Christ Is Risen!
🌞
Wishing you the joyous feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, the Pascha of the Lord!
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) and Google Gemini Pro 3, 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.
Liturgy:
Acts I, 3 — 'ἐν πολλοῖς τεκμηρίοις' — 'en pollois tekmeriois' - in many confirmations; in many certain (convincing) proofs; in many attestations; with many confirmations; with many certain (convincing) proofs; with many attestations
. Various translations are possible, all of them complementing one another.
Acts I, 4 — 'παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων μὴ χωρίζεσθαι' — 'parengeilen autois apo Ierosolymon me khorizesthai' - He commanded them not to separate (depart) from Jerusalem
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that the disciples were to be in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit had descended.
Acts I, 5 — 'ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐν πνεύματι βαπτισθήσεσθε ἁγίῳ' — 'hymeis de en pneumati baptisthesesthe hagio' - but you will be baptised in the Holy Spirit; but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit
. Words of manifold significance, pointing to the importance of the Holy Spirit for life and to the meaning of Pentecost further on. Both translations are possible, the first indicating that the Holy Spirit will become as it were the space
of the life of the apostles (and more broadly — of the faithful), and the second, more readily understood, — that the Holy Spirit Himself will descend upon the disciples at Pentecost. See also important passages for understanding the words and meanings at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/05012026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26052023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/03012025.html
Acts I, 6 — 'ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τούτῳ' — 'en to khrono touto' - at this time; at this moment
. That is, now, soon, immediately.
Acts I, 7 — 'ὁ πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ' — 'ho pater etheto en te idia exousia' - the Father has placed (in a passive, horizontal position) in His own authority; the Father has placed through His own authority
. That is, the Second Coming will take place not through the endeavours or labour of the apostles and all the faithful, but through the supreme authority of God — God Himself will do this independently of the will or efforts of people. Has placed
— time here is entirely passive; it does not influence the Second Coming in an active manner, it is simply placed
, will come (and will end, for thereafter will be the eternity of the Kingdom of God). See more on that at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/25052023.html
Acts I, 8 — 'ἔσεσθέ μου μάρτυρες ἔν τε Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ καὶ Σαμαρίᾳ καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς' — 'esesthe mou martyres en te Ierousalem kai en pase te Ioudaia kai Samaria kai heos eskhatou tes ges' - you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and to the uttermost end of the earth
. That is, everywhere. There are parallels in the prophets and in the Gospels, see in particular at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/06042026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/14042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/25032025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21032025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/12022025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/18102023.html
At the beginning of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, Luke addresses Theophilus — considered to be a wealthy and educated Christian of Greek origin, a friend of Luke. The first book is the Gospel of Luke, and the second is the Acts (some call the Acts the Gospel of the Holy Spirit
, for it describes how he acts in the Church). Luke, my beloved saint, is the author of both these books.
More concerning the reading see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/25052023.html
Concerning this reading I wrote a poem which further reveals the multiplicity of meanings of the words (predominantly verbs) in the verses John I, 3-17. See at the beginning of the work at the link (also the continuation concerns the resurrection of the dead and life, and therefore is appropriate precisely for the feast of the Resurrection of Christ):
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
See also the fine poem concerning Jesus Christ at the link:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWv_JXXjbPZ/?img_index=1
John I, 1 — 'Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος' — 'En arkhe en ho logos, kai ho logos en pros ton theon, kai theos en ho logos' - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God (that is, in the closest relationship with God, with the Father), and God was the Word; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was towards God (that is, in the closest relationship with God, with the Father), and the Word was God
. Various translations are possible, in particular in connection with the preposition 'pros' with the accusative, and also the last clause may have two variants of translation — God was the Word
and the Word was God
. These two variants may coexist, since the word order is not fixed. The first means that the Father reveals Himself in and through the Son, and also that the Father was never without the Son, just as He is always the Father. The second variant says directly that the Son of God is God. In any case, what is spoken of is the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son, their eternity, and their relationship.
John I, 2 — 'ἐν ἀρχῇ' — 'en arkhe' - in the beginning; from the beginning
. Common expression here and in the preceding verse.
John I, 4 — 'ἐν αὐτῷ' — 'en auto' - in Him
.
