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The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules

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My first real experience in the book of Ruth came as a single college student. My RUF girlfriends and I spent one summer reading Ruth and discussing how to be a "Ruth" in order to catch the attention of a "Boaz." Let's be honest, we attended college for our educations and careers, but we also hoped to meet our husbands at the next social. By the end of our study, we were all praying for a romantic, fairy-tale ending just like Ruth's. Today, more than ten years later, I am learning that Ruth isn't simply a romance nestled between Judges and 1 Samuel. Rather, Ruth is the story of Naomi and her daughter-in-law who will risk everything to rescue her. "This is the book I was born to write," writes Carolyn Custis James of her latest, The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules.

James wants to answer two questions through her study of Ruth: is God good for women? and what happens to men in the presence of strong women? On the way to answering those questions, James must also teach the reader about men, women, the culture of the day, widowhood, barrenness, and the important themes that occur in Ruth, like compassion, love, and selflessness versus self-preservation.

I enjoy James' writing style; she is concise and interesting. As I read, I made lots of notes and highlights. She is very good at translating the lessons from Ruth to the 21st century. I noted a few things I wanted to go back to and think through more deeply. For example, God has specific purposes for widowhood and barrenness in all of our lives. James writes, "The widow is and has always been a litmus test to measure how much theology we've truly absorbed and how much is just talk." And regarding barrenness she writes, "Every once in a while, God pulls back the curtain and shows us how things really work. He does that with the barren woman who shows us that we are all infertile. Every child conceived is a miracle...It reassures me that God will work through me too, even though I am spiritually infertile...The simple, encouraging truth that keeps me going is the fact that God's preferred method of saving the lost is to work through us." God doesn't use widowhood and barrenness solely for the ultimate good of the widow and the barren woman; He is after something in my heart.

In Chapter Four, Breaking the Rules in Bethlehem, James reminds her readers to seek to fulfill the spirit of God's laws rather than the letter. Ruth "broke the rules" when she asked Boaz if she could follow behind the gleaners rather than gather at the edges of his field. James writes, "The letter of the law says, `Let them glean.' The spirit of the law says, `Feed them.'" Short lines like that one have rolled back and forth in my mind for several days after reading them.

I particularly enjoyed her explanations of the Hebrew word, hesed. "It's the way God intended for human beings to live together from the beginning - the "love-your-neighbor-as-yourself" brand of living, an active, selfless, sacrificial caring for one another that goes against the grain of our fallen natures...In a nutshell, hesed is the gospel lived out." James beautifully explains how Ruth shows hesed to Naomi and Boaz shows hesed to Ruth, which is actually the hesed of God poured out on all of them. Though Naomi believed that God had forsaken her, she finds, through the love and sacrifice of Ruth, that God never withdrew his steadfast hesed from her life. What are we to think when things seem to go wrong? James points out that we will experience pain and joy, but it is important to remember that God is sovereign and always present with his hesed.

I enjoyed nine chapters of The Gospel of Ruth; however, the tenth chapter disappointed me.

In Chapter ten, Good to Great, James answers the questions she poses in the preface. I was disheartened to find, after enjoying most of the book, that James has an agenda besides sharing the fruit of her years of studying the book of Ruth. Chapter 10 is tinged with resentment over gender roles. First, after earlier chapters that encourage submission and faith and trust, this last chapter encourages women to be aggressive and to take risks, even implying that it would be better for a woman to pursue a ministry even if the male leadership of her church said not to. No one would argue that Ruth's actions were risky, however, her actions proved to be good for her (and Naomi) precisely because of the godly man she approached. Boaz had shown Ruth kindness; therefore Naomi made a calculated decision for Ruth to visit him during the night with her proposal. Ruth did not do what she did all alone; it is incorrect to make personal applications from Ruth based on the removal of godly Boaz. Women will be sadly mistaken if they ignore God-ordained leadership, whether in the church or the home, in an effort to apply James' lesson to take risks.

