. It is likely that Ruth continued her practice of gleaning for in the fields of Bo’az. Once again demonstrating his attention for Ruth and her well being, Bo’az invites her to the noon meal. Now in the Ancient Near East, dinner was not just a means to fill a hungry belly. While sustenance was certainly a focus, the act of eating is not the only important element of this passage. The hesed of Bo’az is again on display. Block notes five interesting elements concerning what Bo’az did during this meal:
“First, he invites Ruth, an outsider and a Moabite, to join him and his coworkers. The choice of verb, nagas, “to come near, approach”, suggests that as a stranger Ruth had deliberately and appropriately (according to custom) kept her distance. Second, he encourages her to share the food prepared for his workers…Boaz invites her to (lit.) “eat from the bread.” The definite article on hallehem (“the bread”) suggest this food had been prepared and brought for his workers. Third, Boaz beckons Ruth to “dip it (your morsel) in the wine vinegar”…a sour sauce or condiment used to moisten and spice up dry bread. Boaz could not allow her to eat dry bread while he enjoyed more pleasant food. Fourth, when Ruth had taken her seat beside Boaz’s harvesters, he served her toasted grain himself…Fifth, Boaz gives her food enough to satisfy her and to have some left over. This last observation is added to emphasize Boaz’s generosity.”[9]
Ruth, the foreigner and at least in her mind someone at the bottom of the social ladder, was invited to dine with this wealthy leader in the community who served her himself and provided her enough food to be fully satisfied and to have leftovers. Yet again, we have the underlying theme of provision and bread noted in the text, this time with Bo’az extending his hand, quite literally, to Ruth with another demonstration of great kindness.
15 When she got up to glean, Bo’az ordered his young men, “Let her glean even among the sheaves themselves, without making her feel ashamed.
16 In fact, pull some ears of grain out from the sheaves on purpose. Leave them for her to glean, and don’t rebuke her.”
This portion of Ruth 2 concludes with Ruth resuming her task of gleaning from the fields. Once she departed for the fields, Bo’az commands his workman to allow Ruth to glean among the sheaves, making sure to not make her feel embarrassed. Furthermore, he ordered that additional ears of grain be purposefully removed from the sheaves that were collected so that Ruth may pick them up, again without harassment.
Huey notes “Boaz’s instructions were generous beyond the requirements of the law that allowed the gleaners in the fiends only after the reapers had finished their work. His actions showed that he already had a special interest in Ruth.”[10] The strict command of Bo’az to his workman was for them to not ga`ar or “rebuke, chastise” her for gleaning so close to the workers or for collecting the purposefully place ears of grain taken from the bundles of sheaves. This overt act of kindness on the part of Bo’az certainly did not escape notice of his workers and it certainly did not escape the grasp of Ruth.
Conclusion:
Ruth 2:8-16 begins with kindness and ends with kindness. Ruth, the foreigner and social outcast has found favor in the eyes of Bo’az, wealthy landowner and one who is at the top of the social ladder. Ruth has found favor in the eyes of Bo’az to the extent that he established a set of commands for his workman to follow. His generosity was so great towards Ruth that he even invited her to dine with him and his workers at the noon mean, choosing to serve Ruth himself with enough food to satisfy her hunger and beyond. His watchful eye over Ruth is apparent in the latter stages of this section as he provides further guidance to his workman to allow Ruth to glean where the choice grain was at and to purposefully take from the collected grain a portion to be left for Ruth to gather.
The themes of provision, sovereignty, and hesed continue to be the focus of the story as the relationship of the main characters of the story at this point, namely Ruth and Bo’az, begins to be the focal point of the narrative.
In our next segment, we will look at Ruth 2:17-23, taking a look at the conversation that takes place between Ruth and Na’omi as Ruth relays to her mother-in-law what has transpired. We will also begin to examine the concept of the kinsman redeemer as that element begins to become the focus of the story line for the remainder of the Book of Ruth.
