Christ Is Risen!
🌞
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/12112025.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.
I prepared an improved version of my research, the presentation of which is available at the link:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/vystup-2025-hypo-genitive-Romans-XIII_1.pdf
The research material is currently being prepared for publication. I hope, God willing, to present fuller results later after the publication comes out.
I will update the list of references regarding prepositions at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/Pryjmennyky.html
the latter — once or twice a month (in Ukrainian), to keep the text version current and up to date.
Translated from Ukrainian by Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Anthropic AI), with subsequent editing by me.
Strong's references (note: according to Strong) in the translation of the original text mean that the word is taken from Strong's dictionary, and the specific meaning was chosen following the translation and commentary by Google Gemini Fast 3.
Liturgy:
Acts III, 19 — 'καιροὶ ἀναψύξεως ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ κυρίου' — 'kairoi anapsyxeos apo prosopou tou kyriou' - times of refreshing from the face of the Lord
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that this refreshing, this becoming fresh again
, alive — this spiritual youth — is a gift from God.
Acts III, 21 — 'διὰ στόματος τῶν ἁγίων ἀπ' αἰῶνος αὐτοῦ προφητῶν' — 'dia stomatos ton hagion ap aionos autou propheton' - through the mouth of his holy prophets from the beginning
. The preposition 'apo' in its form before the following vowel indicates here the starting point of the reckoning of time — the fact that the time of the prophets was from the beginning — hence the patriarchs too may be called God's prophets.
Acts III, 22 — 'προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑμῶν ὡς ἐμέ' — 'propheten hymin anastesei kyrios ho theos hemon ek ton adelphon hymon hos eme' - a prophet for you the Lord our God will raise up (will resurrect) from among your brothers, one like me
. The preposition 'ek' indicates here the origin of Christ according to His human nature — from the people of Israel. Like
— an adverb indicating how this will come to pass — that is, in particular that the Jewish Passover is a prefiguration of the true Pascha, the Bright Resurrection of Christ, and the Exodus from Egyptian slavery points to salvation from sin and death, and the entry into the Promised Land points to the fulfilment of God's promises in Christ and also to the eternal Kingdom of God.
Acts III, 23 — 'ἐκείνου ἐξολεθρευθήσεται ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ' — 'ekeinou exolethreuthesetai ek tou laou' - that person will be utterly destroyed from the people
. The preposition 'ek' indicates here that only that person will perish, but not the people. This is the reason why one CANNOT say that the Jewish people are guilty of the crucifixion of Christ, and the like.
Acts III, 24 — 'ἀπὸ Σαμουὴλ καὶ τῶν καθεξῆς' — 'apo Samouel kai ton kathexes' - from Samuel and those following
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here the starting point of the reckoning.
Acts III, 25 — 'ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου ἐνευλογηθήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ πατριαὶ τῆς γῆς' — 'en to spermati sou eneulogethesontai pasai hai patriai tes ges' - in your Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed; through your Seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed
. That is, all people. What is spoken of is Jesus Christ. More concerning the promise to Abram (Abraham) see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20032026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/25032026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27032026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22032026.html
Acts III, 26 — 'ὑμῖν πρῶτον ἀναστήσας ὁ θεὸς τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν εὐλογοῦντα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέφειν ἕκαστον ἀπὸ τῶν πονηριῶν ὑμῶν' — 'hymin proton anastesas ho theos ton paida autou apesteilen auton eulogounta hymas en to apostrephein ekaston apo ton ponerion hymon' - to you first, having raised up His Servant, God sent Him to bless you in turning each of you from your wickednesses; to you first, having raised up his Servant, God sent Him to bless you by turning each of you from your wickednesses
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that turning away from evil, from sins, from wickedness — not only one's own personal wickedness for each converted person but also from the sins of others entirely — includes in particular also victory over temptations. The humbling of the Son of God is emphasised here.
A continuation of Peter's sermon on the occasion of the healing of the lame man. Concerning the beginning see in the work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/18042026.html
Acts III, 21 — times of restoration
— the time of the Second Coming of Christ in glory. Some have understood restoration
(ἀποκατάστασις) as meaning that all rational creation will return to God and will ultimately, even after torment, become good and will suffer no more. It is worth noting that here one can see that what is spoken of is restoration before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in glory, whereas the teaching on apokatastasis
most often refers to the restoration of creation after the torments — which points to a discordance with these words. Thus Scripture in general does not confirm the finitude of eternal torment for the devil and those with him. On the contrary, it is always stated that they will not end. Therefore this view is not accepted by the Church.
