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.
2 Corinthians V, 1 — ‘οἰκοδομὴν ἐκ θεοῦ’ - ‘oikodomen ek theou’ - ‘a building from God’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates origin. ‘ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς’ - ‘en tois ouranois’ - ‘in the heavens’.
2 Corinthians V, 2 — ‘καὶ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ’ - ‘kai gar en touto’ - ‘and therefore in this’. ‘ἐξ οὐρανοῦ’ - ‘ex ouranou’ - ‘from heaven’. The preposition ‘ek’ in its form before the next vowel indicates here the origin of the desired home.
2 Corinthians V, 4 — ‘ἐν τῷ σκήνει’ - ‘en to skenei’ - ‘in this tent’. ‘ὑπὸ τῆς ζωῆς’ - ‘hypo tes zoes’ - ‘under the life; through the life’. The preposition ‘para’ here, with the genitive case, indicates either that the mortal body will become the basis for immortal life, being filled with life, i.e. will be immortal through being filled with life - for the saints also by the grace of deification, glory, and for all - by the gift of eternal existence; or that the properties of the mortal body, its ability to decay, break down, deteriorate, etc. will be as if ‘swallowed up’ by the life that will fill the bodies. Perhaps both possible thoughts are combined here.
2 Corinthians V, 5 — ‘εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο’ - ‘eis auto touto’ - ‘for this very purpose’. The preposition ‘eis’ here indicates a purpose, an end goal as a point of departure.
2 Corinthians V, 6 — ‘ἐν τῷ σώματι’ - ‘en to somati’ - ‘in the body’. That is, having a present body, in its state. ‘ἐκδημοῦμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου’ - ‘ekdemoumen apo tou kyriou’ - ‘absent from the Lord's house’. The preposition ‘apo’ here (compare with the following) means that our bodies are now completely, utterly unlike God. Paul means that our present bodies are not what God intended them to be, they are like a ‘second temporary building’ where people live while waiting for the real one - from God.
2 Corinthians V, 8 — ‘ἐκδημῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ σώματος’ - ‘ekdemesai ek tou somatos’ - ‘having originated from the body, to leave it’. The preposition ‘ek’ here indicates origin and connection, which we nevertheless wish to change into a new life. Our present earthly bodies are our ‘cradle’, our ‘home’ by origin as bodily beings, yet we want to leave them in order to be spiritual beings like God. The point is not to get rid of the body, but to have its mortal characteristics swallowed up by life from God. See also:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8AN3CfikTS/
For more information about the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04112023.html
For more information about the Gospel reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/08112024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/25112023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!