CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES.—Let me find favour. I find favour (Le Clerc, Bertheau). This trans. not in accordance with the modesty of humility, which Ruth manifests in the following words (Keil). Lange and Keil take it as optative, and translate, “May I find favour.” The sense rather is as in Psalms 41:11. (By this I know that) I am finding favour, because Thou comfortest me, etc. (Speaker’s Com.). She had found favour in his sight already. The words are to be translated as expressing this, and not a further desire. So Gill and others. Spoken friendly. Lit. to the heart. Trans. kindly (Genesis 24:3; Genesis 50:21); comfortably, (2 Samuel 19:7), etc. (Speaker’s Com.). Be not like unto. Lit. be not as—that is, not on a par with them (Wordsworth). But what am I saying when I call myself thy maiden? I am not worthy to be compared to the least of thy maidens (Carpzov). The LXX. leaves out the negative particle, and trans., “I shall be as one of thy handmaidens.” So the Syriac, which reads, “And she said to him, Because I have found mercy in thine eyes, my lord, and thou hast consoled me and comforted me, I will be as one of thine handmaids.” So the Arabic, with some variations. Boaz had placed her among his handmaids (Ruth 2:9), and goes on to treat her as such (Ruth 2:14). Nothing could be more delicate or appropriate than the language of the Syr. trans., or more in accordance with Eastern ways of speech.
Ruth 2:14. At mealtime. Lit. at the time of food (Wright). The time of the noontide lunch. The principal meal was taken after the labours of the day were over (Steele and Terry). Bread, provisions generally. Vinegar, Heb. chomets. a cooling and refreshing drink made of sour wine mingled with oil; still used in the East (Keil, Wordsworth, Rosen., etc.). A kind of acid sauce (A. Clarke). Used because of the heat of the season (Jarci, Aben Ezra). The Midrash gives an allegorical sense to this, as meaning the chastisement and affliction of the Messiah. Dip thy morsel in the vinegar. Cf. Christ’s words when He gave the sop to Judas (John 13:26). The Arabs to this day dip the bread and hand together (Dr. Shaw). It is truly incredible how the biscuit, eaten with vinegar and oil, strengthens the weary and exhausted system, and restores its powers (Heberer). The drink of the Roman soldiers, called posca. consisted of water and vinegar (Lange). Sat beside the reapers. From this we may not infer the two sexes ordinarily took their meals together (Steele and Terry). Parched corn. Made of the best ears, when they are not too ripe. Roasted in a pan or on an iron plate (Robinson). The green ears become half charred by the roasting, and there was a pleasant mingling of milky wheat and a fresh crust flavour as we chewed the parched corn (Tristram). And was sufficed [satisfied] and left [over]. Was obliged to leave some, which it seems (Ruth 2:18) she carried home to her mother-in-law (Gill).
Theme.—THE HEART REALIZING A MINISTRY OF LOVE
“Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful.”—Shakespeare.
“Low at Thy feet I lie, my Saviour and my God,
Low at Thy feet I lie, nor feel the chastening rod;
Who lose their all to find the Spirit here,
Have found this freedom from all further fear,
Safe at Thy feet.”—B.
Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that [or, I am finding, etc., because] thou hast comforted, etc.
A thankful heart will seek the continuance even of undeserved favours. Ruth did not wonder more at the kindness of Boaz (Ruth 2:10), than show herself ready to respond to it. The text is not so much a request as an acknowledgment;—she had found favour in his sight already [see Crit. and Exeg. Notes],—and should be so translated.
See here,
I. The secret of all true and effective ministries.
(1) He had “spoken to the heart” [so the Heb., LXX.]. The hidden springs of sensibility had been opened, and here is the response. So when the Jews comforted Mary and Martha (John 11:19), the Syriac translates, “they spake with their heart.” All other speech ineffective in comparison with this, especially so when speaking on such tender and momentous subjects as the soul’s refuge, “the wings of the Almighty.”
(2) He had spoken kindly in praising her virtues and in praying for her. Kind words generally, if not always, unlock the human heart.
(3) He had comforted her in deed as well as in speech. What wonder that she says, or seems to say, “I know by this that I am finding favour in thy sight”!
