Glory Be to Jesus Christ!
🌞
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/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.
The correct statements in the work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
are connected with comments written during more than a year, during which I better understood the ideas, usage, logic, even peculiarities of pronunciation, therefore now it is appropriate to review and correct the allowed inaccuracies. Instead of correcting in old texts, I will correct in new ones (I have already begun to do this). Therefore the work continues, particularly it is necessary to consider the readings during about two weeks in August-September 2024, when I did not have access to the Internet network. If you notice inaccuracies in the comments at the links cited there, then it is worth checking whether there are newer ones regarding the same reading. I will update the list of links regarding prepositions at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
to keep the version of the text current and in future.
Matins:
See more about the Gospel reading at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01062025.html
Liturgy:
1 Corinthians IV, 10, 15 — 'ἐν (γὰρ) Χριστῷ' — 'en (gar) CHristo' - (for) in Christ; by Christ
. Rather the first translation variant, since both wisdom and instruction are God's gifts, Christ gives them when a person can be or truly is in a certain unity with Him or can move towards that.
About the reading from the Apostle see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/30112024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13072023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13082023.html
Matthew XVII, 15 — 'πολλάκις γὰρ πίπτει εἰς τὸ πῦρ καὶ πολλάκις εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ' - 'pollakis gar piptei eis to pyr kai pollakis eis to hydor' - for often he falls into fire and often into water
. Where to.
Matthew XVII, 18 — 'ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης' - 'apo tes horas ekeines' - from that hour
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here the beginning of time counting regarding an important change that occurred with the boy.
Verse 21 is absent in some ancient manuscripts of the Gospel.
Matthew XVII, 22 — 'ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ' - 'en te Galilaia' - in Galilee
. Where. 'μέλλει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων' - 'mellei ho hyios tou anthropou paradidosthai eis kheiras anthropon' - the Son of Man is about to (that is, this will happen according to the logic of events and circumstances) be delivered into the hands of men
. Where to. That is, Christ as God and man permits this, while knowing that this is exactly how it will be. See more about this at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/15072023.html
The father had no faith, but in despair turned to Jesus. And such an appeal as sincere and heartfelt the Lord did not reject, but also reproached the father. Often in life we receive good from God, but together we also receive reproach. One should not neglect both, because God wisely knows better than us. I will stop here on the reproach itself. He is called faithless
because he did not believe, and perverse
— because he was in sins. When there is no faith, then corruption easily comes, people easily succumb to various sins. And this is a warning for all, even for those who have success in the work of labour for salvation. Because we often receive God's mercy, although in strictness we would not receive it. Therefore Christ's mercy gives hope to all, calls all to conversion and repentance.
The father's words show that he has weakness in faith, that is a mixture of faith with unbelief
, but through heartfelt appeal with love for his son to Jesus, through humility and other virtues — he receives what he asks (actually, Jesus Himself shows the desire to grant him faith through healing).
Here also the Lord reveals the special significance of prayer (and some manuscripts add fasting here) — it can be spiritual weapon against the evil one, better, more effective than any other. This is yet another encouragement to prayer and fasting.
The boy's condition is similar in symptoms to epilepsy with its attacks. But it is necessary to understand that possession by an evil spirit and illness (even mental) — are not the same thing, have different treatment. In the first case it is necessary to cast out the evil spirit, and in the second — Divine healing (unfortunately, modern medicine cannot fully successfully treat epilepsy, and has no truly effective means to cast out evil spirits, and does not engage in the latter).
Later Jesus reveals what awaits Him in Jerusalem, but the disciples did not understand, because they held to their own notions about the Messiah-King of Israel.
See more about the Gospel reading at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/PowerOfHuman.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13082023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/11112023.html
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!