Second, James' bitterness toward the traditional roles of women in society comes through when the story closes on the union of Boaz and Ruth and the birth of Obed. She calls marriage and family, weddings and babies, "a weak conclusion." What happened to Ruth, the ezer-warrior? James seems to praise Ruth as long as she is fulfilling her role as God's image bearer on her own, and she likes it when Boaz sees something in Ruth and so decides to join her on her exciting mission of hesed toward Naomi, but James feels let down when Ruth appears to settle down as Boaz's wife. James downplays the "ordinary" tasks of Ruth and Naomi while praising them for taking risks that make King David's birth (and much later, Jesus' birth) possible. I was deflated to read that, in James' estimation, the ordinary tasks of a wife and mother are too cautious for God's image bearers. James concludes, "We don't know what happened between them after the birth of Obed, but it's a safe guess that the two of them took up other projects. Boaz was marrying a woman who understood his business from the ground up and wasn't shy about proposing new ideas." I guess Ruth must have gone on to help Boaz grow his barley business, which I'm sure offered Ruth great purpose and posed many risk-taking opportunities for the glory of God.

Third, James asks the question, what happens to men in the presence of a strong woman? "Is his manhood diminished?" She concludes that strong women are great for men because "after joining forces with Ruth, [Boaz] stands even taller, for he exits as the great-grandfather of King David and a forefather of Jesus." He was already a good man, but now that he's with Ruth he's a great man. James believes that Boaz wouldn't be great had Ruth not proposed to him. James plays up the idea that Ruth is all she needs to be in order to be a fulfilled woman, while downplaying Boaz status prior to his relationship with Ruth. James ignores how Boaz raises Ruth's status (she goes from "girl" to "a noble and competent woman"). Furthermore, she ignores the traditional interpretation of Boaz as the Christ figure in the story, instead attributing that archetype to Ruth because she saves Naomi. Purposefully ignoring these few key facts in the book of Ruth diminishes the strength and validity of the chapter.

For the most part, I enjoyed The Gospel of Ruth. James shares many important lessons when she addresses living out the teachings of Christ. She has an engaging writing style that I enjoy. Plus, she's a scholar. Though she doesn't appreciate it (because it's too neat), she even touches on the Hebrew writer's creation of a chiasm. I would still recommend this book based on the good in nine out of ten chapters. When it comes to men and women, however, be aware that James takes a more egalitarian stance.

Wow!!!
Carolyn takes a fresh perspective and gentle approach toward the book of Ruth. This book gently peels back the traditional lenses of Church Theology, male egotism, and various other biases that are normally associated with this often overlooked book of the Bible.
She paints Ruth as a female version of Job, and takes her time to reveal the many aspect of Ruth's story. Carolyn does a beautiful job in taking the reader into the mind of Ruth and allowing us to walk in her shoes.
Simply put, this is a WOW book. Once you read it, that will be the first thing you say. So many of us think we know the book of Ruth and all it has to offer....but after reading this book, you might be surprised.....

I started reading this book a bit skeptical that a whole new perspective of the story of Ruth was going to be revealed by Carolyn James, but I was profoundly mistaken! This is a fascinating book, and James has done a tremendous job in researching and explaining the biblical text.

By expertly teaching about the historical context of ancient Israel, James reveals the deep meanings and undertones found in the book of Ruth that remain hidden to the typical reader. James also bridges the time-gap by applying the truths and principles found in Ruth to our lives. Many times that sort of application can feel like a stretch, but not here.

Okay, but is this book just for women? Definitely not. First, it's wonderful exegesis of biblical text. Granted the story of Ruth contains women, but that shouldn't impact the readership. Yes, many of the applications are for women, but not exclusively. Think that submission, love, kindness, generosity, etc. are primarily female virtues...then you need to read this book! Highly recommended.

