Ruth: 3:1-9; a study on chesed – the substance of all things, God’s glory.

Title: Ruth: 3:1-9; a study on chesed - the substance of all things, God’s glory.

 

Everyone who follows Christ will have great and rewarding relationships, challenging ones, and enemies. Think of the glory that was in the room when Christ stood in front of the Sanhedrin. Think of the glory that shown to each of those religious leaders. Think of the glory that shown to Pilate when he interviewed Christ. Think of the glory that Jesus shared with Peter, James, and John. Think of the glory that He shares with you.

 

The other person and the relationship are a gift from God which gives us the opportunity to grasp and see His glory in them and in the experience of the relationship.

 

ROM 16:3 Greet Prisca (Pree-skah) and Aquila (Akoo-lah), my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

 

ROM 16:4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

 

ROM 16:5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus (Ep-eye-na-tus), my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

 

Paul met Prisca [a diminutive form of Priscilla] and Aquila in Corinth and they greatly supported him.

 

ROM 16:6 Greet Mary (Maria), who has worked hard for you.

 

ROM 16:7 Greet Andronicus (Ahn-dro-nikos) and Junias (You-nee-ah), my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

 

ROM 16:8 Greet Ampliatus (Ahm-plee-lah-tos) [common imperial name], my beloved in the Lord.

 

ROM 16:9 Greet Urbanus (Ur-bah-nos) [common slave name], our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys (Stah-hoos) [rare name] my beloved.

 

ROM 16:10 Greet Apelles (Ah-pel-ays) [common name], the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus (Aris-tow-bel-os) [name of some of Maccabaeus’ house].

 

ROM 16:11 Greet Herodion (Heir-o-dee-own) [a Jew from the house of Herod], my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus (Nar-kee-sos) [common Roman name], who are in the Lord.

 

ROM 16:12 Greet Tryphaena (Tru-fine-ah) and Tryphosa (Tru-fos-ah) [names mean “live in luxury, possibly sisters], workers in the Lord. Greet Persis (Pair-sees) [likely a female slave or former slave] the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord.

 

ROM 16:13 Greet Rufus (Rue-fas) [could be the son of Simon of Cyrene, the man who helped Christ carry the cross], a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine [mother possibly took care of Paul in Antioch].

 

ROM 16:14 Greet Asyncritus (Ah-sin-kree-tos), Phlegon (Fle-gon) [common name], Hermes (Heir-mays) [common name and name of Greek god called Mercury by the Romans], Patrobas (Pah-tro-bas), Hermas (Heir-mahs) and the brethren with them.

 

ROM 16:15 Greet Philologus (Fil-lo-logos) and Julia (You-lee-ah), Nereus (Neh-rus) and his sister, and Olympas (O-lym-pas) [all likely of the same family who had a church in their house], and all the saints who are with them.

 

ROM 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

 

Besides Priscilla and Aquila and maybe Rufus, we know nothing about these people other than that they were faithful to God and therefore to Paul and his ministry. What we also notice is that they are greeted and commended differently. 

 

Each relationship is unique and so it contains an aspect of the glory of God that is also unique.

 

Each one is unique. I don’t see this as some generic glory that blankets every relationship. Each relationship is real and unique and there is an aspect of the glory of God in each of them that is unique. No two relationships are identical. There is no need to overanalyze each relationship. Relationships are not science experiments. With clarity of sight through the word of God and the Spirit of God we will see the substance easily.

 

The relationships we have with enemies are also unique and there is an aspect of the glory of God in them also.

 

ROM 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.

 

ROM 16:18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

 

ROM 16:19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.

 

ROM 16:20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

 

Paul’s encounters with evil men showed him the glory of God that would provide for him and deal with them.

 

2TI 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

 

2TI 4:15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.

 

2TI 4:16 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.

 

2TI 4:17 But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth.

 

2TI 4:18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

God allowed Alexander and Hymenaeus to greatly harm Paul so that Paul would see clearly that God would deliver him from every evil deed.

 

We all need to know this as well, I’m sure.

 

How was Paul able to write verse 18 with such conviction? God allowed Alexander and his partner Hymenaeus to greatly harm him. The glory of God was in this relationship and Paul inherited the glory that was the real substance of it.

 

There is not one generic glory that blankets every relationship. Each relationship is real and unique and there is an aspect of the glory of God in each of them that is unique. No two relationships are identical. There is no need to overanalyze each relationship. Relationships are not science experiments. With clarity of sight through the word of God and the Spirit of God we will see the substance easily.

 

Again:

The glory of God in each relationship is eternal and it is inherited. The meek shall inherit the earth.

 

JOH 11:38 Jesus therefore again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

 

JOH 11:39 Jesus said, "Remove the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days."

 

Martha was not seeing the glory of God in this event. Rather than stand poised and electric waiting to see one of the greatest displays of divine power, by failing to see the glory of God, she only expected the most commonplace and mundane thing. If we do not see the glory of God in the people and things in our own lives then all we will see is the commonplace and mundane. Is it any wonder that man is so dependent on stimulants, chemical and otherwise?

 

JOH 11:40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"

 

On Paul’s third missionary journey, as he was headed for home he stopped in Miletus, just south of Ephesus and called the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet him so that he might encourage them. He closed his discussion with this:

 

ACT 20:32"And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

 

ACT 20:33 "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes.

 

ACT 20:34 "You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.

 

ACT 20:35 "In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

 

Paul said, “I didn’t take from others, I gave to them. I fulfilled my own needs. I helped the weak (mercy) and so followed Christ’s example, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” That is chesed. That is mercy or lovingkindness.

 

These elders would never see Paul again, but there was a substance to their relationship, the glory of God in it, that both they and Paul would never lose.

 

We continue in the substance of relationships. It is mercy and love. Also:

The substance is spontaneous kindness, patience, graciousness, forgiveness, shared truth, endurance, compassion, support, faithfulness, and more. All of these are invisible and immeasurable.

 

I wrote these things taken from the definition of agape love in 1CO 13:4-8. At the end of that definition, Paul writes that love is eternal.