References:
[1] K. Lawson Younger, Jr. NIV Application Commentary: Judges-Ruth (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 443.
[2] Daniel Block, The New American Commentary: Judges-Ruth (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 1999), 660.
[3] F. B. Huey, Jr. “Commentary on Ruth” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol.3: Deuteronomy through 1&2 Samuel. Edited by Frank Gaebelein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 530.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Block, 661.
[6] Younger, 445.
[7] Huey, 530-531.
[8] Block, 665.
[9] Ibid., 666-667.
[10] Huey, 531.
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Editors note: This is a brand new series designed to help you love the Lord with all of your heart, mind and strength so you can love your neighbor (Matthew 22:39-40). The first post in this series was by Brian Hedges who wrote on Love and Spiritual Transformation. In the second post, Matthew Sims wrote on God So Loved. The third post in the series is by Matthew Fretwell who wrote on sharing love. The fourth post was written by Dave Jenkins on How To Love and Care for your Wife. The fifth post in this series was written by Dave Jenkins on Valentines Day, Love and the Gospel. The sixth post was written by Mike Boling writes on Love is Patient, Love is Kind. Today, Dave Jenkins writes on Love and Marriage: Seven Years of Love, Bless and Trials.
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Today marks seven years I’ve been married to my wife. Over the past month I’ve been reflecting on what my wife has meant to me and what I could share with you in this post. As I’ve done that I’ve come to the conclusion that my wife is not only a very godly and intelligent woman, she is also one of the sweetest people I know. If you were to ask those around me who know my wife what they think about her, they would describe her the same way I’ve described her. Whether at work, church, or in our family, people often tell me how blessed I am to have such a wonderful wife. I tell them, “Yes, I am” and I’m thankful for her because the Lord has used her to change my life.
In my opinion, Love is something that not many people fully comprehend. People often view love as something they feel. Yes, love is a feeling and a very powerful one, but love as just a feeling will not sustain a marriage. When you get in a fight with your spouse, you will not feel love for them but rather anger. We could go through a long list of feelings experienced in marriage but the thing is only by understanding the source of love in Jesus can we as Christians ever hope to sustain a healthy and happy marriage. There has been a definite rise in marriages being under attack as well as the very foundation of what marriage is as defined by Scripture being assaulted with society declaring marriage to be whatever one deems appropriate. God defines marriage as between one man and one woman, not between one man and one man or one woman and one woman. Marriage according to God and as defined by His Word is between one man and one woman for the rest of their lives. This husband and wife covenant before God means two join together to become one flesh with Jesus as their head, the husband leading the wife as an undershepherd of Jesus in the home, and the wife submitting to her husband as unto the Lord.
Love according to our world is often viewed as opposite of what I’ve described. The Bible however, paints a picture of love as one originating from God, providing the foundation for why Christians can love Him and one another (Matthew 22:38-40). The only reason Christians can love God, their spouses and others, is because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. It is only because that love is being poured out (Romans 5:5) in increasing measure that we can understand some of the heights and depths of God’s love (Ephesians 3:16-19).
One of the primary reasons why many people struggle inside and outside the Church with loving their spouses and giving up on marriage is because they never understood the foundation of love in Jesus Christ. Without His love there is no hope for a sustaining marriage. Even when my wife and I have disagreements, we still love each other. We come together quickly after taking a break to pray alone to talk about what happened. Rather than holding onto grudges and being bitter, couples that love God can confront challenges in their marriages by the grace of God.
Seven years ago I married the most amazing woman I’ve ever known. She married me at a time in my life when I was struggling academically and personally. She told me she wouldn’t let me slack off in school. I often tell other people that without her I wouldn’t be the man that I am today without her. I recently told her that anything I achieve by the grace of God in this life is because of her love and support. I also told her she shared in my successes in school because she helped edit my papers; therefore, without her love and support I doubt I would have graduated with the grades I received.
