Glory Be to Jesus Christ!
🌞
Since in the works published at the following links:
https://churchandsociety.org.ua/pdf/projects/zbirnyk.pdf
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/17082024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27112024.html
it is written that the use of prepositions is important for the correct understanding of important and actual issues, in particular the issue of power, I am writing commentaries on the use of these prepositions. As a piece of advice on how to read the text, you can read the verse in translation and/or in the original (if you have the opportunity), and then the commentary on prepositions here. Next, you need to understand which part of the verse the commentary refers to, and consider what it affirms — or less often, denies — that is essential to understanding. This thoughtful reading helps to deepen understanding and protects against the mistakes mentioned above.
As Lent has begun, the readings from the New Testament are replaced by readings from the Old Testament to encourage people to repentance.
Since I am commenting on several Ancient Greek (koine) prepositions, I will continue to comment on the Old Testament readings by looking at the first complete translation into Ancient Greek, the Septuagint.
In the 6th hour:
Isaiah XLI, 4 — ‘ἀπὸ γενεῶν ἀρχῆς’ - ‘apo geneon arkhes’ - ‘from the generations of the beginning’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates the beginning of the counting. ‘ἐγὼ θεὸς πρῶτος καὶ εἰς τὰ ἐπερχόμενα ἐγώ εἰμι’ - ‘ego theos protos kai eis ta eperkhomena ego eimi’ - ‘I am the First God, and for those who are overtaken (attacked), I am’. This is a difficult place to translate in the Greek text. We can see that it means that God is Majestic and the Most High, but also supports the weak and infirm. The reference is to Jesus Christ.
Isaiah XLI, 7 — ‘ἐν ἥλοις’ - ‘en helois’ - ‘with nails’.
Isaiah XLI, 9 — ‘ἀπ’ ἄκρων τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐκ τῶν σκοπιῶν αὐτῆς' - ap akron tes ges kai ek ton skopion autes
- ’out of the ends of the earth and from the horizons (i.e., a complete view of the territory, as far as it can be observed, seen) of it’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates here that the Lord called the Israelites (more generally, the faithful) from distant lands, they left those lands altogether, i.e. there is a direct parallel with the exodus from Egypt. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates that at the same time the Israelites (more generally, the faithful) settled in the breadth of the whole earth, i.e. as far as it can be seen - a double prophecy here - that people will settle throughout the earth before the Second Coming. The only question is whether the earth here is the visible Universe, the Galaxy, the Solar System, our planet or some part of it.
Isaiah XLI, 12 — ‘οἳ παροινήσουσιν εἰς σέ’ - ‘hoi paroinesousin eis se’ - ‘those who will behave as if drunk with wine against you’.
For more on the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/17042024.html
At vespers:
Genesis XVII, 6 — ‘καὶ θήσω σε εἰς ἔθνη καὶ βασιλεῖς ἐκ σοῦ ἐξελεύσονται’ - ‘kai theso se eis ethne kai basileis ek sou exeleusontai’ - ‘and I will put you into nations, and kings will come forth from you’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates here that Abraham will become the father of nations, and the preposition ‘ek’ indicates here where the kings promised by God will come from.
Genesis XVII, 7 — ‘εἰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν εἰς διαθήκην αἰώνιον’ - ‘eis geneas auton eis diatheken aionion’ - ‘in their generation for an eternal covenant’. This refers to what God's covenant with Abraham will be.
Genesis XVII, 8 — ‘εἰς κατάσχεσιν αἰώνιον’ - ‘eis kataskhesin aionion’ - ‘to an everlasting possession; for an everlasting possession’. Both translations are possible.
Genesis XVII, 9 — ‘εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν’ - ‘eis tas geneas auton’ - ‘in their generations’. That is, the Covenant of God will be ‘placed’ into Abraham's descendants. The parallel is with ‘I will put My Law in their hearts’ in the prophets and ‘the Kingdom of God is within you’ in Christ. Also in this regard, the parallel with the Mother of God.
For more on the reading, please refer to the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/17042024.html
Proverbs XV, 22 — ‘ἐν δὲ καρδίαις’ - ‘en de kardiais’ - ‘but in the hearts'.
Proverbs XV, 24 — ‘ἐκ τοῦ ᾅδου’ - ‘ek tou hadou’ - ‘from Hades’. That is, to move away from what.
Proverbs XV, 27 — ‘πᾶς ἀπὸ κακοῦ’ - ‘pas apo kakou’ - ‘from all evil’. The preposition ‘apo’ here indicates that it will be completely, totally, utterly removed.
Proverbs XV, 28 — ‘δεκταὶ παρὰ κυρίῳ ὁδοὶ ἀνθρώπων δικαίων’ - ‘dektai para kyrio hodoi anthropon dikaion’ - ‘the ways of a righteous human being are acceptable in the vicinity of the Lord’. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the dative case and indicates that it means that the life of a righteous person and their behaviour are accepted by God and blessed by Him.
Proverbs XV, 29 — ἀπὸ ἀσεβῶν - apo asebon - ‘from the wicked ones; from the ungodly ones’. There is a double meaning here - these people are moving away from God, but He is also completely different from their lives. ‘ἵνα ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ διορθωθῇ τὰ διαβήματα αὐτοῦ’ - ‘hina hypo tou theou diorthothe ta diabemata autou’ - ‘that through God his steps may be rectified (straightened)'. The preposition ‘hypo’ here is with the genitive case and indicates that it is through God that man is corrected to goodness and righteousness.
Proverbs XVI, 2 — ‘πάντα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ταπεινοῦ φανερὰ παρὰ τῷ θεῷ’ - ‘panta ta erga tou tapeinou phanera para to theo’ - ‘all the works of the humble are revealed in the vicinity of God’. That is, the true meaning of humility is visible in God's presence, when God is close. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the dative case and indicates God's nearness. ‘ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῇ’ - ‘en hemera kake’ - ‘in an evil day’. That is, in a difficult time.
Proverbs XVI, 5 — ‘ἀκάθαρτος παρὰ θεῷ πᾶς ὑψηλοκάρδιος’ - ‘akathartos para theo pas hypselokadios’ - ‘everyone with a proud heart is unclean before God; everyone who is haughty (arrogant, puffed up) is unclean before God’. The preposition ‘para’ is with the dative case here and indicates that the falsity and impurity of haughtiness are evident when God is near.
Proverbs XVI, 7 — ‘ἀρχὴ ὁδοῦ ἀγαθῆς τὸ ποιεῖν τὰ δίκαια δεκτὰ δὲ παρὰ θεῷ μᾶλλον ἢ θύειν θυσίας’ - ‘arkhe hodou agathes to poiein ta dikaia dekta de para theo mallon he thyein thysias’ - ‘the beginning of a good way to do righteous (deeds) is more acceptable in the vicinity of God, than to offer sacrifices’. That is, righteousness and repentance are better than sacrifices. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the dative case and indicates nearness to God.
Proverbs XVI, 9 — ‘πάντα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ κυρίου μετὰ δικαιοσύνης φυλάσσεται δὲ ὁ ἀσεβὴς εἰς ἡμέραν κακήν’ - ‘panta ta erga tou kyriou meta dikaiosynes phylassetai de ho asebes eis hemeran kaken’ - ‘all the works of the Lord are righteous, but the wicked man keeps himself (‘holds himself’) for the day of evil’. That is, the wicked person keeps themselves in a state of sin, for sin.
For more on the reading, please refer to the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/17042024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!