Commentary for (Acts X, 21-33; John VII, 1-13)

Oleksandr Zhabenko 🇬🇧
Christ Is Risen!
🌞

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.

Acts X, 23 — τινες τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἀπὸ Ἰόππης - tines ton adelphon ton apo Ioppes - some brothers from Joppa. The preposition ‘apo’ here indicates that those brothers (i.e. faithful Christians) left Joppa completely, totally, entirely. It means that they left Joppa after the events to preach Christ, as Luke, the author of the book of Acts, knew. Perhaps it was from them that he learned more details of the story.

Acts X, 24 — εἰς τὴν Καισάριαν - eis ten Kaisarian - to Caesarea. Where to.

Acts X, 30 — ἀπὸ τετάρτης ἡμέρας μέχρι ταύτης τῆς ὥρας - apo tetartes hemeras mekhri tautes tes horas - from the fourth day until this hour; four days until this hour. There are two possible translations with different meanings. Either from Wednesday (the fourth day of the Jewish calendar) until the moment of the conversation, or it was already four days before the conversation. 'ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου' - en to oiko mou - in my house. Where. 'ἐν ἐσθῆτι λαμπρᾷ' - ‘en estheti lampra’ - ‘in shining clothes; in shining garments’.

Acts X, 32 — εἰς Ἰόππην - eis Ioppen - into Joppa. Where to. 'ἐν οἰκίᾳ Σίμωνος βυρσέως παρὰ θάλασσαν' - ‘en oikia Simonos byrseos para thalassan’ - in the house of Simon the tanner, to the proximity of the sea. The preposition para is here with the accusative and indicates that the house is on the way to the sea, near the coast.

Acts X, 33 — ‘πάντα τὰ προστεταγμένα σοι ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου’ - ‘panta ta prostetagmena soi hypo tou kyriou’ - ‘all these commands (instructions, guidelines, orders as a leader) to you from the Lord’. The preposition hypo is here with the genitive case and indicates that it is the passive voice of the participle commanded (here it is more grammatically complete to translate it through the plural noun to convey this plurality). The Lord's commands here are plural, meaning that it is not just one thing that is meant, but a way of acting, of living, a change in life in general.

For more on the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/09052023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28052024.html

(John VII, 1-13)
John VII, 1, 9 — ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ - en te Galilaia - in Galilee. Where. 'ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ' - en te Ioudaia - in Judea. Where.

John VII, 3 — εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν - eis ten Ioudaian - into Judea. Where to.

John VII, 4, 10 — ἐν κρυπτῷ - en krypto - in secret. A common expression. 'ἐν παρρησίᾳ' - en parresia - in freedom; in confidence; in openness; openly. The meaning is all together in the sense of ‘freely, openly, confidently’.

John VII, 5 — οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπίστευον εἰς αὐτόν - oude gar hoi adelphoi autou episteuon eis auton - for even His brothers (relatives) did not believe into Him. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates here that true faith leads to Christ, He is the goal and the destination of faith, and the brothers (a common name for various relatives in the East) did not agree with the way of Christ, with what He did and in what manner He did - not that they objected, but they suggested something completely different, gave advice, etc.

John VII, 8, 10 — εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν - eis ten heorten - for the feast. To where.

John VII, 11 — ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ - en te heorte - at the feast. Where.

John VII, 12 — ἐν τῷ ὄχλῳ - en to okhlo - in the crowd. Since many people were gathered for the feast, it refers to the multitudes of people.

For more on the reading, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/09052023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28052024.html

Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!