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
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.
Since tomorrow is a great feast, the daily readings are transferred to today, therefore, I will indicate two readings in a row in brackets.
Liturgy:
I will mainly cite references below with additional material — since I commented last year and the year before that.
Romans VII, 2 — 'ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ἀνδρός' - 'apo tou nomou tou andros' - from the law of the husband
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that the liberation is complete. The Law and accordingly the commandment binds a person with good not through the person themselves, not in their nature, but in an additional way, as a model and example of action, as an image of what is desired by God and conceived by Him for humanity. The Law is not obligatory for human existence, their nature, but is given additionally. Therefore a person can be under the action of the Law, or may not be, which depends on various additional factors, particularly here — whether the husband and wife are alive.
Romans VII, 3 — 'ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου' - 'eleuthera estin apo tou nomou' - free is from the Law
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that freedom from the Law is complete, total, that is, this is not something cosmetic
. According to what was just written above, a person can quite exist without Law if there are appropriate conditions. The word freedom
here has a more natural meaning, without freedom a person cannot exist, it is embedded in the very nature of a person, is a component of the image of God.
Romans VII, 4 — 'εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι ὑμᾶς ἑτέρῳ' - 'eis to genesthai hymas hetero' - to make you stand towards Another
. That is, to make the faithful such that they live in approach to the Risen Christ, approach Him with their existence and life. That is, they become resurrected
children of God. 'τῷ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντι' - 'to ek nekron egerthenti' - to Him Who was raised from the dead
. The preposition 'ek' indicates here from where the transition occurred — from the dead to the living.
Romans VII, 5 — 'ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκί' - 'emen en te sarki' - were in the flesh
. 'τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐνηργεῖτο ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν' - 'ta dia tou nomou energeito en tois melesin emon' - those that through the Law (as a channel of action or state) worked, were accomplished, were active in our members
. In some translations the word originate
appears, but as can be seen, it is not in the original. Sinful passions do not originate from the Law or commandment. But their manifestations are closely connected with the Law and commandment, about which more is said in detail below. Generally speaking in other words: what the commandment and Law reveal, open, show, use, rely on, the same thing sin and passions try to use — and they often succeed — to kill a person. Paul does not name what exactly this is, therefore his words sound paradoxical and mysterious. One cannot say simply that this is freedom, which both law and sins use. This is incorrect, because human freedom is not literally exactly what commandments and passions, sins, act through, although it is very important here. I think what is meant here is that both Law, commandment, and sin, passions are connected with human relationships with everything, with relationships, with human attitude toward everything. The Law reveals what it is conceived by God to be, what is needed, while sin and passions conversely — use human attitude against the person themselves. It is also obviously important to emphasise that this must be about the human, not the divine. For example, sin cannot use God's grace, but can distort and corrupt human attitude, human relationships with grace. The Law in turn also does not limit grace and does not define it. 'εἰς τὸ καρποφορῆσαι τῷ θανάτῳ' - 'eis to karpophoresai to thanato' - to bear fruit (to what?) to death
. That is, passions acted for what or otherwise said — where they led.
Romans VII, 6 — 'ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου' - 'apo tou nomou' - from the Law
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that the liberation is complete. See the analogy above. 'ἀποθανόντες ἐν ᾧ κατειχόμεθα' - 'apothanontes en ho kateikhometha' - having died in that by which we were held
. 'ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος καὶ οὐ παλαιότητι γράμματος' - 'en kainoteti pneumatos kai ou palaioteti grammatos' - in renewal of Spirit and not in oldness of letter; with renewal of Spirit and not with oldness of letter
. Both translation variants are possible, the first indicates that renewal of nature, life and being filled with the Spirit are direct signs and characteristics of the life of the faithful, and the second — that they also share this with others.
Romans VII, 8, 11, 17, 18 — 'διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς' - 'dia tes entoles' - through the commandment
(as a channel of action). 'ἐν ἐμοὶ' - 'en emoi' - in me
. Where. 'χωρὶς γὰρ νόμου' - 'khoris gar nomou' - for without (separately from) Law
.
Romans VII, 9 — 'χωρὶς νόμου' - 'khoris nomou' - without (separately from) Law
. If there is no model, pattern, with which human life is compared, then sin cannot distort
the attitude. And when there is a pattern, then comparison is possible, and both correspondence to it and non-correspondence are possible.
Romans VII, 10 — 'ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ εἰς ζωὴν αὕτη εἰς θάνατον' - 'he entole he eis zoen aute eis thanaton' - that commandment which is unto life (as the final destination point of movement, as the goal of movement), that — unto death (as the final point of movement)
. What is meant is that a person in their freedom is capable of both variants, and sinning, chooses the second, worse one. More about freedom see at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/DialogueOnWordsChristFear.html
Romans VII, 11 — 'καὶ δι' αὐτῆς ἀπέκτεινεν' - 'kai di' autes apekteinen' - and through it killed
(as a channel of action). To a certain extent death is non-correspondence to God's design, intention, ideal, pattern
. When a person distances themselves from the intention, they die spiritually, and then physically.
