Was the marriage of Boaz and Ruth’s form of Levirate marriage?

[Mojo]

Please don’t misunderstand me, the rules are the bare minimum of our obligations.
If we don’t obey them, we aren’t even in the ballpark.

So then in regards to Boaz, the principle that God laid down in the levirate was not to be followed as the only prescription? It was a starting point that expressed God’s provision for the widow (his love towards them). If it was extended beyond just household brothers, it would be following the spirit, not just the letter of the levirate?

So Boaz was, as Jesus put it, “going two miles, when only one was asked for”?

Am I correct in your position?

 

[Mark C]

So then in regards to Boaz, the principle that God laid down in the levirate was not to be followed as the only prescription? It was a starting point that expressed God’s provision for the widow (his love towards them). If it was extended beyond just household brothers, it would be following the spirit, not just the letter of the levirate?

So Boaz was, as Jesus put it, “going two miles, when only one was asked for”?

Am I correct in your position?

While I won't try to answer for Steve, that's not mine.

Boaz got himself [another] wife - good for him, that's a blessing, says Scripture, and he was obedient. Clearly a 'win-win.'

The fact that he did so in accord with (at least it RHYMES! ) the 'spirit' of the prescription for a kinsman-redeemer is important for another reason, and this, I will contend, is part of what got him an entry into the most important Written Record in human history.

Is it important to "paint a [shadow] picture of things to come? I suggest that Scripture suggests exactly that! We memorialize His Appointed Times (moedim) because not only are they reminders of history and prophecy fulfilled, but pictures of prophecy yet to be fulfilled. We practice for what we may well see come to pass.

Boaz did exactly that. And he (and Ruth) was rewarded not just with the 'standard' blessings of a new wife and children, and an heir for the departed in the land, but a place in the genealogy of the Most Important Man to ever walk the earth, THE Kinsman-Redeemer Himself.

 

[ASyers41]

Ruth and Boaz are incredibly important to lineage of Jesus. Without them there is no Jesus just like without Jacob marrying four ladies their would be no Judah for the Lion Of the Tribe of Judah to come through.

 

[Mark C]

Ruth and Boaz are incredibly important to lineage of Jesus. Without them...

Without every name in the list Yahushua would not have come the Way He did.

BUT, why them? And why the amount of ink, and background exposition (mishpatim), on that particular story? It is folly not to recognize that the Author told us what He did for a reason.

 

[ASyers41]

Absolutely everything in the Word is there for a reason even if it seems obscure to us as to the whys.

 

[steve]

So then in regards to Boaz, the principle that God laid down in the levirate was not to be followed as the only prescription?

How could it have been followed any closer?

Was not Boaz following it as close as he possibly could?

 

[Mojo]

How could it have been followed any closer?

Was not Boaz following it as close as he possibly could?

My apologies. I think I may have miscommunicated.

Let’s try again as I try to understand your position.

The letter of the levirate was not followed because it was not a direct “brother”.

Rather, it was the overall spirit of levirate because it still involved a more distant relative, just not a brother. Therefore, God’s love towards the widows could still be expressed in a modified (cultural custom?) described as kinsman redeemer. It doesn’t violate law, it extends the concept of that law in ways that were not originally detailed, but were not in contradiction of it?

*note: this would probably be easier to draw out in person.

Am I closer?

 

[Mojo]

While I won't try to answer for Steve, that's not mine.

Boaz got himself [another] wife - good for him, that's a blessing, says Scripture, and he was obedient. Clearly a 'win-win.'

The fact that he did so in accord with (at least it RHYMES! ) the 'spirit' of the prescription for a kinsman-redeemer is important for another reason, and this, I will contend, is part of what got him an entry into the most important Written Record in human history.

Is it important to "paint a [shadow] picture of things to come? I suggest that Scripture suggests exactly that! We memorialize His Appointed Times (moedim) because not only are they reminders of history and prophecy fulfilled, but pictures of prophecy yet to be fulfilled. We practice for what we may well see come to pass.

Boaz did exactly that. And he (and Ruth) was rewarded not just with the 'standard' blessings of a new wife and children, and an heir for the departed in the land, but a place in the genealogy of the Most Important Man to ever walk the earth, THE Kinsman-Redeemer Himself.

So, regardless of whether it was levirate or not, it was legal because she was a widow. It was a legitimate union. Levirate is just a side note?

The bigger picture is that Our Lord uses and records events that fit into His broader narrative and prophetic plot, even if it doesn’t fit neatly into our conceptions of the letter of his Law or personal expectations.

Am I close to what you’re saying?

 

[steve]

My apologies. I think I may have miscommunicated.

Let’s try again as I try to understand your position.

The letter of the levirate was not followed because it was not a direct “brother”.

Rather, it was the overall spirit of levirate because it still involved a more distant relative, just not a brother. Therefore, God’s love towards the widows could still be expressed in a modified (cultural custom?) described as kinsman redeemer. It doesn’t violate law, it extends the concept of that law in ways that were not originally detailed, but were not in contradiction of it?

*note: this would probably be easier to draw out in person.

Am I closer?

You are extremely close, you just have the wrong point of view.

If Boaz wanted to follow the levirate law, what could or should he have done differently?

 

[Mojo]

You are extremely close, you just have the wrong point of view.

If Boaz wanted to follow the levirate law, what could or should he have done differently?

Well, other than being adopted by Naomi, I’m not sure what else he could have done to follow levirate exactly.


In this case, the circumstances dictated the actions.

What’s your answer?

 

[steve]

Well, other than being adopted by Naomi, I’m not sure what else he could have done to follow levirate exactly.


In this case, the circumstances dictated the actions.

What’s your answer?

You just answered it.
He followed the law as perfectly as he could have.

Westerners look for the loopholes (I couldn’t follow the law because….), a heart for Yah says “What is the closest thing to following the law that I can do?”

 

[Mojo]

You just answered it.
He followed the law as perfectly as he could have.

Westerners look for the loopholes (I couldn’t follow the law because….), a heart for Yah says “What is the closest thing to following the law that I can do?”

Alright. We’ve arrived at Steve’s full perspective.

Thank you.

I’m curious what other perspectives are out there. @Mark C is your perspective on Boaz similar enough to Steve? Any other Torah wrinkles?