Commentary for (Hebrews XI, 9 — 10, 17 - 23, 32

Oleksandr Zhabenko 🇬🇧
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
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.

Of the Sunday before Christmas:
(Hebrews XI, 9 — 10, 17 - 23, 32 - 40)
Hebrews XI, 9 — ‘εἰς γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας’ - ‘eis gen tes epangelias’ - ‘into the Land of Promise’. Here the meaning is ‘moved as a foreigner to the Land of Promise’. ‘ἐν σκηναῖς’ - ‘en skenais’ - ‘in tents’.

Hebrews XI, 18 — ‘ἐν Ἰσαὰκ’ - ‘en Isaak’ - ‘in Isaac’.

Hebrews XI, 19 — ‘ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγείρειν’ - ‘ek nekron egeirein’ - ‘raise from the dead’. A common expression with this meaning. The preposition ‘ek’ here indicates where the transition takes place - from the dead to the living. ‘ἐν παραβολῇ’ - ‘en parabole’ - ‘in (pro)image; in prototype’. In other words, Abraham ‘received Isaac as the image of Christ, the Descendant,’ so we can say ‘prototype’ in this regard, although this word is not actually used in the text.

Hebrews XI, 23 — ‘ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων’ - ‘hypo ton pateron’ - ‘under the parents; through the parents; by the parents’. The preposition ‘hypo’ here is with the genitive case, and its meaning here indicates the passive voice of the verb (the child was hidden by his parents). The order of the words is interesting: the faith was shown by the parents, but it is written as if it was the faith of Moses. It also has to do with the Baptism of infants, for whom their godparents profess faith. It is similar to what is written about Moses here: ‘With faith that person was baptised as an infant’.

Hebrews XI, 34 — ‘ἐδυναμώθησαν ἀπὸ ἀσθενείας’ - ‘edynamothesan apo astheneias’ - ‘were strengthened through weaknesses’. The preposition ‘apo’ here indicates complete healing, deliverance from infirmities. ‘ἰσχυροὶ ἐν πολέμῳ,’ - ‘iskhyroi en polemo’ - ‘strong in war’.

Hebrews XI, 35 — ‘ἐξ ἀναστάσεως’ - ‘ex anastaseos’ - ‘from the resurrection’. The preposition ‘ek’ in its form before the following vowel indicates that the resurrection was the cause and source of life for the dead, otherwise their new life would not have taken place at all.

Hebrews XI, 37 — ‘ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρης ἀπέθανον’ - ‘en phono makhaires apethanon’ - ‘were killed by the sword’. ‘ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν’ - ‘en melotais, en aigeiois dermasin’ - ‘in sheep's skins, in goat's skins’.

(Matthew I, 1-25)
Matthew I, 3 — ‘τὸν Φάρες καὶ τὸν Ζάρα ἐκ τῆς Θαμάρ’ - ‘ton Phares kai ton Zara ek tes Thamar’ - ‘Phares and Zara out of Tamar’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates the origin of the children.

Matthew I, 5 — ‘τὸν Βόες ἐκ τῆς Ῥαχάβ’ - ‘ton Boes ek tes Rakhab’ - ‘Boaz out of Rahab’. ‘τὸν Ἰωβὴδ ἐκ τῆς Ῥούθ’ - ‘ton Iobed ek tes Routh’ - ‘Obed out of Ruth’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates the origin of the child.

Matthew I, 6 — ‘τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου’ - ‘ton Solomona ek tes tou Ouriou’ - ‘Solomon out of Uriah's (wife)’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates origin.

Matthew I, 16 — ‘ἐξ ἧς’ - ‘ex hes’ - ‘out of Whom’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates origin.

Matthew I, 17 — ‘ἀπὸ Ἀβραὰμ’ - ‘apo Abraham’ - ‘from Abraham’. ‘ἀπὸ Δαυεὶδ’ - ‘apo Daueid’ - ‘from David’. ‘ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος’ - ‘apo tes metoikesias Babylonos’ - ‘from the carrying away to Babylon’. The preposition ‘apo’ is used throughout to indicate the beginning of the counting of generations.

Matthew I, 18 — ‘ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου’ - ‘en gastri ekhousa ek pneumatos agiou’ - ‘in the womb having out of the Holy Spirit'. The preposition ‘ek’ here indicates the reason why Mary became pregnant - the work of the Holy Spirit, without Whom the Incarnation of the Son of God would not have taken place.

Matthew I, 20 — ‘ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου’ - ‘en aute gennethen ek pneumatos estin agiou’ - ‘in her having been conceived is from the Holy Spirit’. Similar to the previous one.

Matthew I, 21 — ‘ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν’ - ‘apo ton amartion’ - ‘from sins’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates complete deliverance, total deliverance.

Matthew I, 22 — ‘τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος’ - ‘to rethen hypo kyriou dia tou prophetou legontos’ - ‘having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet’. The preposition ‘hypo’ is with the genitive case, indicating here the passive voice of the participle ‘having been spoken’.

Matthew I, 23 — ‘ἐν γαστρὶ’ - ‘en gastri’ - ‘in the womb’.

Matthew I, 24 — ‘ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου’ - ‘apo tou hypnou’ - ‘from the sleep’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that the sleep has ended.

For more information about the Gospel reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22122023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24122023.html

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