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
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.
2 Thessalonians II, 13 — ‘ἠγαπημένοι ὑπὸ κυρίου’ - ‘egapemenai hypo kyriou’ - ‘’beloved by the Lord‘’. The preposition ‘hypo’ is with the genitive case and indicates the passive voice of the participle. ‘ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς' - ap arkhes
- from the beginning
. The preposition ‘apo’ in its form before the following vowel indicates the beginning of the countdown. ‘εἰς σωτηρίαν ἐν ἁγιασμῷ πνεύματος καὶ πίστει ἀληθείας’ - ‘eis soterian en agiasmo pneumatos kai pistei aletheias’ - ‘for salvation in the sanctification of the Spirit and the true faith; for salvation by the sanctification of the Spirit and the true faith’. Both translations are possible. The words about election can only be understood correctly as a parallel to the calling and election of the apostles. It was not the apostles' decision that made them apostles, but God's decision, after which they were able to respond with consent by accepting this decision of God. Of course, without the consent and action of each of them, none of them would have become an apostle, but the point is emphasised here that without God's decision, none of them would have become an apostle. As Christ said: ‘You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you’. At the same time, another Greek word is used for God's election of the apostles. Here, a rare word is used, which is close in meaning to ‘to prefer’. It is possible to think that the following words, as well as the fact that several epistles were addressed to the Thessalonians, testify to the importance of their community in the work of the Apostle Paul, so the use of the idea of ‘election by God’ is intertwined with the idea of the special role of the Church in Thessalonica in relation to the issues on which the Epistle is written. In general, this means that the Thessalonians, through the Epistle and the work of the Apostle Paul, took a special part, which was providentially prepared for them by God, in resolving the issues in question. In general, these words have a meaning in relation to some special events.
2 Thessalonians II, 14 — ‘εἰς ὃ’ - ‘eis ho’ - ‘to what’. The preposition ‘eis’ here indicates the direction of action. ‘εἰς περιποίησιν’ - ‘eis peripoiesin’ - ‘for obtaining’. Here the preposition ‘eis’ indicates the purpose of the action.
2 Thessalonians II, 16 — ‘ἐν χάριτι’ - ‘en khariti’ - ‘in grace; with grace’. Both translations are possible.
2 Thessalonians II, 17 — ‘ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ ἀγαθῷ’ - ‘en panti ergo kai logo agatho’ - ‘in every good deed and word; with every good deed and word’. Both translations are possible and complement each other.
2 Thessalonians III, 2 — ‘ἀπὸ τῶν ἀτόπων καὶ πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων’ - ‘apo ton atopon kai poneron anthropon’ - ‘from people who are out of place and evil’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates complete and total liberation.
2 Thessalonians III, 3 — ‘ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ’ - ‘apo tou ponerou’ - ‘from the evil one; from the deceitful one’. It means ‘evil by results, in the end’, so it can also mean ’deceitful’ (deceptively good). Similar to the previous one.
2 Thessalonians III, 4 — ‘ἐν κυρίῳ’ - ‘en kyrio’ - ‘in the Lord; for the Lord’. In terms of meaning, the second option is more understandable.
2 Thessalonians III, 5 — ‘εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ’ - ‘eis ten agapen tou theou kai eis ten hypomonen tou CHristou’ - ‘to the love of God and the patience of Christ’. The preposition ‘eis’ here indicates the direction of guidance.
For more information on the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the links:
https://churchandsociety.org.ua/pdf/projects/zbirnyk.pdf
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23112023.html
Mark IX, 10 — ‘ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆναι’ - ‘ek nekron anastenai’ - ‘to rise from the dead’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates where Christ's movement took place - from the dead to the living.
For more information about the Gospel reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/14122023.html
To Saint Spyridon of Tremithous, miracle worker:
For more information on these readings, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/06122024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21092024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22052023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!