Commentary for (Acts I, 1-8 ; John I, 1-17; John XX, 19-25)

Oleksandr Zhabenko 🇬🇧
Christ Is Risen!
🌞

Congratulations on the Bright Resurrection of Christ, the Easter of the Lord!

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:
(Acts I, 1-8 )
Acts I, 3 — 'ἐν πολλοῖς τεκμηρίοις' - 'en pollois tekmeriois' - 'in many confirmations; in many certain (convincing) proofs; in many testimonies; with many confirmations; with many certain (convincing) proofs; with many testimonies'. Different translations are possible, all of which complement each other.

Acts I, 4 — παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων μὴ χωρίζεσθαι - parengeilen autois apo Ierosolymon me khorizesthai - commanded them not to separate (leave) from Jerusalem. The preposition apo here indicates that the disciples were to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came.

Acts I, 5 — ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐν πνεύματι βαπτισθήσεσθε ἁγίῳ - hymeis de en pneumati baptisthesesthe hagio - but you will be baptised in the Holy Spirit; you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit. These are significant words that point to the significance of the Holy Spirit for life and the meaning of Pentecost in the future. Both translations are possible, with the first indicating that the Holy Spirit will become a space of life for the apostles (and more generally for those who are faithful to God), and the second, more understandable, indicating that the Holy Spirit Himself will descend on the disciples at Pentecost. See also the important places for understanding the words and meanings by following the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26052023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/03012025.html

Acts I, 6 — 'ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τούτῳ' - 'en to khrono touto' - 'at this time'. That is, now, quickly, immediately.

Acts I, 7 — ὁ πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ - ho pater etheto en te idia exousia - the Father has put (in a passive, horizontal position) in His own power; the Father has put with His own power. That is, the Second Coming will not take place through the efforts or labour of the apostles and all believers, but by the sovereign power of God, God Himself will do it regardless of the will or efforts of people. 'He put' - the time here is completely passive, it does not actively influence the Second Coming, it is simply ‘laid down’, it will come (and end, because then there will be the eternity of the Kingdom of God). See more about this here:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/25052023.html

Acts I, 8 — ἔσεσθέ μου μάρτυρες ἔν τε Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ καὶ Σαμαρίᾳ καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς - 'esesthe mou martyres en te Ierousalem kai en pase te Ioudaia kai Samaria kai heos eskhatou tes ges' - 'you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth'. That is, everywhere. There are parallels to places in the prophets and the Gospels, in particular, see the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/14042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/25032025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21032025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/12022025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/18102023.html

For more information about the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/25052023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/05052023.html

(John I, 1-17)
There are two good poems for reading at the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/05052024.html
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8AN3CfikTS/

John I, 1 — 'Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος' - 'En arkhe en ho logos, kai ho logos en pros ton theon, kai theos en ho logos' - 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was toward God (in relation to God; concerning God), and God was the Word . There are various possible translations, in particular because of the preposition 'pros with the accusative, and the last phrase can be translated in two ways: God was the Word and the Word was God (with the reversed word order possible in Greek). These two variants can occur simultaneously, since the order of the words is not fixed. The first means that the Father reveals Himself in the Son, by the Son, and that the Father was never without the Son, as He is always the Father. The second version says directly that the Son of God is God. Either way, it refers to the unity of the Father and the Son, Their eternity, Their relationship.

John I, 2 — ἐν ἀρχῇ - en arkhe - in the beginning. The same expression is used here and in the previous verse.

John I, 4 — ἐν αὐτῷ - en auto - in Him.

John I, 5 — ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ - en te skotia - in darkness. Where.

John I, 7 — “εἰς μαρτυρίαν - eis martyrian - for testimony; for witnessing. The preposition eis indicates the purpose here.

John I, 9 — εἰς τὸν κόσμον - eis ton kosmon - into the world. That is, where to. It refers to birth.

John I, 10 — ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ - en to kosmo - in the world. That is, where.

John I, 11 — εἰς τὰ ἴδια - eis ta idia - to his own. That is, to the Jews. Where to.

John I, 12 — τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ - tois pisteuousin eis to onoma autou - (to) those who believe in His name.

John I, 13 — οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱμάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήματος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ ἐκ θεοῦ ἐγεννήθησαν' - 'hoi ouk ex haimaton oude ek thelematos sarkos oude ek thelematos andros all ek theou egennethesan' - 'who are neither of blood, nor of the desire of the flesh, nor of the desire of a man, but were born of God. The preposition “ek in its forms throughout the verse indicates origin. It means that these people were not born bodily, as it happens to humans (various types of relationships that can lead to the birth of children are listed, including deeply sinful incest, sinful fornication or adultery, and non-sinful relationships with a legitimate spouse in a man-woman marriage), but became children of God, resembling the Son of God.

John I, 16 — ‘ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ’ - ‘ek tou pleromatos autou’ - out of His fullness; out of His completion'. That is, as Christ performed His ministry for the salvation of humanity, the faithful, in particular the apostles, received and continue to receive God's mercies and generosities more and more, one after another, in a stream and without ceasing.

For Vespers:
(John XX, 19-25)
John XX, 19 — 'εἰς τὸ μέσον' - 'eis to meson' - 'into the midst'. A common expression. He stood where to.

John XX, 24 — “εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα - heis ek ton dodeka - one of the twelve. The preposition ek here indicates that Thomas was indeed one of the twelve apostles, although he did not share the belief of those who had already seen Jesus Risen and had believed.

John XX, 25 — ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ - en tais khersin autou - in His hands. That is, where. 'εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν ἥλων' - ‘eis ton topon ton helon’ - ‘into the places of the nails’. That is, into the wounds of them; where to. 'εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ' - ‘eis ten pleuran autou’ - ‘into the side of His body’. That is, into the pierced rib; where to.

For more information about the reading, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23042023.html

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