Glory Be to Jesus Christ!
🌞
Since in the work published at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
and even earlier in others, published at the 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/12112025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27112024.html
it is written that the use of prepositions has important significance for the correct understanding of important and topical questions, particularly the question of power, I am writing comments regarding the use of precisely these prepositions. As advice regarding reading what is written — one can read the verse in translation or/and original (whoever has such possibility), and then the corresponding comment regarding prepositions here. Then it is necessary to understand which part of the verse the comment concerns, and also to consider what essential for understanding it affirms — or more rarely — denies. Such thoughtful reading helps to deepen understanding and protects from the mentioned mistakes.
I prepared an improved version of my research, the presentation of which is available at the link:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/vystup-2025-hypo-genitive-Romans-XIII_1.pdf
The research material is currently being prepared for publication. I hope, God willing, to present fuller results later after the publication comes out.
I will update the list of references regarding prepositions at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/Pryjmennyky.html
the latter — once or twice a month (in Ukrainian), to keep the text version current and up to date.
Translated from Ukrainian by Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Anthropic AI), with subsequent editing by me.
Strong's references (note: according to Strong) in the translation of the original text mean that the word is taken from Strong's dictionary, and the specific meaning was chosen following the translation and commentary by Google Gemini Fast 3.
As Great Lent has begun, the readings from the New Testament are replaced with readings from the Old Testament, in order to urge people more towards repentance.
As it is spoken of several Ancient Greek (Koine) prepositions, the Old Testament readings will continue to be commented upon, examining the first complete translation into Ancient Greek — the Septuagint.
The most widely read are the book of the prophet Isaiah, who is also called the Old Testament evangelist
on account of the clarity of his prophecies concerning Christ, the book of Genesis, from which we learn much concerning the meaning and the need for salvation and concerning God's will, and the book of the Proverbs of Solomon, which is an instructive canonical book, called to raise a person above the commonplace to the threshold of eternity, to prepare them for the higher through the seeking of wisdom rather than of certain earthly gains. All three books, as indeed the whole of the Old Testament, bear witness to Jesus Christ, notwithstanding that each of the books does so in an entirely different manner.
The theme is very profound, but it must be noted at once that the readers and hearers of the Old Testament in its own time differed from people today. The most essential difference was that the depth of understanding, especially the understanding of repentance, conversion and purification, was being formed at that time, and it is precisely for this reason that the reading of Old Testament books takes place first and foremost in the time of the fast, in the time of repentance and preparation, for that which those people encountered is also relevant today.
At the 6th Hour:
Isaiah LXV, 8 — 'ὁ ῥὼξ ἐν τῷ βότρυι' — 'ho rox en to botryi' - a grape (a single berry) in a bunch (note: according to Strong)
. 'εὐλογία κυρίου ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῷ' - 'eulogia kyriou estin en auto' - the blessing of the Lord is in it
.
Isaiah LXV, 9 — 'ἐξ Ιακωβ' — 'ex Iakob' - from Jacob
. 'ἐξ Ιουδα' - 'ex Iouda' - from Judah
. The preposition 'ek' in its form before the following vowel indicates here whence the Descendant — that is, Christ — will be.
Isaiah LXV, 10 — 'ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ' — 'en to drymo' - in the forest (note: according to Strong)
. Where. 'φάραγξ Αχωρ εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν βουκολίων' - 'pharanx Akhor eis anapausin boukolion' - the valley of Achor as a resting place for herds of oxen; the valley of Achor for the rest of herds of oxen
. The preposition 'eis' indicates here what the Lord will make that valley.
Isaiah LXV, 12 — 'εἰς μάχαιραν' — 'eis makhairan' - for the sword
. That is, those people will lose hope of salvation from the sword. 'πάντες ἐν σφαγῇ πεσεῖσθε' - 'pantes en sphage peseisthe' - all (men, that is, warriors) in slaughter you will make yourselves those who have fallen
. It is difficult to translate correctly the middle voice of the future tense verb. What is spoken of is the fact that those men (in the context of war — warriors, but here what is meant is not necessarily war, but also spiritual struggle) have made themselves destined to become victims, for they have abandoned the Lord. The Lord will permit them to become victims of their own actions, of their own forgetting, abandonment of God, impenitence, and apostasy.