Today, as I reflect on seven years of marriage, I’m thankful for Jesus. Without Him I wouldn’t have lasted seven years. Through many trials, tribulations, and struggles, God continues to weave a tapestry of His love and grace in my marriage to my lovely wife Sarah. Without His love drawing me and wooing me, I would be lost not only eternally, but also in life in general. I’m so thankful today for the gift of my beautiful and godly wife Sarah.
Men, if you’ve married a godly woman who loves Jesus and His church, then rejoice in God! You have found a true treasure and a gift from God. A godly wife is a true treasure and blessing from our God and King. As I’ve learned that truth over the past seven years, I’ve also come to appreciate more especially in recent days, the wisdom, insight, and understanding my wife has about God’s Word. While I haven’t always appreciated her insight and understanding as I should have in the past, I do now and am deeply blessed that outside of my gift of salvation, God gave me such a wonderful loving wife in Sarah. So, today, my dear Sarah, sweetheart, I love you because of the love of Jesus. I love you and am thankful for the gift of you. I look forward to many more years together with Jesus as our Captain and Shepherd leading us ever towards Himself by His grace and for His glory.
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“Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,” (I Cor. 13:4)
There is arguably no better place to examine what love looks and the attributes of this thing called love than I Corinthians 13, lovingly known as the “Love Chapter.” Given the Apostle Paul’s lengthy examination of what love is that is found in this beloved portion of Scripture, it seems an apt place to take a look at what it means for love to be patient and kind. After all, Paul does mention patience and kindness first in his list of love’s attributes.
So what does this word patience or long-suffering mean in the original language? Is there any clue we can pick up on from its meaning in order to grasp why love must be patient? The Greek word Paul uses in I Cor. 13:4 is the noun makrothymeō which means “to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others; to defer anger.” This concept is a rather important idea not only in Pauline theology, but also throughout Scripture. The practice of patience and longsuffering is firmly rooted in God’s approach to His creation, despite their many foibles and proclivity to be rather disobedient and to treat others in a way that does not reflect the holiness of God. The Greek word Paul uses for kind is chrēsteuomai, a verb meaning “to show one’s self mild, to be kind, use kindness.”
Noted scholar F. F. Bruce, in his commentary on I Corinthians, notes in regards to the idea of patience and kindness, something very important for us to understand:
“These first two clauses, “Love is patient, love is kind,” represent respectively love’s necessary passive and active responses towards others. The one pictures long forbearance toward them – indeed, it is difficult to improve on the KJV’s “suffreth long”; the second pictures active goodness in their behalf. In Pauline theology they represent the two sides of the divine attitude toward humankind (cf. Rom. 2:4). On the one hand, God’s loving forbearance is demonstrated by his holding back his wrath toward human rebellion; on the other hand, his kindness is found in the thousandfold expressions of his mercy. Thus Paul’s description of love begins with this twofold description of God, who through Christ has shown himself forbearing and kind toward those who deserve judgment. The obvious implication, of course, is that this is how his people are to be towards others.”[1]
This statement from Bruce really drives to the heart of what it means to be patient and why it needs to be such an essential part of our daily lives as believers. What is the very reason that we love God and others in the first place? The answer is found in I John 4:19 which declares “We love Him because He first loved us.” God is the perfect standard of what true love looks like in action. When it comes to the matter of patience towards our fellow man, even when we have been wronged or when those around us do not deserve a millimeter of patience, our response must be the same as demonstrated by God towards us time and time again, namely loving patience.
