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 started, 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 considering the first complete translation into Ancient Greek, the Septuagint.
At the 6th hour:
Isaiah II, 11, 17 — ‘ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ’ - ‘en te hemera ekeine’ - ‘in that day; on that day’.
Isaiah II, 19 — ‘εἰς τὰ σπήλαια καὶ εἰς τὰς σχισμὰς τῶν πετρῶν καὶ εἰς τὰς τρώγλας τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ φόβου κυρίου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ’ - ‘eis ta spelaia kai eis tas skhismas ton petron kai eis tas troglas tes ges apo prosopou tou phobou kyriou kai apo tes doxes tes iskhyos autou’ - ‘into the caves and into the caverns of the rocks and into the holes of the earth from the face of the fear of the Lord and from the glory of His power’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates where they will move (although that movement is futile), and the preposition ‘apo’ indicates what they will flee from (again, futilely), so as to have nothing in common. It is possible to distance oneself from God, but it is impossible to do so completely, entirely.
Isaiah II, 21 — ‘εἰς τὰς τρώγλας τῆς στερεᾶς πέτρας καὶ εἰς τὰς σχισμὰς τῶν πετρῶν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ φόβου κυρίου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ’ - ‘eis tas troglas tes stereas petras kai tas skhismas ton petron apo prosopou tou phobou kyriou kai apo tes doxes tes iskhyos autou’ - ‘into the caverns of the strong rocks and into the crevices of the rocks from the face of the fear of the Lord and from the glory of His power’. Similar to the previous one. See also:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/05032025.html
For more on the reading, please refer to the following:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21032024.html
At vespers:
Genesis II, 6 — ‘ἐκ τῆς γῆς’ - ‘ek tes ges’ - ‘from the ground; from the earth’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates where the vapour came from.
Genesis II, 7 — ‘ἔπλασεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον χοῦν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς’ - ‘eplesen ho theos ton anthropon khoun apo tes ges’ - ‘God formed the human being dust out of the ground’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that the dust was ‘taken’ out of the earth, ‘lost’ its direct connection with it, the earth ‘presented’ the dust for the creation of the human being (just as it later presented the cave and manger for the Newborn Christ). ‘καὶ ἐνεφύσησεν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ πνοὴν ζωῆς’ - ‘kai enephysesen eis to prosopon autou pnoen zoes’ - ‘and breathed (blew) within into his face the breath of life’. The preposition ‘en’, which has become a prefix, indicates that the breath of God (the Father) was within the human being, i.e., it indicates the direct operation of the Holy Spirit. ‘καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν’ - ‘kai egeneto ho anthropos eis psyken zosan’ - ‘and the human being became a living soul’. The man, through this breath of God, had a soul and life. See more about this place in several profound verses, which are mostly based on the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew (original language) and the New Testament texts at the following links:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8m2VbbsyXu/
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8AN3CfikTS/
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7cEETLs_Qe/
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
Genesis II, 8 — ‘ἐν Εδεμ’ - ‘en Edem’ - ‘in Eden’.
Genesis II, 9 — ‘ἐκ τῆς γῆς’ - ‘ek tes ges’ - ‘out of the ground’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates where the trees grow from. ‘ὡραῖον εἰς ὅρασιν καὶ καλὸν εἰς βρῶσιν’ - ‘horaion eis horasin kai kalon eis brosin’ - ‘beautiful in appearance and excellent (highly beautiful, good) for food’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates the purpose, the goal - to please with beauty and to be nutritious. ‘ἐν μέσῳ τῷ παραδείσῳ’ - ‘en meso to paradeiso’ - ‘in the midst of the paradise’ (i.e. ‘where’).
... Genesis II, 10 — ‘ἐξ Εδεμ’ - ‘ex Edem’ - ‘from Eden’. The preposition ‘ek’ in its form before the next vowel indicates where the streams of water came from. ‘εἰς τέσσαρας ἀρχάς’ - ‘eis tessaras arkhas’ - ‘into four parts’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates what the river is transformed into.
Genesis II, 15 — ‘ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ’ - ‘en to paradeiso’ - ‘in the paradise’. That is, ‘where’.
Genesis II, 16 — ‘ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ’ - ‘apo pantos xylou tou en to paradeiso’ - ‘from every tree that is in the garden’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that the fruit of the trees was for food and was a gift to people - from God and from the trees.
Genesis II, 17 — ‘ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν’ - ‘apo de tou xylou tou ginoskein kalon kai poneron’ - ‘from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’. ‘ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ' - ap autou
- from it
. The preposition ‘apo’ here indicates that these fruits were also a gift from God to humans, but not to be consumed at that time.
Genesis II, 19 — ‘ἐκ τῆς γῆς’ - ‘ek tes ges’ - ‘from the ground’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates where the animals came from. See also a nice poem on the subject here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8K6h5NsWNE/
For more on the reading, please refer to the following:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21032024.html
Proverbs III, 5 — ‘ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ’ - ‘en hole kardia’ - ‘in the whole heart; with the whole heart’. Both translations are possible.
Proverbs III, 6 — ‘ἐν πάσαις ὁδοῖς’ - ‘en pasais hodois’ - ‘in all ways; along all roads’. Both translations are possible.
Proverbs III, 7 — ‘φρόνιμος παρὰ σεαυτῷ’ - ‘phronimos para seauto’ - ‘prudent (sagacious) within yourself (you)’. That is, deeply in your soul and mind, do not consider yourself prudent, sagacious. ‘ἔκκλινε ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ’ - ‘ekkline apo panton kakou’ - ‘shun (avoid) all evil’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that evil must be avoided completely, totally, resolutely and irrevocably.
Proverbs III, 9 — ‘ἀπὸ σῶν δικαίων πόνων’ - ‘apo son dikaion ponon’ - ‘from your proper (righteous) labour’. ‘ἀπὸ σῶν καρπῶν δικαιοσύνης’ - ‘apo son karpon dikaiosynes’ - ‘from the fruits of your righteousness’. That is, from what you do well, rightly. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that this should be a gift to God, an unconditional act of dedication to God.
Proverbs III, 11 — ‘ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ' - hyp autou
- from Him; through Him; by Him
. The preposition ‘hypo’ in its form before the following vowel is here with the genitive case and indicates that the rebuke may be from God and then it should be accepted for teaching and correction.
Proverbs III, 16 — ‘ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ’ - ‘en te dexia’ - ‘in the right hand’. ‘ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀριστερᾷ’ - ‘en de te aristera’ - ‘in the left hand’. Common expressions. ‘ἐκ τοῦ στόματος’ - ‘ek tou stomatos’ - ‘out of the mouth’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates where righteousness comes out of.
Proverbs III, 17 — ‘ἐν εἰρήνῃ’ - ‘en eirene’ - ‘in peace’.
For more information about the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21032024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!