A better understanding of this question may be obtained from the fine work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/DialogueOnWordsChristFear.html
By virtue of the exercise of the freedom of creation, its state in eternity will be such that it does not change to the opposite — joy will be joy that increases, and torment will be torment that will not be transformed into joy.
Peter preaches concerning Jesus as the Messiah promised by God.
More concerning the reading see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24042023.html
John II, 1, 11 — 'ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας' — 'en Kana tes Galilaias' - in Cana of Galilee
. Where.
John II, 2 — 'εἰς τὸν γάμον' — 'eis ton gamon' - to the wedding
. Whither.
John II, 11 — 'ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ' — 'episteusan eis auton hoi mathetai autou' - His disciples believed into Him
. See more at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/18042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24042025.html
The account of the participation of Jesus, the Mother of God, and the apostles in the wedding at Cana of Galilee, and of the first miracle of Jesus — the transformation of water into the finest wine (nearly non-alcoholic, similar to fresh grape juice, as I wrote earlier in other works; see, for example, at the link) :
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
The wine ran out quickly — this means that people were freely drinking and eating in the presence of Jesus and Mary and the apostles; that is, they were in no way restrainers
of the joyful event and the celebration. The Lord, who created people for blessed eternity with Him, rejoiced in the wonderful event of the marriage of His friends.
The Lord's response to the request of His Mother is not entirely clear in its words — but in general He fulfils Mary's request. The somewhat enigmatic words of Jesus become more comprehensible if we look at them as the words of God the Creator Who rejoices with people at a naturally joyful event — their marriage. He had already bestowed their marriage upon them, had already blessed it with His presence, had already shared and multiplied their joy in a natural and even gracious way — and yet now a miracle is also needed… This shows that natural joy from relationships, from fellowship, from joy at a special event and the like is entirely sufficient — and in such a case does not require something additionally extraordinary and supernatural, a miracle. The Lord teaches us thereby to value life.
The second reason is mystical — in the Mystery of the Eucharist He transforms wine into his Blood, and here something else must be transformed into wine. Moreover, at the very beginning of His ministry, whereas the Eucharist was at its conclusion. Also from the pierced rib of Jesus blood and water will later flow, which will be attested — and this is also understood mystically through the creation of the human being in Paradise and the union of Christ and His Bride, the Church (from the rib of the first Adam Eve was created, whilst the Church is established through the Mysteries of Jesus — through water and blood — Baptism and the Eucharist). At Cana the water must be wholly transformed into wine, whilst in the Mystery of Communion the Blood is given in the form of wine. These are entirely different states. The Lord wishes to preserve the uniqueness of the Eucharist.
But neither of these reasons is in itself an obstacle to God's love and generosity. Therefore the Lord fulfils the request of His Mother and works the first miracle.
Another detail is the fact that the Virgin Mary tells the servants to obey Jesus, and they listen both to Her and to Him. But she is not the mistress of the house, has no servants — and therefore the servants are doing something not from obligation but from some other reason. It is possible that Mary and Jesus had some deeper relationship with the betrothed, which is why the servants of the betrothed listened to Them. But in that case the absence of wine would have meant not only a shortage belonging to the betrothed, but would have cast a shadow
on Jesus and Mary. On the other hand, the entire situation — in which Mary asks Her Son, listens to Him, and encourages others to listen to Christ — is a manifestation of the Church.
This is also instruction for us, for it means that the Lord who created the Sabbath for people, and not people for the Sabbath
acts for the wellbeing of people and acts out of love for them. Here too one can see that living relationships with people are more important to God than certain laws of nature which He has created (for He transforms water into wine) — more important than times (impersonal but significant), more important than understanding or non-understanding, including that of those around. This transformation is a sign and symbol of many consequences of the ministry of the Son of God to people.
Also, in former times Moses by God's power transformed water into blood, and later bitter water into sweet; Elijah by God's power consumed water with fire from heaven; and now the miracle of Christ reveals the fullness of the prefigurations — the Son of God fills people not merely with joy but with happiness, and does not govern the elements but makes people partakers of the divine life.
See also the two works at the links:
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DWeM7ZmjTMD/?img_index=1
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DWv_JXXjbPZ/?img_index=1
Thus the Lord worked the first miracle, showed the power of the intercession of the Mother of God, and His love for people.
More concerning the reading see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24042023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!