Commentary for (Galatians III, 23-IV, 5; Mark VI, 30-45)

Oleksandr Zhabenko 🇬🇧
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.

Liturgy:
(Galatians III, 23-IV, 5)
Galatians III, 23, IV, 4, 5 — 'ὑπὸ νόμον' - 'hypo nomon' - '(h)ipo nomon' - under Law. Here 'hypo' is with accusative. 'εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν' - 'eis ten mellousan pistin' - 'is ten mellusan pistin' - for the faith that was to come; for the coming faith. Here indicates the purpose.

Galatians III, 25 — 'ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν' - 'hypo paidagogon' - '(h)ipo pedagogon' - under a tutor. Here 'hypo' with accusative and indicates that the Law shows certain boundaries, frames.

Galatians III, 26 — 'ἐν Χριστῷ' - 'en CHristo' - in Christ; in Christ; with Christ. Here different variants of translation are possible. The first is least probable, because then rather 'eis CHriston' would have been used instead.

Galatians III, 27 — 'εἰς Χριστὸν' - 'eis CHriston' - into Christ. Indicates the direction of change and becoming like. The ending is better translated put yourselves into Christ (Christ is here 'as clothes').

Galatians III, 28 — 'ἐν Χριστῷ' - 'en CHristo' - in Christ. Here I will add my commentary to the Facebook post:
Nothing from this world will enter the Kingdom of Heaven in the state in which it is now. Including gender and national identity. But this does not mean that everything that is now has no significance. For to live only by the future means for some reason to reject the past and present. But is not the Lord the Creator of all ages and times?

Galatians III, 29 — through Christ the faithful became children of Abraham, and actually inherited God's promises, which are given to Abraham himself. That is Christ, figuratively speaking, is the Key to all possible doors of God's promises, He opens and leads to the fulfilment of all God's promises (compare John X).

These words were important for the Galatians, whose conscience was under the influence of Christians who wanted the Galatians to fulfil the entire ritual Law of Moses, actually becoming first Jews, and then Christians. Those people spoke more… about Abraham than about Christ. Actually against such misunderstanding of the meaning of God's Providence and promises in those people, and therefore, of faith in general, Paul speaks out.

Galatians IV, 2 — 'ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους' - 'hypo epitropous' - '(h)ipo epitropous' - under guardians. Here 'hypo' is with accusative and indicates (similarly to verse Galatians III, 25) the frames of the Law.

Galatians IV, 3 — 'ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα' - 'hypo ta stoikheia' - '(h)ipo ta stikhia' - under the elements. Here 'hypo' with accusative and indicates a certain power of elements over people before Christ.

Paul testifies that God gave Abraham blessing through promise, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, not through the Law.

Further Paul refers to the traditions of that time, when slavery was widespread, children did not have many rights which they have today with the spread of Christianity and development of society. See also what is written by the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23072025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22072025.html

(Mark VI, 30-45)
Mark VI, 31, 32 — 'εἰς ἔρημον τόπον' - 'eis eremon topon' - 'is eremon topon' - to a desert place; to a deserted place. Where to.

Mark VI, 33 — 'ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων' - 'apo pason ton poleon' - from all the cities (there). The preposition 'apo' indicates here that people left those cities.

Mark VI, 36 — 'εἰς τοὺς κύκλῳ ἀγροὺς καὶ κώμας' - 'eis tous kyklo agrous kai komas' - 'is tus kiklo agrus ke komas' - to the surrounding villages and settlements. Where to.

Mark VI, 41 — 'εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν' - 'eis ton ouranon' - 'is ton uranon' - to the heaven; unto the heaven. Where to.

Mark VI, 43 — 'ἀπὸ τῶν ἰχθύων' - 'apo ton ikhthyon' - 'apo ton ikhthion' - from the fish. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that those remains were no longer actually fish (did not have marketable appearance in modern terms).

Mark VI, 45 — 'εἰς τὸ πλοῖον' - 'eis to ploion' - 'is to plion' - into the boat. Where to. 'εἰς τὸ πέραν πρὸς Βηθσαϊδά' - 'eis to peran pros Bethsaida' - 'is to peran pros Vethsaida' - to the other side to Bethsaida. Where to.

The second reading is devoted to the rest of the apostles according to Jesus's words (unique place in Mark) and the miracle of feeding 5 thousand men (not counting women and children, which is not said directly).

About the parallel place regarding the miracle of feeding people in Matthew I wrote by the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/03082025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/18082024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/30072023.html

Mark gives more details.

See about the reading from the Gospel by the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/09012025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13092023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/30072023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/18082024.html

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