Let’s face it. When we sin we shake our fist at God. In doing so, we rightly deserve immediate and eternal punishment. We should be forever thankful that God demonstrates patience with His creatures because we certainly by no means deserve it. Dr. D. A. Carson rightly notes the word love used in I Cor. 13:4 “usually suggest not merely willingness to wait a long time, or endurance of suffering without giving way, but endurance of injuries without retaliation. Love is kind – not merely patient or long-suffering in the face of injury, but quick to pay back with kindness what it received in hurt.”[2]
Patience involves a complete paradigm shift from what we normally understand as being patient. In typically daily application, using a family situation as a relevant example, patience means giving someone one pass before laying the proverbial hammer down on them because after all, they deserved that response for their wrongdoing. Now mind you there is a difference between being patient and letting someone do wrong without punishment such as in the case of children. Expressing patience and kindness does not mean your children are allowed to run amuck or that people can walk all over you. Wisdom must be used in applying patience and kindness and discipline in the case of children or patient and kind firmness when dealing with those who do not have your best interests at heart. Lewis Smedes addresses this need for balance based in wisdom, noting that God does have limits to the amount of patience He will give us and the same should be the case for us as well. With that said, Smedes avers “when I turn off suffering for the sake of my pleasure, I turn it off too soon.”[3]
I know in my own life and family, being patient and kind is one of the most difficult tasks to accomplish, at least by my own efforts. Quite honestly, I have little patience or tolerance for wrongdoing when it comes to others, yet in turn, I expect others to show patience and kindness to me. Seems very hypocritical at best does it not but that is unfortunately the manner in which most of us, if we were brutally honest with ourselves, behave towards others on a daily basis. This is not what God has commanded us to do. Love as demonstrated in our loves must be patient and kind. Those intimately related attributes must be a hallmark of who we are as believers. Why? Because this is the example God has set for us through Christ. To be anything less is frankly sinful.
Alan Johnson in his commentary on I Corinthians outlines what I think is an excellent analysis of the kind of love Paul is talking about in I Cor. 13:4:
“The picture we see emerging is that authentic Christian love represents the power of the new age stamping us with the life of heaven that has come into our world preeminently in the incarnation, life, sufferings, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, together with the Holy Spirit’s mission. Christian love is God’s love as it is embodied in the story of Jesus and the Spirit. This love shows itself in habitual acts of concern, caring and respect for the welfare of others, causing us to identify with the other by making their interests our own interests. This love is unapologetically Christological and cruciform.”[4]
I want us to pay attention to a few things Johnson stated, specifically that Christian love is God’s love, it is a habitual act, and that we can only love in this manner through the Holy Spirit working in our lives to bring us to a place of maturity in the faith. Who among you can be patient and kind to others through their own efforts? I will raise my hand and admit I cannot. Time and again I fail in this aspect of my life with my wife, daughter, co-workers, family members, and those I come in contact with on a daily basis.
So how can we make that necessary change from being people who are quick tempered and rude to being the people of God who demonstrate and exude God’s love to everyone at all times in an attitude of patience and kindness? It is only by God’s grace and looking to Him constantly for strength that this can be accomplished. We also must spend time in prayer and in the Word of God reading passages such as I Corinthians 13 and reading about the life of Christ and how he acted when people mistreated him.
As a reminder of how Christ acted even when the cross was imminent, we must read the words of Isaiah 53:7:
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Maybe the first step for most of us in moving towards maturity and being a people who are patient and kind is quite simply shutting our mouths and taming the tongue. The Pulpit Commentary in examining Isaiah 53:7 states that “The contrast of the Servant’s silence and passivity with men’s ordinary vehemence of self-assertion under ill usage is most striking. Who was ever silent but he under such extremity of provocation? “[5]
Are you willing to make a change in your life today to become one who demonstrates patience and kindness even towards those who in your estimation do not deserve such treatment? If you desire to become more like Christ, the only answer to that question should be a resounding yes! If so, get on your knees in prayer and devour God’s Word looking to the only One who can help us move to this needed place of maturity and to be a people who truly understand that love is patient and love is kind.
References:
[1] F. F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987), 636-637.
[2] D. A. Carson, Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of I Corinthians 12-14 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2002), 62.
[3] Lewis Smedes, Love Within Limits (Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s, 1978), 6.
[4] Alan Johnson, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: I Corinthians (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2004), 247.
[5] http://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/isaiah/53.htm
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