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.
Liturgy:
1 Corinthians III, 18 — 'εἴ τις δοκεῖ σοφὸς εἶναι ἐν ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ' - 'ei tis dokei sophos einai en hymin en to aioni touto' - if anyone among you seems (considers themselves; thinks about themselves that they are) wise in this age
. See explanation further regarding the next verse.
1 Corinthians 19 — 'παρὰ τῷ θεῷ' - 'para to theo' - in the vicinity of God; near God
. The preposition 'para' here with the dative case, here indicates a certain comparison: If you place this next to God and compare, then…
. That is, this does not mean that God considers all human wisdom to be foolishness, but means that all human wisdom absolutely cannot be comparable with God and His Wisdom (such a comparison is, generally speaking, unreasonable — and what assessment does a person want to receive
, comparing their wisdom with God and Divine Wisdom?). 'ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ' - 'en te panourgia' - in cunning; in craftiness
. The preposition 'en' emphasises that the wise people mentioned here, when they are in a state of ignorance, searching, inventing, creating, solving and similar, easily make mistakes, far from always find the truth, often do not offer effective solutions and similar. Of course, God does not grasp / take hold
people, but the image quite vividly shows how unreasonable people are in their confidence that they are truly wise, while God is always Most Wise.
One can understand the words about this somewhat differently. A person who lives in a world that has distanced itself from God, who is creative, skilled, will not avoid sin, and will not be able to hide sins from God. Therefore, the advice to become unreasonable
in this world (in a world overcome by sin) is a manifestation of wisdom. And the key question is how much the world is overcome by sin, how much it has distanced itself from God. If extremely strongly, then such a world should be avoided. If there are many sources that the Lord gave
, similar to how once through Moses in the wilderness — then by God's mercy this is on the contrary — a field for work and Christian mission. One must remember that the appearance of a source in the wilderness is a miracle, there may be no sources in the wilderness, but they may appear by God's action. This also depends on the person themselves: if they are filled with God's grace, like the apostles, and have zeal, then they will go with faith into the world, if there is at least a little hope to save at least some. If a person is weak, then they need to be careful. And I will add that the apostles did not consider themselves wise in this world.
1 Corinthians III, 21 — 'καυχάσθω ἐν ἀνθρώποις' - 'kaukhastho en anthropois' - boast in people; boast of people
. Rather the second variant, since the first leaves the question of who actually boasts, and obscures the thought.
1 Corinthians III, 22 — Cephas
— this is in Aramaic stone
, in Greek Peter
— the apostle Peter. Apollos — apostle of the 70, active in preaching and talented, filled with gifts of the Holy Spirit. See:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
I will add that among the Corinthians there were many educated, in modern language intelligent
people, and also among Christians there were many spiritual gifts. This must be remembered when we read the epistle.
More about the reading from the Apostle see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01082024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13072023.html
Matthew XIII, 36 — 'εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν' — 'eis ten oikian' - into the house; back home
. Where to.
Matthew XIII, 40 — 'ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος' - 'en te synteleia tou aionos' - at the completion of the age
. When. That is, with the Second Glorious Coming of Christ.
Matthew XIII, 41 — 'ἐκ τῆς βασιλείας' - 'ek tes basileias' - from the Kingdom
. The preposition 'ek' shows that this is an answer to the question from where?
.
Matthew XIII, 42 — 'εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρός' - 'eis ten kaminon tou pyros' - into the furnace of fire; into the fiery furnace
. The preposition 'eis' indicates the direction of action, that is, where to. Generally, the construction indicates that this is a certain environment of suffering, loss of life.
Matthew XIII, 43 — 'ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν' - 'en te basileia tou patros auton' - in the Kingdom of their Father
. Where.
Explanation of the parable about wheat and tares by Jesus Himself (therefore, the main thought in it, which, nevertheless, does not deny additional ones in advance). As researchers note, the plot of the parable is built on the fact that wheat and tares, until they grow and bear fruit, are visually very similar, which is why it is said that it can be difficult to distinguish them. From this, the conclusion is drawn that even angels do not have all knowledge about people and their lives, until God's Judgement has taken place, because God knows everything.
It is interesting that this text is read at the morning service before the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and all the Heavenly Bodiless Powers.
More about the reading from the Gospel see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01082024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13072023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!