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 XLV, 14 — ‘ἐν σοὶ’ - ‘en soi’ - ‘in you’.
Isaiah XLV, 16 — ‘ἐν αἰσχύνῃ’ - ‘en aiskhyne’ - ‘in shame’.
Isaiah XLV, 17 — ‘Ισραηλ σῴζεται ὑπὸ κυρίου σωτηρίαν αἰώνιον’ - ‘Israel sezetai hypo kyriou soterian aionion’ - ‘Israel will be saved through the Lord (with) salvation eternal (everlasting); Israel will be saved by the Lord (with) eternal salvation’. It is not entirely clear grammatically, but the meaning is that Israel (i.e. the faithful) will be saved by the Lord, through the Lord, from the Lord, and this salvation will be eternal. A prophecy of the two Comings of Christ. The preposition ‘hypo’ is here with the genitive case and indicates through Whom the salvation of Israel (the faithful) will take place, Who is the Saviour.
For more on the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/19042024.html
At vespers:
Genesis XXII, 2 — ‘εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν ὑψηλὴν’ - ‘eis ten gen ten hypselen’ - ‘into the high earth’. That is, to the mountain. ‘ἀνένεγκον αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν’ - ‘anenenkon auton ekei eis holokarposin’ - ‘offer him there as a whole burnt offering’ (a sacrifice that is completely burnt). God is telling Abraham to do exactly what He has promised to do - to sacrifice His Son. This is the testing of Abraham's faith - God had previously promised to fulfil His promises to Abraham in Isaac, then miraculously granted Isaac, and now He Himself tells Abraham to sacrifice him. It seems that He contradicts Himself, but these are not mutually exclusive words and promises, if only… Isaac lives and has descendants. Abraham had to believe that this would be the case. Any other option would make Abraham's faith not valuable, but false, even evil. Abraham had to trust God about something he did not know, but which God had promised to fulfil. Abraham also had to believe that it was God Who spoke to him.
Genesis XXII, 3 — ‘ξύλα εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν’ - ‘xyla eis holokarposin’ - ‘wood for a burnt offering’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates the purpose here.
Genesis XXII, 7 — ‘τὸ πρόβατον τὸ εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν’ - ‘to probaton to eis holokarposin’ - ‘the lamb that is for the burnt offering’.
Genesis XXII, 8 — ‘πρόβατον εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν’ - ‘probaton eis holokarposin’ - ‘the lamb for a burnt offering’.
Genesis XXII, 11 — ‘ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ’ - ‘angelos kyriou ek tou ouranou’ - ‘the angel (messenger) of the Lord from heaven’. That is, where that Angel (Messenger) came from. Considering everything that is said in the Scriptures, here we can see the Son of God Himself, the Second Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity. See more at the links below.
Genesis XXII, 13 — ‘ἐν φυτῷ σαβεκ’ - ‘en phyto sabek’ - ‘in the planting of the sabek’. This is an obscure word, not Ancient Greek. ‘εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν’ - ‘eis holokarposin’ - ‘into a burnt offering; for a burnt offering'. The same as above.
Genesis XXII, 14 — ‘ἐν τῷ ὄρει κύριος ὤφθη’ - ‘en to orei kyrios ophthe’ - ‘on the mountain the Lord was seen’.
Genesis XXII, 15 — ‘ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ’ - ‘ek tou ouranou’ - ‘from the heaven’. That is, where the Angel is from.
Genesis XXII, 17 — ‘ὡς τὴν ἄμμον τὴν παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης’ - ‘hos ten ammon ten para to kheilos tes thalasses’ - ‘like the sand along the seashore’. The preposition ‘para’ is here with an accusative and indicates that the sand is along the seashore.
Genesis XXII, 18 — ‘ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς’ - ‘eneulogethesontai en to spermati sou panta ta ethne tes ges’ - ‘and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in your seed (singular).’ That is, all people. This is Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul explains.
For more information about the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/30032025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/03072024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/19042024.html
Proverbs XVII, 17 — ‘εἰς πάντα καιρὸν’ - ‘eis panta kairon’ - ‘for all time (at every significant change of state)’. ‘ἐν ἀνάγκαις’ - ‘en anankais’ - ‘in need’. That is, when needed.
Proverbs XVII, 20 — ‘ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακά’ - ‘empeseitai eis kaka’ - ‘he will cast himself into the midst of the evil ones’. That is, he will become evil, and will also cause his own hard life.
Proverbs XVII, 23 — ‘ἐν κόλπῳ’ - ‘en kolpo’ - ‘into a bosom'. This means secretly, so that it is not seen.
Proverbs XVIII, 1 — ‘χωρίζεσθαι ἀπὸ φίλων’ - ‘khorizesthai apo philon’ - ‘to separate from friends’. The preposition ‘apo’ here indicates that such a person wants to separate himself completely, to become separate from his friends. ‘ἐν παντὶ δὲ καιρῷ’ - ‘en panti de kairo’ - ‘at all times; at every opportunity; at every significant change’. Different translations are possible, and they complement each other.
Proverbs XVIII, 3 — ‘εἰς βάθος κακῶν’ - ‘eis bathos kakon’ - ‘into the depth of the evil ones’. That is, when a person falls low and deliberately moves away from God. The plural can indicate various sins and vices in which the wicked person is rooted and hardened.
Proverbs XVIII, 4 — ‘ὕδωρ βαθὺ λόγος ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνδρός’ - ‘hydor bathy logos en kardia andros’ - ‘deep water is the word in a man's heart’. In other words, a masculine trait is to think over words well, to have depth of thought, depth of statement. There is also a mystical meaning and prophecy that through water Baptism, sins are forgiven, which is impossible without the cleansing of the heart, and union with the Logos, the Word, the Son of God takes place.
Proverbs XVIII, 5 — ‘ἐν κρίσει’ - ‘en krisei’ - ‘in judgement’.
For more on the reading, please refer to the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/19042024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!