See here,
II. A beautiful instance of the heart becoming conscious of this ministry of love. The meaning of his kindness dawns upon her, and is dawning, as she recounts the manner of its manifestation. [Trans. (I see that,) I am finding favour in thy sight, because thou comfortest me (Speaker’s Com.)] So there is a special moment in the history of every Christian, when the heart begins to realize the Divine love. His comforts and His tenderness to us are seen, and shine out the more conspicuously as tokens of His regard.
Note. She was not one of his handmaids, and yet she realizes that he is treating her as such. Gives her a position among them, etc. So the Apostle sees himself as one born out of due season, not meet to be called an apostle, and yet raised to these privileges, etc. (1 Corinthians 15:8-10). So the prodigal finds himself placed among the children, and possessing a goodly heritage [comp. Jeremiah 3:19 with Luke 15:21-23]. So with all who are truly called and chosen of God. They see themselves the recipients of mercies and comforts, as unexpected as they are gracious; and exalted to a position and privileges not only dignified, but prophetic of still livelier favours yet to come. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God,” etc.
See here,
III. An instance of the heart responding to these tokens of goodwill. Ruth evidently felt that this was her one opportunity, and acts as though she felt it. Had not been forward in making known her claims, but, on the other hand, is not backward in responding to his kindness.
(1) She exalts her benefactor. She calls him “my lord,” and so magnifies his mercy.
(2) She is not unduly exalted herself. Rather she feels her own humble position the more, and deprecates her own unworthiness: “I am not like unto one of thine handmaidens.” So the centurion did not think himself worthy that Christ should come under his roof. To the humble, every mercy comes as the voice of undeserved kindness, which encourages without puffing up (Macartney).
So in spiritual things. The soul’s response to “Seek ye my face” is, “Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” While it magnifies the Divine mercy, and enlarges upon the tokens of the Divine love, it is ready like Ruth to humble itself in the dust at the Master’s feet.
LESSONS.—
(1) It is lawful to give honourable titles to men, such as befit their place [cf. Genesis 23:6; Numbers 12:11; 1 Samuel 1:15; 1 Kings 18:7; 2 Kings 8:12].
(2) The more humble men of wealth show themselves, the more honour they get (Bernard). Those stars seem to us the greatest, and shine the brightest, which are set the lowest (Fuller).
(3) Comfortable words do good like a medicine (Trapp). They do more, they bring out that which is good in the recipient. So here, the more generously Ruth is dealt with, the more unassuming does she become. So with the saints at last (Matthew 25): “Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred?” etc.
E. Price on this:—
Theme.—THE OUTWARD PROOF OF THE DIVINE REGARD
He predisposes influential men to give us their affection.
Note the steps of the process:—
1. We are rendered acceptable to them, finding “favour” with them.
2. We are solaced amidst the providential movements around us. They comfort the heart.
3. We are addressed by the assuring words of sympathy.
They express the affection borne to us, and hence
(4) we are astonished at the Lord’s wonderful condescension to our unworthiness.
Infer. Humility bears direct proportion to our sense of the Divine favour.
Whenever a Ruth trusts in God, a Boaz is sure to appear.
“To the humble mind of Ruth the words of Boaz were the first sunbeam that broke through the grief and tears of many weeks. Hitherto she had tasted only parting sorrow. Now, for the first time, she is addressed about the God of Israel and His grace. The full import of his words her humble heart does not presume to appropriate. But the kindness of the speaker’s voice is for her like the sound of a bubbling spring in the desert to the thirsty. A word of love comes on a loving heart like hers, long afflicted by sorrow, like morning dews on a thirsty field.”—Cassel (in Lange).
“Oh that ministers had this faculty of speech! not to tickle the ears, teach the heads, or please the brains of the people, but that their sermons might soak and sink to the root of their hearts. But though this may be endeavoured by them, it cannot be performed of them without God’s special assistance. We may leave our words at the outward porch of men’s ears; but His Spirit must conduct and lodge them in the closet of their hearts.”—Fuller.
“Pleasant words are like an honeycomb, sweet to the soul. Those words which at once indicate friendship and nourish piety are doubly pleasant. Boaz had not only expressed his affection and esteem to Ruth, but raised her views to the Lord God of Israel, from whom he encouraged her to expect her reward. His words were no less valued by her than his gifts. Words are cheap to ourselves, and they may be very precious to those to whom they are addressed, especially to those who need our sympathy.”—Lawson.
