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.
Matins:
Concerning the readings from the Gospel see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20112025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26062025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31102024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02112023.html
Liturgy:
Acts IV, 24 — 'πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς' — 'panta ta en autois' - all things that are in them
. Where.
Acts IV, 27 — 'ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ' — 'en te polei taute' - in this city
. That is, in Jerusalem. Where.
Acts IV, 30 — 'ἐν τῷ τὴν χεῖρά [σου] ἐκτείνειν σε' — whilst You stretch out [Your] hand; when You stretch out [Your] hand (note per Strong's)
. Here is Google Gemini Pro's comment:
In Acts 4:30 the phrase ἐν τῷ (en to) is the key part of a syntactic construction very characteristic of the Koine language — the articular infinitive with a preposition.
Here is a detailed grammatical analysis of how it functions:
1. Anatomy of the construction
ἐν (en): A preposition that normally means 'in'. Here it governs the dative case and indicates temporal circumstance.
τῷ (tō): The definite article, neuter singular in the dative case. Its principal role here is substantivisation — it transforms the following verb (the infinitive) into a kind of noun, allowing the preposition to govern it.
ἐκτείνειν (ekteinein): Present active infinitive (from the verb ἐκτείνω — to stretch out, to extend).
2. Grammatical meaning: Simultaneity of action
The formula ἐν + τῷ + present infinitive is a standard idiomatic expression for expressing simultaneity. It is translated by temporal subordinate clauses or participial phrases:
'whilst…'
'when…'
'at the time when…'
Literally this phrase may be translated as 'in [the process of] Your stretching out the hand…'. In literary terms this sounds as: 'whilst You stretch out Your hand for healing...' or 'stretching out Your hand...'.
3. Important syntactic nuance: Accusativus cum Infinitivo
In this same phrase there is the pronoun σε (se — You) in the accusative case. In Greek, infinitive constructions often have their own 'subject', and this subject is always placed in the accusative case.
Therefore σε here is translated not as the object of the action ('to stretch You out') but as its subject ('You stretch out'). The phrase τὴν χεῖρά [σου] (the hand [Your]) is also in the accusative case, but here it functions as the direct object of the infinitive.
4. Cultural-linguistic background (Semitism)
Although similar constructions occurred in classical Greek as well, the extraordinary frequency of the use of ἐν τῷ + infinitive in the New Testament is the result of the strong influence of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) and Hebrew thought.
This is a direct syntactic calque from ancient Hebrew — a construction in which the preposition בְּ (b', 'in') is attached to the construct infinitive to denote a simultaneous action (for example, b'yom — 'on the day [when]'). Authors writing in Koine used this formula to convey as precisely as possible the mode of thinking about time and circumstances habitual in the Semitic world.
'εἰς ἴασιν' — 'eis iasin' - for healing; for cure
. The preposition 'eis' indicates here the purpose.
Acts IV, 31 — 'ἐν ᾧ' — 'en ho' - in which
. Where.
The meaning of the passage is that the faithful Christians and apostles seek the protection and help of God at a time when people begin to struggle against them on account of Christ, persecuting the Church and continuing their persecution of Jesus Christ now in His followers. The faithful in their prayer emphasise the fact that these are merely the human designs of those sinful and impenitent people — designs that are powerless against the Lord and cannot hinder the realisation of God's salvation or the spreading of the faith and the Church.
A citation from Psalm II, 1-2; there is also a parallel with Isaiah LXI, 1-4 and following. Isaiah is cited in the Gospels at the beginning of Jesus's ministry, when he opened the book of the prophet Isaiah and read this prophecy concerning Himself.
The faithful, after their prayer, receive afresh the gift of the Holy Spirit — now for strengthening in preaching and in the time of possible trials. At the first manifestation there was as it were wind and sound (multi-sound; see in particular at the links:
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DUu8adRDfD0/
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/08062025.html
) from heaven, and at the second — an earthquake. These are parallels to the manifestation of the Lord to the prophet Elijah at Horeb, when first before the face of God there passed a great wind, then an earthquake, then fire, and only after that the Lord Himself in a still small voice, which firmly strengthened Elijah to continue his ministry. This parallel means that the faithful, though they are not themselves Christ, are witnesses and testimony to His glory, sent by Him into the world for preaching — preaching which Christ Himself directs through the Holy Spirit.
Acts IV, 25 — 'εμελετησαν κενα' — 'emeletesan' — a derivative of 'μελεταω', whose primary meaning is to care about
— here in this context literally they care about the empty, about the vain
— that is, they expend their energies on something that is vain to them. In the Hebrew original of the cited psalm the word is murmur
; it may also be rendered they devise, they meditate greatly upon, they ponder
.
Acts IV, 28 — the word 'προωρισεν' is used, which is a form of 'προοριζω' — to limit beforehand
. No, the Lord did not appoint
them to persecute and kill Jesus (in that case they would have had no sin; see more in particular at the links:
https://sites.google.com/view/rozdumy23/home/priklad-1-pro-boze-pikluvanna-i-dvoh-malenkih-ptasok
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/DialogueOnWordsChristFear.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26062025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16042026.html
), but He limited their power, so that they should not destroy the faithful together with Jesus — and now limits them again, so that they should not be able to stop the preaching and exterminate the faithful. The evil done against Jesus the Lord limited, and now the faithful pray for God's further protection (God's limiting of the evil of the persecutors). See also concerning what is here called will (following the same thought as the apostle Peter in his Epistles) the fine works at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29012026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27012026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28012026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/30062023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/15072023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/19072025.html
More concerning the reading see at the links:
https://sites.google.com/view/rozdumy23/home/priklad-1-pro-boze-pikluvanna-i-dvoh-malenkih-ptasok
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/DialogueOnWordsChristFear.html
https://churchandsociety.org.ua/pdf/projects/zbirnyk.pdf
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/15072023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27042023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16052024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01052025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27042023.html
More concerning the readings from the Gospel see at the links:
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DWMTLk3DYIR/
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DWv_JXXjbPZ/
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22042026.html
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DT6X5acAk52/
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22022025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/Trinity.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27042023.html
Of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer:
Concerning the readings from the Apostle see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16012025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13052023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01062024.html
Concerning the readings from the Gospel see at the link and others cited there:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10042026.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!