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 XLIX, 6 — ‘εἰς διαθήκην γένους’ - ‘eis diatheken genous’ - ‘the covenant to the family’. ‘εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν’ - ‘eis phos ethnon’ - ‘light of the nations; light of the Gentiles’. Different translations are possible. ‘εἰς σωτηρίαν’ - ‘eis soterian’ - ‘to salvation; for salvation’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates here the significance of Israel and the purpose for which it was called and created.
Isaiah XLIX, 7 — ‘τὸν βδελυσσόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν’ - ‘ton bdelyssomenon hypo ton ethnon’ - ‘detested by nations’. The preposition ‘hypo’ is here with the genitive case and indicates that the participle of ‘detested’ is in the passive voice.
Isaiah XLIX, 8 — ‘ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σωτηρίας’ - ‘en hemera soterias’ - ‘in the day of salvation’. ‘εἰς διαθήκην ἐθνῶν’ - ‘eis diatheken ethnon’ - ‘into a covenant to the nations; into a covenant to the Gentiles’. That is, what Israel will be (here we can also understand it as the Servant of God, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ).
Isaiah XLIX, 9 — ‘τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς’ - ‘tois en desmois’ - ‘to those who are in chains’. ‘τοῖς ἐν τῷ σκότει’ - ‘tois en to skotei’ - ‘to those in darkness’. ‘ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν’ - ‘en pasais tais hodois auton’ - ‘in all their ways’ (in all their works, in all their lives). ‘ἐν πάσαις ταῖς τρίβοις’ - ‘en pasais tais tribois’ - ‘in all the beaten paths’ (where there is a lot of walking).
For more on the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04042023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23042024.html
At vespers:
Genesis XXXI, 3 — ‘ἀποστρέφου εἰς τὴν γῆν τοῦ πατρός σου καὶ εἰς τὴν γενεάν σου’ - ‘apostrephou eis ten gen tou patros sou kai eis ten genean sou’ - ‘return to the land of your father and to your generation’ (i.e. to the place where your new life began, to the place of your birth).
Genesis XXXI, 4 — ‘εἰς τὸ πεδίον’ - ‘eis to pedion’ - ‘into the plain; into the field’.
Genesis XXXI, 6 — ‘ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ἰσχύι μου’ - ‘en pase te iskhyi mou’ - ‘in all my strength; with all my strength’. In other words, Jacob served with all his strength, diligently and with full dedication, sacrificially.
Genesis XXXI, 10 — ‘ἐν τῷ ὕπνῳ’ - ‘en to hypno’ - ‘in the dream’.
Genesis XXXI, 13 — ‘ἐν τόπῳ θεοῦ’ - ‘en topo theou’ - ‘in a place of God’. The Hebrew text here has ‘in Bet-el’ (Bethel), which is translated as ‘a house of God'. Obviously, these words here have a twofold meaning - geographical, but also spiritual, indicating a certain spiritual shrine. ‘ἐκ τῆς γῆς ταύτης’ - ‘ek tes ges tautes’ - ‘from this earth’. That is, to come out of where. ‘εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς γενέσεώς σου’ - ‘eis ten gen tes geneseos sou’ - ‘into the land of your birth’. The typical pair of prepositions ‘ek’-‘eis’ indicates movement from one place to another as a destination.
Genesis XXXI, 14 — ‘ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν’ - ‘en to oiko tou patros hemon’ - ‘in our father's house’.
For more information about the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04042023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23042024.html
Proverbs XXI, 3 — ‘παρὰ θεῷ μᾶλλον’ - ‘para theo mallon’ - ‘in the vicinity of God it is better'. The preposition ‘para’ is here with the dative case and indicates that it refers to closeness to God. Doing righteousness and truth brings one closer to God and is more valuable than outward manifestations of godliness (such as sacrifices).
Proverbs XXI, 9 — ‘ἐν κεκονιαμένοις μετὰ ἀδικίας καὶ ἐν οἴκῳ κοινῷ’ - ‘en kekoniamenois meta adikias kai en oiko koino’ - ‘in a whitewashed house (i.e., decorated and neat, beautiful) with the unrighteous and in a common house’. This implies that external conditions have less of an impact on well-being than living with unrighteous and evil people. Relationships with people are more important than ordinary natural conditions.
Proverbs XXI, 10 — ‘ψυχὴ ἀσεβοῦς οὐκ ἐλεηθήσεται ὑπ’ οὐδενὸς τῶν ἀνθρώπων' - psykhe asebous ouk eleethesetai hyp oudenos ton anthropon
- the soul of the wicked (ungodly) will not be pardoned by any human being
. The preposition ‘hypo’ in its form before the next vowel is here with the genitive case and indicates that this is the passive voice of the participle ‘will be pardoned’. An important detail is that it does not speak of God - this is a prophecy about God's boundless love for people - Christ died for the sins of people while they were still sinners, which, according to the apostle Paul, exceeds the human love of anyone.
Proverbs XXI, 12 — ‘συνίει δίκαιος καρδίας ἀσεβῶν καὶ φαυλίζει ἀσεβεῖς ἐν κακοῖς’ - ‘syniei dikaios kardias asebon kai phaulizei asebeis en kakois’ - ‘The righteous understands the hearts of the wicked, and does not esteem the wicked in evil (deeds, thoughts, words, counsels, opinions, intentions, etc.)’. The implication here is that although the wicked and ungodly can be quite sincere, frank, open, and these qualities can be very valuable as such, in general, such frankness of wicked people is not a value, something worth cherishing, something worth caring about.
Proverbs XXI, 15 — ‘ὅσιος δὲ ἀκάθαρτος παρὰ κακούργοις’ - ‘hosios de akathartos para kakourgois’ - ‘the pious is unclean in the vicinity of criminals’. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the dative case and indicates that even a pious person becomes impure, deteriorates, and becomes worse when they get close to criminals.
Proverbs XXI, 16 — ‘ἀνὴρ πλανώμενος ἐξ ὁδοῦ δικαιοσύνης ἐν συναγωγῇ γιγάντων ἀναπαύσετα’ - ‘aner plagomenos ex hodou dikaiosynes en synagogue giganton anapauseta’ - ‘a man, who has strayed (gone astray) from the path of righteousness in the assembly (synagogue) of giants will rest’. That is, he will lose all significance, lose himself, become invisible and insignificant, as if surrounded by giants.
Proverbs XXI, 17 — ‘εἰς πλοῦτον’ - ‘eis plouton’ - ‘into riches’. The turn of phrase here is unclear.
Proverbs XXI, 19 — ‘ἐν γῇ ἐρήμῳ’ - ‘en ge eremo’ - ‘in a desert land; in a land without people’. That is, it is better to be alone than with a quarrelsome and angry wife.
For more on the reading, please refer to the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04042023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23042024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!