Romans VII, 13 — 'ἀλλὰ ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἵνα φανῇ ἁμαρτία, διὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μοι κατεργαζομένη θάνατον· ἵνα γένηται καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἁμαρτωλὸς ἡ ἁμαρτία διὰ τῆς ἐντολῆς' - 'alla e amartia ina phane amartia dia tou agathou moi katergazomene thanaton ina genetai kath' yperbolen amartolos e amaria dia tes entoles' - but sin, that it might appear as sin, through (as a channel or means of action) good accomplished, effected death for me, so that something similar to what is excessively, abundantly sinful might happen — sin became through the commandment (as a channel or means of action)
. A complex explanation of several important thoughts, particularly that of why sin is actually wrong, bad, sin. The ideal given by God to people is good, and sin causes people death through this good.
Romans VII, 14 — 'ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν' - 'hypo ten amartian' - under the sin
. The preposition 'hypo' here with accusative indicates here that a person finds themselves lower
, as if weaker. Here and in verse 15 it is important to see that spirit
and spiritual
indicates that spirit is not limited by bodily limitations, therefore has more freedom. Also here it is seen that angels, whose angelic spiritual nature is here indirectly mentioned through the general spirit
— they act as they want, that is, angels are not slaves, it is also seen why those angels that fell do not repent — because they fell completely freely, and now do not want to repent. Regarding creation spirit
reveals all possibilities of creation, all powers, all gifts and endowments. Therefore we also see more manifestations of spirit, more freedom in giftedness.
Romans VII, 16 — 'σύμφημι' - 'symphemi' - I agree
.
Romans VII, 18, 21 — 'ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου' - 'en te sarki mou' - in my flesh
. Where. 'ἀγαθόν' - 'agathon' - good
(in a broad sense, good generally, as a whole, in result). 'καλὸν' - 'kalon' - beautiful, good in the highest sense, worthy
. Paul says that if a person does not reach
the performance of the beautiful, worthy, then one cannot say that good constantly lives in them
.
Romans VII, 19, 21 — 'κακὸν' - 'kakon' - evil; something really bad
(evil
in the proper sense). In the 21st verse the opposites are revealed most: desire for beautiful good and presence of real evil.
Romans VII, 23 — 'ἕτερον νόμον ἐν τοῖς μέλεσίν μου' - 'heteron nomon en tois melesin mou' - another law in my members
. Where. 'ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τῆς ἁμαρτίας' - 'en to nomo tes hamartias' - in the law of sin; with the law of sin
. Both translation variants are possible, and they are substantially different in meaning. The first indicates that that named another law
that is a certain force which captivates
, acting according to a certain logic, causes a person's being under the influence and action
of sin. The second indicates that the very influence and action of sin cause that force which captivates. One can say that here is a certain closed circle of mutual reinforcement of both laws
.
Romans VII, 24 — 'τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου;' - 'tis me rysetai ek tou somatos tou thanatou toutou?' - who will deliver me from this body of sin and death?
. That is, from the physical body which has succumbed to sin and death, corruption.
Romans VIII, 1 — 'ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ' - 'en CHristo Iesou' - in Christ Jesus
.
Romans VIII, 2 — 'ἠλευθέρωσέν σε ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου' - 'eleutherosen se apo tou nomou tes amartias kai tou thanatou' - freed you from the law of sin and death
. The apostle begins to use the word law
constantly, here in the passage we have law of the mind
, Law of God
, Law of the Spirit
, law of sin
and law of death
. And earlier there was simply law
. Actually, here this is what is more lasting, more enduring, stronger than everything that can be changed by simple human effort. The image of desired good, called law of the mind
, cannot be simply arbitrarily changed by a person, because it attracts them, reflecting the depth of their personality; Law of God
is established by God; Law of the Spirit of life in Christ
— is a gift of grace, which is able to act on everyone; law of sin and death
— inclinations to sin, passions, ability to die and death itself.
More about the readings see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/19062023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20062023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/08072024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/09072024.html
Matthew IX, 38 — 'εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ' - 'eis ton therismon autou' - into His harvest
. Where to.
Matthew X, 5 — 'εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν' - 'eis hodon ethnon' - into the way of the Gentiles
. Where to. 'εἰς πόλιν Σαμαριτῶν' - 'eis polin Samariton' - into a city of the Samaritans
. Where to.
Matthew X, 9 — 'εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν' - 'eis tas zonas hymon' - into your belts
. Where to.
Matthew X, 10 — 'εἰς ὁδὸν' - 'eis hodon' - into the road
. Where to.
Matthew X, 11 — 'εἰς ἣν δ' ἂν πόλιν ἢ κώμην εἰσέλθητε' - 'eis hen d an polin e komen eiselthete' - and when you enter whatever town or village
. Where to. 'τίς ἐν αὐτῇ ἄξιός ἐστιν' - 'tis en aute axios estin' - who in it is worthy
. Where.
Matthew X, 12 — 'εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν' - 'eis ten oikian' - into the house
. Where to.
Matthew X, 14 — 'κονιορτὸν ἐκ τῶν ποδῶν ὑμῶν' - 'koniorton ek ton podon ymon' - dust from your feet
. The dust does not originate from the apostles' feet, but settled there earlier than someone from outside would notice the shaking of it from the legs. Therefore this is said from the point of view of an observer and witness of events — how people should see this. This is a sign for people, the meaning of which is to convey testimony to them.
Matthew X, 15 — 'ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως' - 'en hemera kriseos' - on the day of judgement
. When. At the Last Judgement.
More about the Gospel reading see the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/19062023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20062023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/08072024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/09072024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!