得二8　　波阿斯对路得说，…不要往别人田里拾取麦穗，…要紧随着我的使女们。

　　11~12　　…凡你向婆婆所行的，并你离开父母和出生地，…人全都告诉我了。愿耶和华照你所行的报答你；你来投靠耶和华以色列神的翅膀下，愿你满得祂的酬报。

　　路得记二章八至十三节有波阿斯对路得的恩言。…路得听见这些话，就面伏于地叩拜，问波阿斯说，“我既是外邦人，怎么在你眼中蒙恩，使你这样顾恤我呢？”（10。）波阿斯回答说，自从她丈夫死后，凡她向婆婆所行的，并她离开父母和出生地，到素不认识的民中，这一切事人全都告诉他了。

　　波阿斯不仅亲切地对路得说话，也对她显示慷慨（14~16）。到了吃饭的时候，波阿斯叫她来吃点饼，把烘了的穗子递给她，她就吃饱了。她起来又拾取麦穗，波阿斯吩咐仆人，她就是在禾捆中拾取麦穗，也可以容她，不可羞辱她。他又对他们说，“并要从捆里抽出些来，留给她拾取，不可斥责她”（16）（路得记生命读经，一七至一八页）。

　　Ruth 2:8 And Boaz said to Ruth,…Do not go to glean in another field,…but stay close to my young women.

　　11-12 [For] all that you have done for your mother-in-law…, as well as how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth,…may Jehovah recompense your work, and may you have a full reward from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

　　In Ruth 2:8 through 13 we have Boaz’s word of grace to Ruth….When Ruth heard these words, she fell upon her face, bowed herself to the ground, and asked Boaz, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you regard me, though I am a foreigner?” (v. 10). Boaz replied that all that she had done for her mother-in-law since the death of her husband Elimelech had been made known to him.

　　Boaz not only spoke kindly to Ruth but also showed generosity to her (vv. 14-16). At mealtime Boaz told her to eat some food, extending some parched grain to her, and she ate and was satisfied. When she rose up to glean, Boaz charged his young men to let her glean among the standing grain and not to rebuke her. Then he went on to say to them, “Also pull out some from the bundles for her, and leave it for her to glean; and do not rebuke her” (v. 16). (Life-study of Ruth, pp. 13-14)

　　路得告诉拿俄米，她在波阿斯的田间拾取麦穗，拿俄米就对她说，“愿那人蒙耶和华赐福，因为他不断以慈爱待活人和死人”（得二20上）。然后拿俄米告诉路得，那人与她们相近，是她们的亲人（20下）。…在二十二节拿俄米嘱咐路得，说，“女儿啊，你跟着他的使女出去，不叫人遇见你在别人田间，这才为好。”…拿俄米心里所想的，不仅要路得有分于波阿斯的丰富，得着满足，也要路得得着波阿斯作她的丈夫，并为以利米勒的名生子。

　　路得这位从异邦背景归向神的人，使用她的权利，好有分于神选民产业的丰富出产。路得是摩押女子，来到美地作寄居者。按着她那寄居者、穷人、和寡妇的三重身份，使用她的权利，拾取收割时所遗落的。她虽然贫穷，却从未成为乞讨者。她拾取麦穗不是她的乞讨，乃是她的权利。

　　路得记描绘罪人有分于基督并享受基督的路、地位、资格和权利。照着神的定命，我们信入基督的人有资格和地位，可以支取我们享受基督的权利。这意思是说，今天我们不需要乞求神拯救我们；我们能到神那里去，为自己支取祂的救恩。我们有地位、资格、和权利向神支取救恩。这是接受福音的最高标准。

　　路得记这个故事是可爱、感人、折服人、并征服人的。在二章这芬芳的故事里，含示四个预表。…波阿斯大有财富（1），预表基督富于神的恩典（林后十二9）。…神应许之美地的田（得二2~3），预表包罗万有的基督，祂是一切属灵神圣出产的源头，作神选民的生命供应（腓一19下）。…大麦和小麦（得二23）预表基督是作成神和祂子民食物的材料（利二，约六9、33、35）。…路得这摩押女子（申二三3）是与神的应许隔绝的异邦罪人（弗二12），竟然得着权利有分于拾取神选民收割时所遗落的，这预表外邦的“狗”得着特权，有分于神选民儿女的分落在桌子下的碎渣（西一12，太十五21~28）（路得记生命读经，一八至二一页）。

　　参读：哥林多前书生命读经，第十六篇。

　　When Ruth told Naomi that she had gleaned in the field of Boaz, Naomi said to her, “Blessed be he of Jehovah, whose lovingkindness has not failed for the living and for the dead” (Ruth 2:20a). Then Naomi told Ruth that the man was close to them, one of their kinsmen (v. 20b). In verse 22 Naomi charged Ruth, saying, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, so that others do not meet you in any other field.”…What was on Naomi’s heart was not only that Ruth would partake of Boaz’s riches and be satisfied, but also that she would gain Boaz himself as her husband and bring forth a son for the name of Elimelech.

　　Ruth, as one who had returned to God from her heathen background, exercised her right to partake of the rich produce of the inheritance of God’s elect. Ruth, a Moabitess, had come to the good land as a sojourner. According to her threefold status as a sojourner, a poor one, and a widow, she exercised her right to glean the harvest. Although she was poor, she never became a beggar. Her gleaning was not her begging; it was her right.

　　The book of Ruth portrays the way, the position, the qualification, and the right of sinners to participate in Christ and to enjoy Christ. According to God’s ordination, we have been qualified and positioned to claim our right to enjoy Christ. This means that today we do not need to beg God to save us. We can go to God to claim His salvation for ourselves. We have the position, the qualification, and the right to claim salvation from God. This is the highest standard of receiving the gospel.

　　As a narration, the book of Ruth is lovely, touching, convincing, and subduing. In the aromatic story in chapter 2, four types are implied. Boaz, rich in wealth (2:1), typifies Christ, who is rich in the divine grace (2 Cor. 12:9). The field of the God-promised good land (Ruth 2:2-3) typifies the all-inclusive Christ, who is the source of all the spiritual and divine products for the life supply to God’s elect (Phil. 1:19b). Barley and wheat (Ruth 2:23) typify Christ as the material for making food for both God and His people (Lev. 2; John 6:9, 33, 35). Ruth, a Moabitess (Deut. 23:3), a heathen sinner, alienated from God’s promises (Eph. 2:12), given the right to partake of the gleaning of the harvest of God’s elect typifies the “Gentile dogs” who are privileged to partake of the crumbs under the table of the portion of God’s elect children (Col. 1:12; Matt. 15:25-28). (Life-study of Ruth, pp. 14-15)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of 1 Corinthians, msg. 16