“A little word in kindness spoken,
A motion, or a tear,
Has often healed the heart that’s broken,
And made a friend sincere.”
Whittier.
“There are occasions when speech is golden rather than silence, and when an encouraging word would be of more real value than the richest material gift.… Some persons are far too much afraid of the effect of a little generous and well-timed praise. They would keep all their flowers in an ice house. Letting in a little sunshine upon them at times would not be amiss. How lavish was the wise and large-hearted Paul with his words of commendation, whenever they could be honestly spoken or written!”—Dr. A. Thomson.
“Opportunity is the flower of time, and as the stalk may remain when the flower is cut off, so time may remain with us when opportunity is gone.”—Bond.
“Augustine being asked what was the first article in the Christian religion, replied, ‘Humility;’ and what the second, ‘Humility;’ and what the third, ‘Humility.’ ”—Dic. of Illustrations.
“ ‘Lord, when did we do all this?’ So completely is their mind and memory filled with His goodness, that there is no standing-place there for any recollection of their own acts of love to Him. So abounding and immeasurable appears His love to them, that less than nothing, in the comparison, seems every act of theirs for Him in return. Like Ruth, they can praise Him for the comfort He has bestowed upon them, for the gracious and friendly way in which He has spoken to them; but all this only increases their sense of their own unworthiness of such mercy.”—Tyng.
“The train of our adorable Immanuel is so august, so glorious by His communicated grace, that the poor believer cannot easily be brought to consider himself amongst the happy number. All the holy angels, all the glorified saints, day and night attend upon His pleasure; ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Him, and thousands of thousands fly at His command. The patriarchs and prophets, the apostles and evangelists, the noble army of martyrs, and all the spirits of just men made perfect, swell His brilliant train; and how can I, who am so black and swarthy, so wretched and sinful, be numbered amongst company so honourable? Whence is it to me that my Lord should regard me with favour, and permit me to approach Thy sacred presence, and encourage me to feed on the bounties of Thy grace?”—Macgowan.
Theme.—PROVISION FOR THE STRANGER AT THE GATE
“That best portion of a good man’s life;
His little, nameless, unremembered acts
Of kindness and of love.”—Wordsworth.
“A poor man, served by thee, shall make thee rich;
A sick man, helped by thee, shall make thee strong;
Thou shalt be served thyself by every sense
Of service which thou renderest.”—Mrs. E. B. Browning.
God has from the beginning made the cause of the poor man His own (Baldwin Brown). Rich men, if good men, are to be His almoners. To such Christ says, “The poor ye have always with you.” See how natural kindness is to such! one deed of love leading to another and a better almost unconsciously. That of Boaz like an open fountain when it has once begun to flow (Dr. Thomson). From kind actions he goes on to comforting words, and from comforting words to kind actions once again. Wonderful how Providence does open the heart to strangers! Joseph was so affected by the treatment he received as such in Egypt, that he called one of his sons by a name expressive of what he felt (Toller). Boaz, in his treatment of Ruth, a beautiful illustration of the way Christ receives such.
I. He invites her to come and partake of the meal provided for his servants. Not meet to give the children’s bread unto dogs (Matthew 7:6; Mark 7:27); and yet, from the voice calling Adam in the garden, to the Spirit and the bride saying “Come,” in the Apocalypse, the Word of God is full of invitations to wandering, weary men.
II. He seats her in honour among his reapers. So the Saviour calls the Gentiles to be co-heirs with His own people; puts the alien among His children; exalts Saul the persecutor to be the chiefest among the apostles; gives His saints at last an inheritance among the angels of God.
III. He reaches forth his own hand to provide for her wants. So the Saviour sent not a servant, but came Himself, to provide for man’s need. “He saw there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor” (Isaiah 59:16), “Therefore,” He says, “mine own arm brought salvation” (Isaiah 63:5).
IV. He satisfies these wants completely. There was plain fare, but it was sufficient. Nature is content with a little, and hunger hunteth not after delicacies (Trapp). So in the spiritual realm, every real want of man is provided for by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Spurgeon on this (condensed):—
Theme.—MEALTIME IN THE CORNFIELD: A HARVEST SERMON
I. God’s reapers have their mealtimes. A good master will not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. Christ’s reapers not only have a blessed reward at last; they have also plenteous comforts by the way. They have
(1) mealtimes, when they come together to listen to the word preached. Where the doctrines of grace are plainly and boldly delivered in connection with the other truths of revelation; where the cross is lifted up, where the work of the Spirit is not forgotten, there is sure to be food for the children of God. Our hearers must have their portion of meat in due season. There must be something for all—milk for babes, etc.