I was very encouraged as I read "The Gospel of Ruth." Carolyn's descriptions of "hesed" took my understanding of God's love to a deeper lever. I was challenged to truly believe and live out the fact that God is constantly and intimately involved in all areas of my life. I was riveted to the pages of this book and highly recommend it to others.

In The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to break the rules, Carolyn Custis James sets out to unpack the story of Ruth in a way that challenges historical and popular interpretations of the story of Ruth, spurred on by the ever-nagging question: is God good for women? According to James, the book of Ruth is far more than a typical romance story we have imagined it to be. Rather, it is the story of three people God used to demonstrate hesed (God-love, the pouring out of one's own selfish ambitions and agendas for the cause and benefit of others) to the people of Israel for generations to come.

Some have leveled the charge that this book is driven by the hidden agenda of promoting woman-power and thus diminishing the important work of the woman as mother and a wife. A previous reviewer specifically mentioned that this is illustrated in chapter 10. I could not disagree more. James is not diminishing the important work of wife and mother, but rather wrestling with the problem of evil and the problem of suffering. The birth of Obed did not diminish the pain of burying a husband and two sons. Those are scars that will never heal.

Ultimately, The Gospel of Ruth is, as others have mentioned, not a "woman's book." It is a book that demonstrates that men and women can relate in a manner that is not fraught with the tensions and struggles of power and authority as we traditionally understand them. It is a book that reveals the heart of God for the powerless, the destitute. It is a book that unpacks the love of God demonstrated through three people. It is a book that challenges believers to step out boldly in faith when faced with difficult circumstances. it is a book that deals honestly with suffering and pain.

I recommend it highly. Absorbing, fascinating read. Well done, Carolyn Custis James.

I loved this book on the Gospel of Ruth from the Bible. If I were naming a sub-title, I would call it, "Ruth: Not a Cinderella Story". In reading this book, I realized that so often we read it as a "happily ever after" story, with Ruth getting the guy and the baby in the end. I love how Carolyn Custis James so wonderfully describes the story of Ruth as a story of a fight for preservation, a fight for a family, a fight for the eternal souls of men and women. Ruth had the guts to do what was unthinkable in her time. In the end, she didn't end up with a matching glass slipper, but a part in the story of salvation of God's people.

Ruth allowed the tragedies in her own life to be used in the greater story. She set aside her entitledness to gain the preservation of Naomi's line, an act completely brave and selfless.

I'm glad we named our daughter Whitney Ruth as a testimony of what God can and will do in the life of a woman completely and totally devoted to Him.

A few of my peers and I are studying this book for our Thursday morning women's book club. (We are a small group of women over the age of 60.) We appreciate the new perspectives this author offers about the age-old Biblical story of Ruth (and Naomi). Discussion questions are included with each chapter. The material is not a deep, theological study but rather a good starting point for exploring the value of Ruth and Naomi in both their own lives and as women who set good examples for all women as they consider the value of their own lives as they live day to day. I believe the book would be fine as good reading material for an individual as well.

The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules by Carolyn Justis James has all theCover via Amazon ingredients of a nutritious meal for the brain yet still comes across as dry, like an over-cooked meatloaf. The study of Ruth is great. The personal anecdotes are powerful. The writing is good. But it lacks vitality. It might be an air of melancholy, but I'm not sure. There's also a glaring omission.

James has done her research well and presents new insights into this short story from the Old Testament. I am very grateful for the new things she has brought to me from recent scholarship. I also found her personal story heart wrenching. She identifies with Ruth as someone who is also in a marriage that did not produce children. Her ability to identify with Ruth's pain and bridge the distance between a character on the page and her own experience is one of the best aspects of this book. But there was another experience that happened in the midst of writing this book, that seemed to cast a pall over the rest of the book. Just as Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, lost husbands and sons, so, too, did James lose a brother-in-law on a mountainside in a blizzard while alpine climbing.

