The Providence of God on Display: Best Commentaries on Ruth
While the LORD is described as explicitly acting only twice in the book of Ruth, it is a Biblical short story that puts the providence of God on display.
While the LORD is described as explicitly acting only twice in the book of Ruth, it is a Biblical short story that puts the providence of God on display. Sinclair Ferguson comments that ““The book of Ruth is proof that God is at work in the ordinary, and that His providence is never accidental.” [1] It proves that God has a heart to bring his people out of the political and moral chaos of corruption and sin and into order, peace, and into his kingdom. It proves that he is faithful to carry out his kingdom promises through tragedy and the kindness offered in the midst of it all. The following list of recommended commentaries should be a help and tool for those trying to be faithful in preaching and teaching through an oft overlooked and misunderstood book of history, the book of Ruth.
Note: I have organized the commentaries categorically in terms of commentary type or style (Academic/Scholarly, Verse by Verse/Accessible, Homiletical/Popular Level).
Academic/Scholarly – Commentaries that have extensive historical analysis and research behind them as they also deal extensively with the text in the original language, and have clearly consulted the bulk of the available and relevant literature, both critical and evangelical.
Frederick W. Bush, Ruth-Esther – Word Biblical Commentary
This is the most extensive, verse by verse, technical treatment of the text of Ruth. It leaves no stones unturned. A help to those with questions on some of the more difficult constructs in Ruth, such as Ruth 1:13 and 2:7.
Robert L. Hubbard Jr., The Book of Ruth - NICOT
This is my top-rated commentary on Ruth. I agree with Kieth Mathison’s thoughts that “Robert Hubbard’s commentary on Ruth is a model of how commentaries should be written.” Hubbard is very insightful on the cultural context and helpful on the textual matters that preachers need. It’s thorough without being overly verbose. It’s scholarly without being too academic. It’s done with the New Testament in mind without moving past the Old Testament text too hastily. He engages with the Hebrew in a helpful but not overbearing way.
Verse by Verse/Accessible – Commentaries that provide helpful and enlightening historical insights while commenting in fair depth on every verse in the book, without going too deep into text criticism or the original languages. These commentaries deal helpfully with the theology of the books at hand.
Daniel I. Block, Judges, Ruth – New American Commentary
Block’s work on Ruth and Judges is widely regarded as a classic. While it was published back in 1999, and is at risk of becoming dated in various ways, it has been called “the standard” on Judges and Ruth. Block’s work is thorough, scholarly, clear, well organized, and is helpful for preachers trying to dive into the textual (both Hebrew and English) and historical world of Ruth.
Lawson Younger, Judges, Ruth – The NIV Application Commentary
I had to acknowledge the work of my own professor, K. Lawson Younger Junior. While these commentaries require quite a bit of reading, this one is time-tested and useful for working from ancient text to modern context and application. Younger’s work is pastoral, careful, thoughtful, and helpful.
Homiletical/Popular Level – Commentaries that provide summarizing insights that read more like a sermon and deal more with application than interpretation. These can be particularly helpful to reference toward the end of the sermon preparation process.
David Atkinson, The Message of Ruth – The Bible Speaks Today
John Glynn rightly includes this work in his “ultimate commentary collection.” As preachers who regularly consult the TBST series have come to expect, Atkinson’s volume is a passage-by-passage exposition of Ruth in a way that brings out God’s message of his providence at work through a seemingly mundane and ordinary story in anticipation of the greatest work of his providence, the birth of Ruth’s greater Son.
Christopher Ash, Teaching Ruth & Esther: From Text to Message - Proclamation Trust
Christopher offers a distinctly Christian handling of the book of Ruth. He offers practical tips, not only for preachers but also for Bible study leaders. He even warns, at many turns, of the wrong way for preachers to go in handling Ruth. This is a must-have for anyone preparing to preach or teach Ruth.
Other Helpful Mark Resources
While not a commentary on Ruth, Webb offers this wonderful contribution to the New Studies in Biblical Theology on what are traditionally known as “the Scrolls” - Song, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, lectionary readings for five of the major Jewish festivals. This, like Ash, is a distinctly Christian interpretation of these apparently problematic writings. One review rightly describes his work as “allowing each book to set its own agenda, and examining each in relation to the wider Old Testament and to the New Testament gospel with its basic structure of promise and fulfillment.”
Alistair Begg - Preaching the Gospel from Ruth – TGC
This video lecture is a bounty of helpful insights on preaching the Christian Gospel from the book of Ruth. I would highly recommend listening to it in preparation for preaching through Ruth in a series.
Footnotes:
Sinclair Ferguson, Faithful God: An Exposition of the Book of Ruth Paperback