(2) Mealtimes in our private readings and meditations. Meditation is digestion, and the finest wheat is to be found in secret prayer. The shepherd of Salisbury Plain said, when his wallet was empty, his Bible was meat to him.
(3) One mealtime that is specially ordained—in the supper of our Lord. In keeping the Master’s command there is great reward. Like poor Mephibosheth, we are made to sit at David’s table. The prodigal eats the meat of children.
(4) Mealtimes which God gives us at seasons when perhaps we little expect them. In the street, in the middle of business; when dull and earth-bound; suddenly. In the morning, as if the dew was visiting the flowers; in the evening, etc.
(5) Mealtimes at certain seasons when we may expect them. The Eastern reaper has a set time. So in affliction we may expect them; after toil we may look for them; and again, before a trial. Elijah must be entertained beneath a juniper tree, for he is to go forty days in the strength of that meat. After trouble or arduous service.
II. To these meals the gleaner is affectionately invited. The poor trembling stranger, who has no right to be in the field, except the right of charity, is called to the meals of the strong-handed, full-assured reaper.
(1) The gleaner is invited to come. “At mealtimes come thou hither.” None should be kept away from the place of feasting, the house of God, by personal character, or poverty, or physical infirmities. A poor deaf woman, asked why she was always there, replied, “that God was pleased to give her many a sweet thought upon the text while she sat in His house.”
(2) Again, not only to come, but to eat. Whatever the sweet and comfortable word, the broken and the contrite spirit is invited to partake of it. You are saying, “I have no right;” but He gives you the invitation. “You are unworthy;” but He bids you come. Further, Ruth was not only invited to eat the bread, but to dip her morsel in the vinegar—a sauce which the Orientals used with their bread. So the Lord’s reapers have not merely doctrines, but the holy unction which is the essence of doctrines—not merely truths, but the hallowing and ravishing delight which accompanies the truths.
III. Boaz reached her the parched corn. Christ does this to believers
(1) when He inspires their faith;
(2) when He sheds abroad the love of God in their hearts;
(3) when He gives us close communion with Himself;
(4) when He gives us the infallible witness that we are born of God. Philip de Morny was wont to say that the Holy Spirit had made his salvation as clear to him as ever a problem proved to a demonstration in Euclid could be.
IV. She did eat, and was sufficed, and left. Sooner or later every penitent shall become a satisfied believer—head, heart, hope, desire, conscience, judgment, memory, imagination, all filled.
E. Price on this:—
Theme.—THE COMMON MEAL
It should be characterized by the following particulars:—
It should indicate the Divine hand in providing it.
It should minister to the calm contentment of our hearts.
It should indicate a self-respect before men.
It should prepare for the next duties in life.
Hence conclude—
If God provide for a Ruth, the daily bread will not only come to the hand, but satisfy all the longings of the heart.
“One fact I think I have everywhere observed: the farther one moves from the high road and the busy marts of men, the more people are shut in by the mountains, isolated and confined to the simplest wants of life, the more they draw their maintenance from simple, humble, and unchangeable pursuits; so much the better, the more obliging, the more friendly, unselfish, and hospitable are they.”—Goethe.
“You have seen the stagnant pool, overgrown with weeds, into which the rain falls and the showers descend, but which gives out no fertilizing stream to water the barren earth around. There is the image of an avaricious and selfish life—a life stagnant and noxious in the sight of God and man. And you have seen the mountain lake, clear as crystal, into which the brooks run and the streamlets flow, but which sends them forth again a broad river to refresh and make glad the earth. There is the image of a life responding to the law of Christian usefulness, counting itself as steward only for a while, and not as owner of all that it possesses.”—B.
“Wherefore doth the Lord make your cup run over, but that other men’s lips might taste the liquor? The showers that fall upon the highest mountains should glide into the lowest valleys.”—Secker.