From the middle of the book to the end, the writing comes across to me as without passion. I also think she reads too much into a relationship between man and woman making it anachronistic. Finally, she agrees with disappointed feminist readers of the story, that the last chapter puts the focus on Boaz, the hero, and let's Ruth fade into the background. At this point, the gaping hole in James's interpretation reveals itself. There is a deeper reason than anti-feminism to portray, in children's Sunday school lessons, Boaz as the true hero of the story, a reason James never mentions: he is an ante-type of Jesus Christ. A quick search turns up brief outlines like this,

"Both Naomi and Ruth spoke about his kindness (Ruth 2:13, 20). Boaz provided water and food for Ruth. He provided and personally passed the roasted grain to her, and ate with her. She ate and was satisfied. This is a picture of the communion that we enjoy with Christ in His kindness. He invites us to dine with Him. In His kindness, the Lord not only provides the spiritual food that we need, but He wants to have fellowship with us.
Boaz was a kinsman redeemer, and under the law the kinsman had several responsibilities. SeeImage via Wikipedia Leviticus 25:25 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10. Christ is our kinsman redeemer.
he had to be a close relative
he had to have the means to redeem
he had to be willing. The Lord Jesus, as our kinsman redeemer fulfills these requisites perfectly. See Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 Peter 1:18-19."

Here is another one.

"Ruth Chapter 4
If Ruth is a picture of the Christian (or Church) then Boaz is a picture of Christ our redeemer.
Having decided to redeem Ruth, he set out to settle the account with the person who had a 'legal right over her'.
Who had a legal right over us before Christ came along and paid the price.
In the presence of elders of the city, Boaz made a legal deal, with reliable witnesses, and 'purchased the right' to marry Ruth.
Can you see any parallels here with our Christian faith? Romans 8:16, 1 John 5: 6-10"

It's curious to me that she doesn't spend any time mining this rich vein of theological reflection. I think it would alleviate her frustration with the end of the story. It might have also helped her avoid reading into the text such an earth based and time constricted thesis. I have many feminist sympathies, but I can't go as far as James wants to bring me. Just as the Apocalypse of John finishes the Bible with a focus on Jesus, because he is the hero, so, too, does Ruth end, not with a focus on the redeemed, but on the redeemer, who is a picture of Jesus Christ. This is why the ending is a good ending and why Boaz is the hero in Ruth's story. It's not a feminist story by intent, but a set up for the mission of Jesus, a picture to anticipate his work.

As an aside, I read this on my Kindle. Shortly after I received the device, Zondervan briefly offered this book for free in the Amazon Kindle store. I did not notice any formatting issues and enjoyed using the light weight device to read a longer book.

This book is a serious, scholarly dig into the Bible's book of Ruth, but reads so easily it was almost novel-like. I've read Ruth, studied Ruth, and even read other books on the topic, but this book brought my understanding of it to a new level altogether. Carolyn Custis James does an amazing job of setting the cultural backdrop, which really puts the story into a different light than I've ever heard before. She challenges "traditional" views regarding submission, the role of women in God's story, and even what the book of Ruth has to offer.

This book tells the tale of Ruth - her pain, her courage, and her dedication to her mother-in-law Naomi - while still demonstrating that God is at the center of the story. Instead of focusing on the love story between Ruth and Boaz, James shows the relationships between them, as well as Naomi, in a completely different light. She reveals how their actions were risky, courageous, and deeply self-sacrificing, done out of love for and trust in God.

James, through examining the well-known story, seeks to answer the question, "Is God good for women?" Even poor, barren, widowed women in a patriarchical society? Can God still have a purpose, and see it through, for women in painful circumstances? Instead of trivializing pain and giving trite answers, the author delves into the sorrows of infertility and losing a husband, and even shares about her own pain. In a very seamless and authentic way, she then leads the reader to examine Ruth's story, where God's purposes prevail against all odds.

