Commentary for (Matthew XXI, 18-43; Matthew XXIV, 3-35)

Oleksandr Zhabenko 🇬🇧
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.

Matthew XXI, 33 — ‘ἐν αὐτῷ’ - ‘en auto’ - ‘in him’.

Matthew XXI, 38 — ‘ἐν ἑαυτοῖς’ - ‘en heautois’ - ‘in themselves’.

Matthew XXI, 41 — ‘ἀποδώσουσιν αὐτῷ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶν’ - ‘apodosousin auto tous karpous en tois kairois auton’ - ‘will give him the fruits in their time’. That is, in due time, after the harvest.

Matthew XXI, 43 — ‘ἀφ’ ὑμῶν' - aph hymon - from you. The preposition ‘apo’ in its form before the following ‘hy’ indicates here that it will be taken away in its entirety, completely.

For more on the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10042023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29042024.html

(Matthew XXIV, 3-35)
Matthew XXIV, 9 — ‘εἰς θλῖψιν’ - ‘eis thlipsin’ - ‘into affliction; into distress; for affliction’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates where the faithful will be sent, i.e. what the persecutors will try to do to them. ‘ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου’ - ‘esesthe misoumenoi hypo panton ton ethnon dia to onoma mou’ - ‘you will be hated by all nations because of My name; you will be detested by all the Gentiles because of My name’. The preposition ‘hypo’ indicates that this is the passive voice of the verb ‘you will be hated’. Both translations are possible, and it is difficult to say which is better.

Matthew XXIV, 13 — ‘ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος οὗτος σωθήσεται’ - ‘ho de hypomeinas eis telos outos sothesetai’ - ‘but he who endures (perseveres through endurance) to the end will be saved’.

Matthew XXIV, 14 — ‘ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ’ - ‘en hole te oikoumene’ - ‘in the whole Universe; in the whole territory inhabited by people; throughout the oikoumene (territory inhabited by people)’. Different translations are possible. The parallel passages indicate that it is not at all clear whether the reference is to a part of the Earth or a part of outer space, and which one. ‘εἰς μαρτύριον πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν’ - ‘eis martyrion pasin tois ethnesin’ - ‘for a witness to all nations; for a witness to all Gentiles’. Both translations are possible, and moreover, it is highly likely that there is no fundamental difference here, since there is almost always a certain percentage of Gentiles among the nations.

Matthew XXIV, 15 — ‘ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ’ - ‘en topo hagio’ - ‘in the holy place’. A reference to the unclear and mysterious prophecy of Daniel.

Matthew XXIV, 16 — ‘τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ’ - ‘tote hoi en te Ioudaia’ - ‘those in Judea’.

Matthew XXIV, 17 — ‘ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ’ - ‘ek tes oikias autou’ - ‘from his house’. That is, where from.

Matthew XXIV, 18 — ‘ὁ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ’ - ‘ho en to agro’ - ‘who is in the field (known, perhaps, as his own or as a hired labourer in someone else's)’.

Matthew XXIV, 19 — ‘οὐαὶ δὲ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις’ - ‘ouai de tais en gastri ekhousais kai tais thelazousais en ekeinais tais hemerais’ - ‘Woe to those who have in their wombs (i.e. pregnant women) and to those who are breastfeeding in those days’.
This is sincere compassion and warning.

Matthew XXIV, 21 — ‘ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς κόσμου' - ap arkhes kosmou - from the beginning of the world. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates here the beginning of the counting of time.

Matthew XXIV, 26 — ‘ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ’ - ‘en te eremo’ - ‘in the wilderness’. ‘ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις’ - ‘en tois tameiois’ - ‘in secret chambers (which are not shown to outsiders)’.

Matthew XXIV, 27 — ‘ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν’ - ‘apo anatolon’ - ‘from the east’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that the lightning ‘leaves’ the east and becomes visible in the light to everyone in all directions, everywhere.

Matthew XXIV, 29 — ‘ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ’ - ‘ek tou ouranou’ - ‘from heaven’. The singular is used here. Perhaps this refers to the visible physical sky, although there are different interpretations.

Matthew XXIV, 30 — ‘ἐν οὐρανῷ’ - ‘en ourano’ - ‘in heaven’. See above.

Matthew XXIV, 31 — ‘τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων ἀνέμων ἀπ’ ἄκρων οὐρανῶν ἕως ἄκρων αὐτῶν' - ‘tous eklektous autou ek ton tessaron anemon ap akron ouranon heos akron auton’ - ‘His chosen ones from the four winds out of the ends of the heavens and to the ends of them’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates from where the Lord will gather the faithful - figuratively speaking, from everywhere, but it might be specified that it is on the Earth. The preposition ‘apo’ in its form before the next vowel indicates here that these chosen ones will leave those ends of the heavens. Both times it is plural, which may indicate space, the universe, different worlds, or something else, still unknown. In short, the prophecy that the faithful will be wherever there are people, and where there are people, is completely unclear, perhaps further than the boundaries of the visible Universe now. Wherever they are, the coming of Christ in glory and the Kingdom of God will be for everyone and everywhere.

Matthew XXIV, 32 — ‘Ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς συκῆς μάθετε τὴν παραβολήν’ - ‘Apo de tes sykes mathete ten parabolen’ - ‘from the fig tree learn a parable (example, comparison)’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that the faithful should not be like the fig tree, but rather learn from it.

For more information about the reading, please refer to the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20032025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10042023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29042024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/17082023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/18082023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16092023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23092023.html

For more on the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10042023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29042024.html

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