November 12 , 2006 Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

See also: [2003] [2000]

 

Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17
Psalm 127
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:38-44

Discussing the Text

A theme which runs through three of our texts is the image of the widow. Widows in the ancient world were especially vulnerable, especially if they had no sons to protect them. Ruth is an example of a courageous widow who changed her condition; Jesus’ widow is the example of humility and generosity despite the adverse conditions in which she lives.

Ruth 3:1-5 is rich in sexual double entendre. When Naomi tells Ruth to “uncover the feet” of Boaz and “lie down,” she is really telling Ruth to make love to Boaz. “Feet” is a euphemism for male genitals in Hebrew. This is why Ruth can then ask Boaz to cover her with his cloak in v.9, so that it becomes a blanket for both of them lying side-by-side with each other. When she calls him “next of kin” in the same verse, she is telling him very directly that it is his responsibility to marry her. Under the guidelines of Israel’s “levirate law,” a childless widow should be married to the deceased man’s next of kin so that he might provide a son for her. This marriage may be either temporary or permanent. Thus, this passage is appropriately paired with Ruth 4:13-17, which describes their marriage and the birth of their son Obed, grandfather of David. It is a good thing for David that his great-grandmother was so determined. This may offend modern piety, but we should not forget that Naomi and Ruth were vulnerable widows in a male oriented society seeking their rights in the only way possible for them.
 
Psalm 127 is characterized as a Pilgrimage Hymn (Song of Ascents) to be sung on the journey to Jerusalem, but it speaks about the blessing of sons. Sons protected parents, especially mothers and widows, in their old age, and protected them from their enemies. Sons also inherited the land and kept it in the family lineage. A widow without sons might also become bereft of her home.

Hebrews 9:24-28 describes Christ’s once and for all sacrifice on the cross which enables him to enter the heavenly realm, the heavenly Temple, as the great High Priest of all time, from whence he shall come to save those who await him. This passage departs from the theme of women, widows, and sons/children. A sermon built upon this text would move in a different direction from the other passages.

Mark offers us two texts connected by the theme of widows. This thematic connection may have been in the oral tradition or it may reflect Mark’s creative efforts. In 12:38-40 Jesus condemns scribes (not necessarily Pharisees, but rather a rich class of literate people probably located in urban centers) who oppress widows. In 12:41-44 Jesus praises the poor widow who quietly places her small pittance of a gift in the treasury, but thereby earns greater respect from God than do the affluent.

Process Theology and the Texts

Our society has evolved in terms of greater social complexity from the simple society of ancient Israel or Jesus’ Palestine. Thus, our interpretation of the Bible must likewise evolve so that we truly capture the spirit of the text. The ancient biblical texts are the beginning of a trajectory of meaning, and we must determine what they mean for us by sensing how we at times should move beyond the mere literal sense of a passage.

The vast majority of widows in ancient Palestine were weak members of society who needed the protection of the community to survive. Many upper and middle class widows today are provided for by retirement programs (their own or their husbands’ plans); however, in the poorer classes widows still suffer today. For us the symbol of the widow should include not only actual poor widows around us but also the totality of the marginal in our society as well the poor and oppressed people of the third world. We must make a fuller use of the symbol. Process theology often includes social justice as one of its significant themes.

Preaching the Texts

The preacher can go in several directions with these texts. You may choose to speak of social justice themes and portray the image of the widow as an image for all poor and victimized people in our world to whom we should minister in terms of their physical needs. You can stress how good life is for us compared to the life style of people in ancient Israel at the time of Ruth or under the oppressive rule of Rome in the Palestine of Jesus’ day. We, who have been blessed with so much, have been called upon to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

Depending upon your parish context, whether your parishioners  are poor, middle class, or affluent, you may point out that the scribes described by this text are not a theological party to be connected with the Pharisees, but more likely this is a general term for affluent landowners, probably urbanites, who could manipulate the poor brutally in order to make more wealth. One could point out that we in America live so well because we import cheap goods from overseas made by people in factories who sometimes are brutally underpaid. We live well because they live poorly. We thus should identify ourselves on one level with the scribes in this passage, not the widows.

Another angle that can be observed in the texts is the nature of the positive actions demonstrated by widows in the first and last readings. Ruth is a widow, who actually has the right of “levirate marriage,” that is, a person who is next of kin to her husband should marry her either permanently or temporarily (until she has a son who can protect her). She does not wait; she pursues her rights. The widow observed by Jesus is poor, but confident. She gives what she has to God, confident that God will continue to care for her needs. Both of these women are bold and courageous.

This image of the bold widow can lead to talk about how we should not despair, saying I am too old, too weak, too poor, too insignificant to accomplish anything for God or for myself. These poor widows set examples of determination, self-confidence, and courage that can inspire us, who often have so much more, to boldly move forward in life. They made the best of what little they had to live life boldly. Ruth used her charm and her beauty to seduce and ultimately marry Boaz (you might want to be really careful with that image!). The widow gave what little she had to further God’s kingdom. Are we willing to live in a similar dramatic fashion?

Children and the Texts

These texts really speak of the value and importance of children for their parents, especially their mothers. You might talk of how Ruth finally had a little boy, of how the Psalmist praises children for protecting their parents, and of how widows needed children to help them in their own age. You can then speak to the children of how they can be of great help to their parents now, and how truly valuable they are as people. They should never think that they are not important because they are young, small, and feel insignificant before the overwhelming adult world around them.

 

Robert K. Gnuse is Professor of Hebrew Scriptures at Loyola University in New Orleans. An ordained minister of the Lutheran Church, he received his doctorate from Vanderbilt University. He has published numerous articles and a dozen books on various topics in the Hebrew Scriptures and biblical theology, including most recently The Old Testament and Process Theology.

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