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 4.5 (Anthropic AI), with subsequent editing by me.
Liturgy:
1 John II, 7, 13, 14 — 'ἀπ' ἀρχῆς' — 'ap arkhes' - from the beginning
. The preposition 'apo' in its form before the following vowel indicates the beginning of the reckoning of time.
1 John II, 8 — 'ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν' — 'en auto kai en hymin' - in Him and in you
.
1 John II, 9-11 — 'ἐν τῷ φωτὶ' — 'en to photi' - in the light
. 'ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ' - 'en te skotia' - in the darkness
.
1 John II, 10, 15 — 'ἐν αὐτῷ' — 'en auto' - in them (him)
.
1 John II, 14 — 'ἐν ὑμῖν' — 'en hymin' - in you
.
1 John II, 15 — '(τὰ) ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ' — '(ta) en to kosmo' - (those which are) in the world
. Where.
1 John II, 16 — 'πᾶν τὸ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ' - 'pan to en to kosmo' - all that which is in the world
. Where. 'ἀλαζονία' - 'alazonia' - boastfulness, self-praise, show, ostentatious demonstration of pride, haughtiness, arrogance
. 'ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς' - 'ek tou Patros' - from the Father
. 'ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου' - 'ek tou kosmou' - from the world
. The preposition 'ek' indicates the source of origin here. Concerning the Son it is spoken that He is 'ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς'. True, in this verse it is spoken only about the origin of creation, and not of the Son of God, Who incomparably exceeds all creation.
1 John II, 17 — 'εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα' — 'eis ton aiona' - for ever
. Common expression.
The Apostle John in the conclusion of today's reading witnesses about the pagan world, which exists according to tendencies to various sins and sinful passions (analogously to the corresponding places in Paul, James and Peter), and does not realize in full measure the depth of its decline. This is not that which the Lord wishes to save in creation, for He did not create and did not bless all that — sins and passions — but desires to save people themselves, creation which yielded to the fall. Therefore in this place the word world
is a synonym of the opposition of creation to God's intention concerning it. Hence the logic.
darkness has blinded their (his) eyes
— a direct parallel with the words of Jesus about the eye as a lamp for the body
— but if the light that is in thee be darkness, then how great is the (very) darkness?
(Matthew VI, 22-23). The eye ought to give light, and not darkness. If the person is blinded by darkness, then this is not simply the absence of light in their eyes, around, but the presence of evil in perception. And this evil in perception leads to the manifold increase of evil in all conduct, behaviour, thoughts, words, in life, acting as if open doors and a magnifying glass for it.
About the commandment of love — earlier I wrote well about love for enemies.
The Lord Jesus Christ says: Love your enemies.., that ye may be sons of your Father Who is in heaven, Who commandeth His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust
(Matthew V, 44-45).
Why the sun, when it is spoken about good, and rain — when about righteousness? Why not the reverse? Or yet somehow otherwise? For the sun, as also good, the person feels more in comparison with rain, from which he often hides, although he knows how necessary the latter is. So also by good it is simpler to call that which you feel more, better, and by righteousness that which you need more than you feel (although this happens unnoticeably). And also: if you wish to feel God's love more, rejoice in the sun when it shines and warms, and when you wish to be more satisfied, rejoice in the needed rain. One can even with appropriate weather do this as a spiritual exercise. See also:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28012026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/30112025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/05022025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21022024.html
https://www.instagram.com/p/DT6fitxAvd9/?img_index=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2447148835701231&set=pcb.2447150899034358
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
More about the reading from the Apostle, see by the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/14022025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01032024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10022023.html
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
Mark XIV, 3 — 'ἐν Βηθανίᾳ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ Σίμωνος τοῦ λεπροῦ' — 'en Bethania en te oikia Simonos tou leprou' - in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper
. Simon was known to the readers, or well known to many witnesses of the events, or both.
Mark XIV, 4 — 'εἰς τί' — 'eis ti' - for what
. The preposition 'eis' indicates the purpose.
Mark XIV, 6 — 'ἐν ἐμοί' — 'en emoi' - in Me; with Me; to Me
. Often they translate by the last way, but the first two are more grammatically appropriate and indicate that that woman did this under the action of God's grace, therefore in Christ, by Christ (in co-action with Christ's grace), at the same time evidently also for Him.
Mark XIV, 8 — 'εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν' — 'eis ton entaphiasmon' - for preparation in aromatic substances for burial
. The preposition 'eis' indicates the purpose.
Mark XIV, 9 — 'εἰς ὅλον τὸν κόσμον' — 'eis holon ton kosmon' - throughout all the world
. The preposition 'eis' indicates the spreading of the preaching throughout the world. 'εἰς μνημόσυνον' - 'eis mnemosynon' - for remembrance; for memorial; for memory
. The preposition 'eis' indicates the purpose.
The event is described in all 4 evangelists, but there are differences in details, in particular concerning the exact time of the event. In my opinion, the Gospel according to John contains the most details, written by the very eyewitness and participant of the event, written after all the other Gospels, the truthfulness of which John also confirmed, therefore it most accurately sets forth the story of the event. According to him (John XII, 1-8), this woman (whose name the other evangelists concealed, similarly as also the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, so that there would not be an impulse to kill her, as also Lazarus, whilst she lived, as also he) was Saint Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, the myrrh-bearer, one of my beloved saints (not to be confused with Mary Magdalene, my beloved saint, and the other Mary, a kinswoman of the Mother of God, myrrh-bearers). Judas Iscariot also by John is named by name. She hath wrought a good work on Me
— I suppose that she could foresee the approaching sufferings of Jesus (in distinction from the disciples), and also could have prepared beforehand in case of His death, and here decided that there would not be it (at least in the near perspective, taking into account the story with her brother Lazarus). So or otherwise, the Lord providentially shows how He acts through people.
The poor ye have with you always, but Me ye have not always
, — that done for Christ's sake to people, He accepts as done to Himself, but the sense of the words here is in another thing: if anyone expresses in a particular way their great love, then the Lord accepts such visible excess
as one of the good gifts (compare with Judas, who did not love Jesus).
More about the reading from the Gospel, see by the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/14022025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01032024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10022023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!