Isaiah LXV, 14 — 'ἀγαλλιάσονται ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ' — 'agalliasontai en euphrosyne' - they will exult with great joy; they will be lifted up in joy; they will be lifted up with joy
. The second or third translation is more literal. 'ἀπὸ συντριβῆς πνεύματος ὀλολύξετε' - 'apo syntribes pneumatos ololyxete' - from the breaking of the spirit you will wail loudly (cry out)
. The preposition 'apo' here indicates an additional cause that is not the primary one. That is, people will wail loudly, and at the same time their spirit will be broken
. These are two realities that exist side by side, together, but are not cause and effect — they describe a twofold suffering
. Now repentance leads to salvation, but then the sight of truth will not comfort those who have departed from it.
Isaiah LXV, 15 — 'εἰς πλησμονὴν τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς μου' — 'eis plesmonen tois eklektois mou' - for the satiety (fullness) of my chosen ones
. This is difficult to understand clearly; one may think that what is spoken of is something that will not be obligatory from among God's gifts to the faithful, something surplus
(a parallel with the Gospel image of taking and transferring the talent of the wicked servant who buried it in the ground). Google Gemini Pro explains important details of the texts. Here we encounter a classic and very vivid example of how the Greek translation conceptually diverges from the Hebrew Masoretic text (MT) on account of the particularities of reading ancient consonantal writing.
1) The Masoretic text (MT): In the Hebrew original the word לִשְׁבוּעָה (lishvu'ah) stands, meaning 'for a curse' or 'for an oath'. This is why most modern translations render it thus: 'And you will leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse…'. The meaning is that the name of the apostates will become proverbial — it will be used for cursing.
2) The Greek text (LXX): The translators of the Septuagint had before them a text without vowels (vocalisation). They read the Hebrew root שבע (sh-b-a) not through the letter 'shin' (ש — to swear), but through 'sin' (שׂ — to be satiated, to be satisfied).
Result: Instead of 'curse' they translated this word as πλησμονή (satiety, fullness).
If in the MT what is spoken of is judgement and a curse, then in the Greek tradition this verse acquires a different but no less profound context.
It is worth looking at the preceding verses (Isaiah 65:13), where God sharply contrasts the fate of the righteous and the sinners: 'Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall go hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty…'
In this context the phrase 'εἰς πλησμονὴν τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς μου' means that the wicked will leave their name (or their inheritance, wealth, place) so that God's chosen ones may be filled. That is, what belonged to the apostates will now serve for the fullness, satisfaction, and 'satiety' of those who preserved their faithfulness to God.
This is a wonderful illustration of how the different vocalisation of a single Hebrew root creates two parallel but theologically grounded traditions of understanding the text.
Isaiah as an Old Testament person prophesies concerning God's judgement and the reward of the faithful.
Isaiah LXV, 10 — valley
— a place where one can renew one's strength (movement in hilly terrain requires effort, whilst a valley is a place where one can conserve, increase, and renew them — an image understandable to shepherds and inhabitants of regions where there is no plain).
To leave a name
— this means to lose power, that is, in the Kingdom of God evil people will lose all power.
To swear by a name
— this is a synonym for power here (people swore as a mark of the certainty, and hence the power, of their words). That is, in the Kingdom of God the faithful will have power from God.
Concerning oaths and power see the fine work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/PowerOfHuman.html
In part this also concerns the New Testament, but fully — in the Kingdom of God.
More concerning the readings from the Prophets see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/06042023.html
At Vespers:
Genesis XLVI, 2 — 'ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς' — 'en oramati tes nyktos' - in a vision of the night; in a night vision
.
Genesis XLVI, 3 — 'μὴ φοβοῦ καταβῆναι εἰς Αἴγυπτον' — 'me phobou katabenai eis Aigypton' - do not frighten yourself (do not be afraid) to go down to Egypt
. That is, whither. The middle voice indicates that Jacob could be frightening himself, causing himself fear, which he need not do. 'εἰς γὰρ ἔθνος μέγα ποιήσω σε ἐκεῖ' - 'eis gar ethnos mega poieso se ekei' - for I will make you into a great nation (a great nation) there
. The preposition 'eis' indicates here what the Lord will transform these events into.
