THE ONE WHO RETURNED: A RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE READING OF RUTH (original) (raw)

2020, Journal of Evangelical Theological Society

This article sets out to provide a basic biblical theology for the book of Ruth, considering its historical context, its literary structure, its theological message, and its typological trajectory to Jesus Christ. Borrowing from themes found in the Pentateuch, the author seeks to show that David's genealogy and reign is a continuation of God's redemptive work in the past. In this way, the book of Ruth builds upon the preceding redemptive-historical narrative and points beyond itself to the future ingathering of the nations. Ruth is to be read as a covenantal, canonical connector that links God's covenant promises in the Torah to Davidic kingship, which then sets the trajectory to the final fulfillment of Abrahamic blessing to the nations through the Messiah. Biblical theology, properly engaged, requires an appropriate tension between unity and diversity. The unified theological message of the Bible is not monotonal but rather harmonic. The choral arrangement of the canon is filled with the bass of the Torah-narratives, the altos and tenors of the Prophets, the sopranos of the Psalms, and the baritones of the Gospels and Epistles-each one remains distinct and yet, when heard together, they create a satisfying melody that sings the song of God's redemptive work in and through Christ Jesus. The task of biblical theology is to amplify the Bible's theological harmony while at the same time recognizing the rich diversity found in each book of the canon. Paul House summarizes, "Unitary reading should proceed on a book-by-book exegetical basis so that each book's discrete message will be recognized." 1 He adds, "Unitary canonical biblical theology must be built through the sustained testimony of successive books; it must not be constructed at the expense of any part of Scripture." 2 In other words, biblical theology first listens to the individual voices of the biblical authors (in their various historical contexts) and only afterward hears those voices singing together in ca-nonical harmony.