“The precept of love was given also in the moral law. That law contains ten commandments, but they may all be reduced to this, ‘Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself.’ … If we go farther back still, we shall find the ancient commandment in existence; for the law of love is as old as human nature itself. ‘God created man in His own image’—gave him a spiritual nature, possessed of the powers of thought, will, conscience, imagination, and the faculty of goodness or love. Two things should be noticed with regard to the last of these. First, the faculty of love belongs to him as man—is part of his nature. Treat the flower rightly, plant it where the sun-rays play, and it will grow and become beautiful, and will fill the surrounding atmosphere with its fragrance, for it is made to give itself away; and if man had been true to himself, if he had avoided sin, and lived in all his faculties, his good-will and love would have gone forth to his fellows as naturally as perfume from the flower. Second, the sense or feeling that love is right, that it is a duty; and that to hate others, or even to be indifferent to them, is wrong. This is the Divine testimony in man’s conscience, the ‘old commandment’ of the gospel and of the law in another form—a silent commandment which makes itself heard and felt without the use of words.”—Thomas Jones.
“The very essence of charity is disinterested goodness; and although we may like it the better for its returns of benefit, we must obey its impulses from delight itself. Where we fail in this, our charity fails, although our deeds of beneficence still be abounding.”—Anon.
“The rich man’s superfluity was ordained to relieve the poor man’s necessity. A lady, on giving sixpence to a beggar, accosted him thus: ‘I have now given you more than God ever gave me.’ To whom he replied, ‘No, madam; God hath given you all your abundance.’ ‘That is your mistake,’ said she, ‘for He hath but lent it me that I might bestow it on such as you.’ ”—Secker.
“Men resemble the gods in nothing so much as in doing good to their fellow-creatures.”—Cicero.
“Seneca the heathen inculcates a principle worthy the credence of every Christian: I believe I truly enjoy no more of the world’s affluence than what I willingly distribute to the necessitous.’ Without your mercy the poor cannot live on earth, and without God’s mercy you shall not live in heaven.”—Secker.
“This also is given to pious souls by God, that being devoted to Him, He often secretly, and even without their becoming aware of it, impels them to this or that good action.”—Starke.
“Is not this the very way in which our rich Kinsman deals with those whom He loves and saves?… He calls poor fainting sinners to come without doubt or fear, and take their place among the company of the redeemed; for everything is there provided which they can need—abounding grace for abounding sin. He ministers Himself to their secret wants. He reaches forth with His own hand the parched corn of His sacrifice for them. And in this secret, personal, divine ministration, they eat and are sufficed.”—Tyng (condensed).
“ ‘Oh! but,’ says one, ‘how can it be? I am a stranger.’ Yes, a stranger; but Jesus Christ loves the stranger. ‘A publican, a sinner;’ but He is ‘the Friend of publicans and sinners.’ ‘An outcast;’ but He ‘gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.’ ‘A stray sheep;’ but the shepherd ‘leaves the ninety and nine,’ to seek it. ‘A lost piece of money,’ but He ‘sweeps the house’ to find it. ‘A prodigal son;’ but He sets the bells a-ringing when He knows that thou wilt return. Come, Ruth! Come, trembling gleaner! Jesus invites thee; accept the invitation. ‘At meal-time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.”—Spurgeon.
“We must not look upon this as being some sour stuff. No doubt there are crabbed souls in the Church, who always dip their morsel in the sourest imaginable vinegar, and with a grim liberality invite others to share a little comfortable misery with them; but the vinegar in my text is altogether another thing. This was either a compound of various sweets expressed from fruits, or else it was that weak kind of wine mingled with water which is still commonly used in the harvest-fields of Italy and the warmer parts of the world—a drink not exceedingly strong, but excellently cooling, and good enough to impart a relish to the reapers’ food.”—Ibid.
“You may suspect some danger nigh when your delights are overflowing. If you see a ship taking in great quantities of provision, it is bound for a distant port. And when God gives you extraordinary seasons of communion with Jesus, you may look for long leagues of tempestuous sea. Sweet cordials prepare for stern conflicts. Times of refreshing also occur after trouble or arduous service. Christ was tempted of the devil, and afterwards angels came and ministered unto Him. Jacob wrestled with God, and then afterwards, at Mahanaim, hosts of angels met him. Abraham wars with the kings, and returns from their slaughter; then it is that Melchisedec refreshes him with bread and wine. After conflict, content; after battle, banquet. When thou hast waited on thy Lord, then thou shalt sit down, and thy Master will gird Himself and wait upon thee.”—Ibid.