Ῥούθ (Routh, Ruth) appears once in the Greek New Testament, in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). The single mention gathers up the entire Old Testament testimony about Ruth and sets it within the messianic lineage.

Historical Background

• Timeframe: The events of Ruth transpire “in the days when the judges ruled” (Ruth 1:1), a morally turbulent era for Israel.
• Origin: Ruth is a Moabitess, a descendant of Lot. Moabites were normally excluded “to the tenth generation” (Deuteronomy 23:3), yet the book bearing her name demonstrates God’s sovereign grace overcoming ethnic barriers.
• Setting: Bethlehem and the surrounding fields provide the backdrop, foreshadowing the birthplace of the Messiah.

Narrative Overview

Ruth’s account unfolds through four movements:

1. Tragedy and Loyalty – After famine drives Elimelech’s family to Moab and death claims the male heads of household, Ruth cleaves to Naomi, declaring, “Your people will be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16).
2. Gleaning and Providence – Ruth exercises diligence in Boaz’s fields, illustrating the love embedded in Levitical gleaning statutes (Leviticus 19:9-10).
3. Redemption at the Threshing Floor – Boaz undertakes the role of kinsman-redeemer, answering the requirements of Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 25.
4. Marriage and Birth – Obed is born, “the father of Jesse, the father of David” (Ruth 4:17), threading Ruth into royal and ultimately messianic ancestry.

Genealogical Significance

Matthew 1:5 records, “Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse.” Ruth is one of five women highlighted in the Matthean genealogy (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Mary). Her inclusion:
• Affirms the historicity of David’s line.
• Demonstrates God’s purposeful incorporation of a Gentile into the messianic family tree, anticipating the worldwide scope of the gospel (Galatians 3:8).

Theological Themes

1. Covenant Loyalty (חֶסֶד, hesed) – Ruth mirrors divine steadfast love through her devotion to Naomi.
2. Redemption – Boaz redeems both land and lineage; the motif finds ultimate fulfillment in Christ, “our Kinsman-Redeemer” (compare Ephesians 1:7).
3. Providence – Ordinary decisions (gleaning, legal negotiations) reveal God’s unseen orchestration.
4. Inclusion of the Nations – Ruth’s conversion prefigures the ingathering of Gentiles (Isaiah 56:6-8).

Foreshadowing of Christ

• Boaz’s willingness to redeem at personal cost typifies Jesus, who pays the price for His bride (1 Peter 1:18-19).
• Ruth, the foreign bride, symbolizes the church, “once far off” but now brought near (Ephesians 2:13).
• Bethlehem links Ruth’s narrative with both David’s birthplace and the incarnation (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Evangelism: Ruth underscores that no ethnic or cultural background excludes one from God’s redemptive plan.
• Discipleship: Her perseverance encourages believers facing loss and transition.
• Social Ethics: The gleaning episode supports compassionate provision for the vulnerable.
• Marriage and Family: The account models godly courtship marked by integrity and mutual respect.

Key Passages for Study

• Ruth 1:16-17 – Ruth’s confession of faith and loyalty
• Ruth 2:12 – Boaz acknowledges divine reward for trust
• Ruth 3:9 – Request for redemption under Boaz’s “wing”
• Ruth 4:14-17 – Community blessing and genealogy
• Matthew 1:5 – New Testament affirmation of Ruth’s place in the Messiah’s line

Jewish and Early Christian Reception

Jewish tradition reads Ruth at Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), celebrating both harvest and covenant reception—motifs resonant with Acts 2. Early Christian writers such as Augustine cited Ruth as evidence of predestination and grace transcending lineage.

Summary

Though mentioned only once in the Greek New Testament, Ῥούθ stands as a luminous testament to God’s providence, covenant faithfulness, and redemptive purpose that culminate in Jesus Christ.