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 V, 2, 3 — 'ἀπὸ τῆς τιμῆς' — 'apo tes times' - from the price
. What is spoken of is the fact that Ananias appropriated for himself what was to have belonged to God, taking it back from his offering. In this manner he wished to gain a double benefit
through deception — both profit instead of the offering, and the glory of an unselfish donor among the community of Christians. 'παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων' - 'para tous podas ton apostolon' - to the proximity of the feet of the apostles
. The preposition 'para' here with the accusative indicates that Ananias brought that portion demonstratively, laying it closer to the feet of the apostles as a mark of special honour and gift.
Acts V, 4 — 'ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ' — 'en te se exousia' - in your authority
. That is, he could freely dispose of it as a fully empowered owner, without additional restrictions or obligations. The sin of Ananias was entirely deliberate and free. 'ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου' - 'en te kardia sou' - in your heart
. Where.
Acts V, 4 — 'εμενεν' — 'emenen' — from 'μενω' — to remain, to stay
. Literally: Not remaining (for yourself), you left it?
. That is, Ananias and Sapphira did this demonstratively, in order to show their special dedication to God, whilst secretly keeping some for themselves (thus truly attempting to deceive the Christians they knew, so as to be regarded as similar in zeal to the apostles themselves).
Concerning the great fear
— see in particular what is written in the work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16042026.html
Here there may truly be both fear, and wonder, and awe.
For clarity I shall add that Peter was not threatening Ananias and Sapphira, but was prophesying about them — that is, in the Spirit he knew what would happen to them, without being their enemy or wishing them evil.
Both of this married couple gave up their last breath after being exposed in the attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit
. Let us recall that it is precisely the Holy Spirit Who gives people life, and concerning the creation of the human being, when God breathed into the man's nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living soul
(Genesis II, 7). About this I also wrote previously — see at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26022026.html
It is also fitting to recall the words of Jesus concerning the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which is not forgiven (according to the widespread view in the Church — until the person repents). See also:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
Here I shall cite:
The Church accepts the view that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as a kind of sin consists in conscious and embittered resistance to the truth, in the conscious denial of the manifest action of God. Such a sin is considered not to be forgiven because it requires unconditional repentance in order to be forgiven (it is not forgiven until the person repents). I shall not now, due to lack of space, go deeper into this, but I shall note the following: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit alone is not forgiven, and therefore in order to be forgiven one must honour the Holy Spirit. For forgiveness there is repentance, and therefore the Beginning of all good repentance, its 'Root', is the Holy Spirit, and repentance begins with the honouring of the Holy Spirit. And no wonder, for it is he who acts upon the person, calling to conversion and repentance. If a person honours the Holy Spirit, they repent and do everything to please him, and he 'vivifies' such conversion as a root nourishes the branches. Therefore every conversion must begin with the honouring of the Holy Spirit.
In general the story is very instructive in the fact that one must take diligent care for the sincerity of one's relationship with God in the broad sense.
More concerning the reading see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02052025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28042023.html
John V, 30 — 'ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ' — 'ap emautou' - from Myself
. The preposition 'apo' in its form before the following vowel indicates that the imagined action being spoken of, once accomplished, continues to have objective significance (but Christ does not act from Himself, but in unity with the Father and the Spirit). See the detailed and profound explanation at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22042026.html
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DT6X5acAk52/
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DWMTLk3DYIR/
John V, 34 — 'ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου τὴν μαρτυρίαν λαμβάνω' — 'ego de ou para anthropou ten martyrian lambano' - but I do not receive testimony from beside the human being
. The preposition 'para' here with the genitive case. This construction is used concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and concerning the human nature of Jesus Christ. See more at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/Pryjmennyky.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
Here this indicates that Jesus appeals not to the testimony of people about Himself, even divinely inspired testimony originating from the Holy Spirit and His action (as was the case with John the Baptist, who was a divinely inspired prophet), but to the testimony of the Father Himself and the Holy Spirit Himself. See also above. Nevertheless, the words here about salvation point to the purpose of the divine inspiration of the prophets — for the salvation of people.
John V, 35 — 'ἐν τῷ φωτὶ αὐτοῦ' — 'en to photi autou' - in his light; with his light
. Both translations are possible, the first indicating that the gift of prophecy and righteousness is as it were a medium
that bestows genuine joy and comfort upon others, and the second — that these very gifts are themselves comfort and joy. The Lord by this teaches us not to envy spiritual gifts, and also calls us to rejoice in them — in particular in other people.
John V, 38 — 'ἐν ὑμῖν' — 'en hymin' - in you
. Where.
