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the initial or foundational work but what is beautiful and

comely. Every feature corresponds to Christ.

There is this woman; she is a woman of the city and she is a

sinner. The Pharisee said, “She is a sinner”. He said to

himself, “This person if he were a prophet, would have known

who and what the woman is who touches him, for she is a

sinner”—“who and what”. He is referring to her history; he is

referring to what she is— black, but he does not see any

comeliness. Now “who” is personality; “what” is substantiality,

and the Lord proceeds in this matter to bring out what was

there in that woman who, according—to Simon, was a sinner. I

think Simon corresponds with what Boaz spoke to Ruth about.

I did not read the whole of the section, but he said to her, “all

the gate of my people knows that thou art a woman of worth”.

In Boaz’

estimation she was comely. After saying, “for all the gate of my

people knows that thou art a woman of worth”, he says, Yes, I

could redeem you, but there is one, who has the right of

redemption closer than I. I think Simon represents that, that is,

the one who had the first right.

The man in Ruth was willing until Ruth became involved.

Simon represents that side. So when the matter comes up he

says, No, I cannot touch it. Like

Simon, he would not touch the woman; he is standing apart

from her. When the question comes up he is prepared to take

on the inheritance but not Ruth. She was the liability, she was

the encumbrance, she was the hindrance; he would take the

thing on, the inheritance, but not her.

But here, the Lord Jesus, in spite of her history, is prepared to

take her on. Whatever we were in our history He is prepared to

take us on and bring about something by the Spirit which is

entirely corresponding to Himself. I think these two women

bring that out. But it comes to the point where, the history