When I first read Ruth, it seemed more like a love story than a serious book. Why was this book, of all possible books, placed in the Scriptural Canon? As I began investigating the Scriptures more deeply, I discovered that Ruth shows us the Kinsman/Redeemer concept in pictures, rather than words. With Naomi as Israel, Ruth as the Church, and Boaz as Christ, the picture is almost perfect. Israel brings the Gospel to the World, but doesn't really believe herself. Ruth, her daughter, believes, and brings Israel back to hope through Boaz, who sacrifices some part of his own wealth in order to redeem Naomi and Ruth. This is a book of faith, and certainly belongs in the Canon.

The Gospel of Ruth takes this one step farther, bringing to light the personal relationships and radical commitment of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. Here we find the story of the Kinsman/Redeemer taken to a new depth, a new level of reality.

The author starts with a discussion of women in the Biblical narrative, and how the modern view of Ruth, for instance, treats Ruth and Naomi almost as sidekicks, or minor players in the life of Boaz. She continues in the second chapter with an examination of the lot of the widow in the world of ancient Israel, using modern day examples to bring her point home.

The third chapter discusses the problem of the barren woman, resolving the issue by noting the wisdom of barrenness within a community. The fourth chapter discusses many times Ruth apparently "breaks the rules," and Boaz supports her because of her complete and total dedication to the care of Naomi, which is predicated on her faith in Yahweh, the God of Israel.

The concept and power of Hesed is the subject of the next chapter --probably one of the best chapters in the entire book. Here the author brings to bear the parallels between the sacrifices of Ruth and Boaz in the rescue of Namoi's family, and how this illustrates God's love in our own lives. The sixth chapter discusses the way in which God works in our lives, even though we might not always see it. God was working in Namoi's life throughout, bringing about his will in the line of the Messiah, even though Naomi had lost hope.

The act of taking risks is the subject of the seventh chapter. The author places a great deal of emphasis on the idea that Ruth broke the rules to care for Namoi --though this isn't really absolutely true. In reality, Ruth consistently took the Mosaic Law and drew out the spirit of those laws, rather than focusing on the letter of the Laws, to make her case and drive the rescue of Naomi, and an Naomi's family, forward.

A lack of weaving the obvious symbols into the narrative of Ruth is probably the second weakest point of the book. She fails to see the significance of the 6 measures of grain Boaz gives Ruth on the threshing floor --a miss of gigantic proportions in understanding Namoi's reaction to what has happened over night.

Whether this lack of bringing out the symbolic nature of the characters in the narrative is intentional or not, it almost ruins the last two chapters (9 and 10) beyond repair, where the author takes a serious feminist bent. She claims that men and women can both be "great" on their own, but then she essentially closes the book saying that Boaz only went from good to great when he proposed to Ruth --a complete dismissal of the entire picture of Christ buried in the character of Boaz.

If you can stomach reading moderately heavy feministic fare, these last two chapters are worth reading for the paragraph here and there where she makes strongly valid points about the relationships between men and women. If you can't, simply skip them --you won't lose any value or insight into the picture she paints of Ruth, Namoi, and Boaz.

Carolyn James does an excellent job of explaining the real depth of the meaning of hesed, or lovingkindness in the life of Ruth, Boaz, and Naomi. From Ruth's radical gamble on a God she'd only barely heard of, and for whom the only witness was the destruction of a family and a woman who chose to be called "bitter," to the risk she took in offering to mother a child in the face of ten long years of barrenness, Ruth consistently had faith in Yahweh, and his ability to bring good out of apparent evil, or rather redemption out of apparent failure. The corresponding love she brings to live in Naomi, who risked her happiness and future for Ruth's future, and Boaz, who risked the approbation of a community in which he was highly respected, and the reduction of his inheritance to redeem a family for which he held no real responsibility, all show the infectious power of hesed in the lives of those who love God.

Overall, well worth reading. Feel free to skip the last two chapters, but don't skip the entire book.