John I, 5 — 'ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ' — 'en te skotia' - in the darkness
. Where.
John I, 6 — 'Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος, ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ' — 'Egeneto anthropos, apestalmenos para theou' - a human being appeared, sent from beside God; a man was born, sent from beside God
. Here what is spoken of is the fact that first there was the appearance in the world and the beginning of the public ministry of John the Baptist, and then of Jesus Christ. The preposition 'para' here with the genitive case. This construction is used concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and also concerning the human nature of Jesus Christ. More on that see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/Pryjmennyky.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
This indicates here that John was a prophet sent by the Holy Spirit and was directly connected with the Incarnation of the Son of God.
John I, 7 — 'εἰς μαρτυρίαν' — 'eis martyrian' - as a testimony; for a testimony
. The preposition 'eis' indicates here the purpose.
John I, 9 — 'εἰς τὸν κόσμον' — 'eis ton kosmon' - into the world
. That is, whither. What is spoken of is birth.
John I, 10 — 'ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ' — 'en to kosmo' - in the world
. That is, where.
John I, 11 — 'εἰς τὰ ἴδια' — 'eis ta idia' - to His own
. That is, to the Jews. Whither.
John I, 12 — 'τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ' — 'tois pisteuousin eis to onoma autou' - to those who believe in His name
.
John I, 13 — 'οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ' ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν' — 'hoi ouk ex haimaton oude ek thelematos sarkos oude ek thelematos andros all ek theou egennethesan' - who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God
. The preposition 'ek' in its various forms throughout indicates origin. What is meant is that those people were not born in the bodily manner as is the case with people (various types of relationships that may lead to the birth of children are enumerated, including the deeply sinful incest, sinful fornication or adultery, and the non-sinful relationship with a lawful husband in the marriage of a man and a woman), but became children of God, conformed to the Son of God.
John I, 14 — 'ἐν ἡμῖν' — 'en hemin' - among us
. Where. 'δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός' - 'doxan hos monogenous para patros' - glory as of the Only-Begotten from beside the Father
. The preposition 'para' here with the genitive case. This construction is used concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and also concerning the human nature of Jesus Christ. See more on verse 6, and also at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/Pryjmennyky.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
Here this indicates that what is spoken of is the fact that the apostles beheld the glory of the Incarnate Son of God, and in general points to the Incarnation of the Son of God, when He was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary. See also the fine poem at the link:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWMTLk3DYIR/?img_index=1
John I, 16 — 'ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ' — 'ek tou pleromatos autou' - from His fullness; from His completeness
. That is, in proportion as Christ accomplished His ministry of the salvation of humanity, the faithful — in particular the apostles — received and continue to receive God's mercies and generosities ever more, ever further and further, one after another, in a stream and without ceasing.
More concerning the reading see at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20042025.html
Vespers:
John XX, 19 — 'εἰς τὸ μέσον' — 'eis to meson' - into the midst; to the middle
. Common expression. He stood whither.
John XX, 20 — having seen the Lord
— literally having carefully and attentively observed the Lord
— that is, they had a genuinely good and real opportunity to convince themselves of the reality of the bodily Resurrection of Jesus. Thomas at that moment had no such opportunity. Therefore his question is not so much a manifestation of real unbelief as a desire to convince himself of what the apostles had been convinced of.
John XX, 22 — the original root to breathe upon, to breathe into (someone)
is used.
John XX, 23 — will remain
— literally a word that means to exercise power, to hold, to retain, to detain
— that is, if the apostles retain sins
through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, that is in truth, they will remain. Evidently not included here are all manner of speculations, falsifications, political anathemas
, and the like, since they do not have the Holy Spirit. See also at the link:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWR34YoDbBp/?img_index=1
John XX, 24 — 'εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα' — 'heis ek ton dodeka' - one of the twelve
. The preposition 'ek' indicates here that Thomas was truly one of the twelve apostles.
John XX, 25 — 'ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ' — 'en tais khersin autou' - in His hands
. That is, where. 'εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν ἥλων' - 'eis ton topon ton helon' - into the places of the nails
. That is, into the wounds from them; whither. 'εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ' - 'eis ten pleuran autou' - into His side
. That is, into the pierced rib; whither.
More concerning the reading see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/05052024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23042023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!