Genesis XLVI, 4 — 'ἐγὼ καταβήσομαι μετὰ σοῦ εἰς Αἴγυπτον' — 'ego katabesomai meta sou eis Aigypton' - I will go down with you to Egypt
. Analogous to the preceding. 'εἰς τέλος' - 'eis telos' - to the end; to the completion
. That is, the Lord will care for Jacob there right until his death.
Genesis XLVI, 5 — 'ἀπὸ τοῦ φρέατος τοῦ ὅρκου' — 'apo tou phreatos tou orkou' - from the well of the oath
. In the Hebrew text here is Beer-Sheba, that is, the place of God's earlier appearance to Jacob. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that Jacob departed from that well.
Genesis XLVI, 6, 7 — 'ἐν γῇ Χανααν' — 'en ge Khanaan' - in the land of Canaan
. Where. 'εἰς Αἴγυπτον' - 'eis Aigypton' - into Egypt; to Egypt
. That is, whither.
Just as in another reading (see below), the Lord appears to Jacob again and blesses him.
This also fulfils the promise to Abraham concerning the resettlement of his descendants to Egypt (see:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24032026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28032023.html
)
More concerning the readings from the Law see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/06042023.html
Proverbs XXIII, 17 — 'ἐν φόβῳ κυρίου' — 'en phobo kyriou' - in the fear of the Lord
. Concerning the fear of God see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/DialogueOnWordsChristFear.html
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mereza/posts/3554517061513547/
Proverbs XXIII, 30 — 'ἐν οἴνοις' — 'en oinois' - in wines
. That is, what is spoken of is drunkenness.
Proverbs XXIII, 31 — 'ὁμιλεῖτε ἐν περιπάτοις' — 'omileite en peripatois' - converse on walks; converse during walks
. When. 'εἰς τὰς φιάλας καὶ τὰ ποτήρια' - 'eis tas phialas kai ta poteria' - for goblets and drinking cups (or cups for wine)
. Again what is spoken of is drunkenness.
Proverbs XXIII, 32 — 'ὥσπερ ὑπὸ ὄφεως πεπληγὼς' — 'hosper hypo opheos peplegos' - as one stung by a snake
. The preposition 'hypo' here with the genitive case indicates that this is the passive voice of the participle one stung
. 'ὥσπερ ὑπὸ κεράστου' - 'hosper hypo kerastou' - as though through a horned (venomous) snake (note: according to Strong)
. The preposition 'hypo' here with the genitive case indicates that the venom acts through the snake, which acts as an intermediary for its effect upon the organism. Drunkenness is compared with being poisoned by a snake.
Proverbs XXIII, 34 — 'κατακείσῃ ὥσπερ ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης καὶ ὥσπερ κυβερνήτης ἐν πολλῷ κλύδωνι' — 'katakeise hosper en kardia thalasses kai hosper kybernetes en pollo klydoni' - you will lie (ill) as though in the heart of the sea and as a helmsman in a great storm (waves of water)
. A comparison of the state of a drunken person.
Proverbs XXIV, 4 — 'μετὰ αἰσθήσεως ἐμπίμπλαται ταμίεια ἐκ παντὸς πλούτου τιμίου καὶ καλοῦ' — 'meta aistheseos empimplatai tamieia ek pantos ploutou timiou kai kalou' - with perception (knowledge) the inner rooms (which are not shown to outsiders) are filled from all wealth precious and beautiful (good in the highest degree)
. The preposition 'ek' here indicates that what is spoken of is more the spiritual riches and how God, their master, endows the person — they pass from God to the person as his gift. There is here a parallel with the Sermon on the Mount, where the inner room is also spoken of. See more at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21022026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01032025.html
The general instructions — more expansive than many of the preceding ones — are predominantly against drunkenness and captivation by wine, against faithlessness, and also against captivation by various passions, against idleness and laziness. A call to heeding advice and instructions, especially from the older (in particular parents), to wisdom, good household management, and uprightness.
More concerning the readings from the Didactic and Poetic Books see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/06042023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!