John V, 39 — 'ἐν αὐταῖς' — 'en autais' - in them; with them
. Both translations are possible, and the Lord shows a certain inaptness in both thoughts about salvation and eternal life. The first translation indicates that people think they have eternal life based upon the Scriptures as a collection of rules, prescriptions, history, and so on — rather than upon the Living Christ, in the Living Spirit, in the Living God; and the second — that people expect to have eternal life through the preservation of the Scriptures in the various senses of preserving the tradition
. At the same time, in pointing to the inaptness of both thoughts, the Lord encourages the use of Scripture, and its study and preservation — for it testifies concerning Christ.
John V, 41 — 'δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνω' — 'doxan para anthropon ou lambano' - I do not receive glory from beside the people
. The preposition 'para' here with the genitive case. This construction is used concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and concerning the human nature of Jesus Christ. For more detail see at the links and above concerning verse 34:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/Pryjmennyky.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
Here this indicates that what is spoken of is the divinely inspired testimony of the prophets and the Law. They are needed not by Christ — for He is the Self-Existent God — but by people for their salvation, by all of us.
John V, 42 — 'οὐκ ἔχετε τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς' — 'ouk ekhete ten agapen tou theou en heautois' - you do not have the love of God in yourselves
. That is, people do not properly cherish the love of God given to them, and do not care to receive it.
John V, 43 — 'ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρός μου' — 'en to onomati tou patros mou' - in the name of My Father; in My Father's name
. Here the first translation is more likely in terms of meaning, since the second is unclear. What is meant is that Jesus Christ revealed Himself as the Son of the Father, revealed the Father. 'ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ ἰδίῳ' - 'en to onomati to idio' - in his own name; with his own name
. Analogous to the preceding. Here what is meant is that the Antichrist cannot (by virtue of how he will act and live, and not because by nature he is generally incapable of resembling God — no, he can — but he will not wish to and will not) be in a state similar to that of the Trinity, about which I wrote more at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22042026.html
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DT6X5acAk52/
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DWMTLk3DYIR/
concerning John V, 19. Here there is an implicit prophecy that those who rejected Christ will wish to receive the Antichrist.
John V, 44 — 'πῶς δύνασθε ὑμεῖς πιστεῦσαι, δόξαν παρὰ ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες, καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ μόνου θεοῦ οὐ ζητεῖτε;' — 'pos dynasthe hymeis pisteusai doxan para allolon lambanontes kai ten doxan ten para tou monou theou ou zeteite' - how can you believe, receiving glory from beside one another, and the glory that is from beside the One God you do not seek (do not desire, do not strive for)
. The preposition 'para' here twice with the genitive case. The same construction is used concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and concerning the human nature of Jesus Christ. For more detail see at the links below and concerning verses 34 and 41 above:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/Pryjmennyky.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
Here this indicates that in the case of human glory (the first use in the verse) people seek recognition similar to what it would be if they were honoured by some prophet or servant of God inspired by the Holy Spirit — but they do not seek glory from beside God Himself — the Son, consubstantial with the Father and the Spirit. That is, what is spoken of is the rejection of the Trinity, the unwillingness to receive the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — the desire to limit oneself to the books of the Old Testament, the preservation of the words of the prophets and the Law, whilst rejecting Christ Himself. On the other hand, what is spoken of is the fact that people wish to build ideal relationships as if following the example of God, the Trinity — but they reject the Trinity itself. See also:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22042026.html
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DT6X5acAk52/
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DWMTLk3DYIR/
John V, 45 — 'Μωϋσῆς, εἰς ὃν ὑμεῖς ἠλπίκατε' — 'Moyses eis hon hymeis elpikate' - Moses, in whom you have placed your hope (that is, on whom you rely)
. To hope in someone, in the teaching of Christ as far as is known from the Synoptic Gospels, also means to place at the centre
(the story of the rich young man and the camel). That is, such piety regarding the prophets will result in those very prophets themselves (Moses is named first in glory) testifying against such piety.
Concerning John V, 30 — see in yesterday's work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23042026.html
What people try to use to justify themselves in their rejection of Jesus in fact testifies against themselves. Why so? Because the Lord has providentially placed testimony concerning Jesus Christ everywhere, and one who rejects him simply does not see this divine depth, which becomes manifest in genuine knowledge. See more on this point in the work at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16042026.html
https://gemini.google.com/share/72df8f8f5838
People neglect their genuine desires — for glory from God, for the great joy of God's visitation, of knowing God, of God's closeness and love and of love towards Him. Instead they tend to replace these with something that seems similar (though in reality quite weakly so) in creation — human glory and the like.
Christ wishes to save people from everything that harms them, even if they do not realise it.
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/02052025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/28042023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!