Christ Is Born!
🌞
Let's glorify Him!
Merry Christmas Eve!
At the 1st hour:
Hebrews I, 1 — ‘ἐν τοῖς προφήταις’ - ‘en tois prophetais’ - ‘in the prophets; with the prophets’. Both translations are possible, the first emphasising that the life of the prophets is a living sermon, and the second that God works through them, they do not hinder God from speaking to people, but make sure that God's words are preserved and received. ‘ἐν υἱῷ’ - ‘en hyio’ - ‘in the Son; with the Son’. The first option is more likely, since the Son speaks as well as the Father.
Hebrews I, 3 — ‘ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς’ - ‘en dexia tes megalosynes en hypselois’ - ‘at the right hand of the majesty in the highest’.
Hebrews I, 4 — ‘ὅσῳ διαφορώτερον παρ’ αὐτοὺς' - hoso diaphoroteron par autous
- how different to the proximity to theirs (names in deep comparison, juxtaposition)
. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the accusative, indicating a comparison, a juxtaposition, so it is implied how completely different the Scripture speaks of the Son of God in comparison to the angels, indicating that He is not a creation, but the Creator, God.
Hebrews I, 5 — ‘εἰς πατέρα’ - ‘eis patera’ - ‘as the Father’. That is, ‘Whom will I be?’, similarly the following ‘εἰς υἱόν’ - ‘eis Hyion’ - ‘as the Son’.
Hebrews I, 6 — ‘εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην’ - ‘eis ten oikoumenen’ - ‘into the Universe; into the inhabited world’. That is, when the Trinity is revealed to the world. It should be understood that angels do not know God by their nature, but by the gift of grace, through God's Revelation, similar to humans.
Hebrews I, 8 — ‘εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος’ - ‘eis ton aiona tou aionos’ - ‘forever and ever’. A common expression.
Hebrews I, 9 — ‘παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους’ - ‘para tous metokhous’ - ‘to the proximity to friends'. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the accusative and has a deep meaning - on the one hand, it indicates that the Son of God becomes close to creation, that is, the oil in the prophecy is associated with the body and soul of Jesus Christ, and on the other hand, there is a comparison and contrast, which again emphasises God's greatness and incomparability with creation.
For more information about the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24122023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23032024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22122023.html
For more information on the Gospel reading, please refer to the following link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22122024.html
At the 3rd hour:
For more information about the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02102024.html
Luke II, 1 — ‘ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις’ - ‘en tais hemerais ekeinais’ - ‘in those days’. A common expression. ‘δόγμα παρὰ Καίσαρος Αὐγούστου’ - ‘dogma para Kaisaros Augoustou’ - ‘a decree from Caesar Augustus also’. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the genitive case, a similar construction is used also for the proceeding of the Holy Spirit from the Father, and for the human nature of Jesus Christ. It can be seen here that the decree was guided by the Holy Spirit so that the prophecies would be fulfilled.
Luke II, 3 — ‘εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν’ - ‘eis ten heautou polin’ - ‘to his (by origin) town’.
Luke II, 4 — ‘ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐκ πόλεως Ναζαρὲθ’ - ‘apo tes Galilaias ek poleos Nazareth’ - ‘from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that Joseph left Galilee on his way to Bethlehem, and the preposition ‘ek’ indicates where he came from. ‘εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν εἰς πόλιν Δαυεὶδ’ - ‘eis ten Ioudaian eis polin Daueid’ - ‘into Judea, into the city of David’. The preposition ‘eis’ in conjunction with the preceding indicates where Joseph went to. ‘ἐξ οἴκου’ - ‘ex oikou’ - ‘’out of the house‘’. The preposition ‘ek’ in its form before the following vowel indicates the origin.
Luke II, 6 — ‘ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς’ - ‘en to einai autous’ - ‘while being there’.
Luke II, 7, 12, 16 — ‘ἐν φάτνῃ’ - ‘en phatne’ - ‘in the manger’. ‘ἐν τῷ καταλύματι’ - ‘en to katalymati’ - ‘in the inn’.
Luke II, 8 — ‘ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ’ - ‘en te khora’ - ‘in that region’.
Luke II, 11 — ‘ἐν πόλει Δαυείδ’ - ‘en polei Daueid’ - ‘in the town of David’.
Luke II, 14 — ‘δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις θεῷ’ - ‘doxa en hypsistois theo’ - ‘glory (is) in the highest to God’. ‘ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας’ - ‘epi ges eirene en anthropois eudokias’ - ‘on earth peace (is) to the people of His pleasure’. ‘People of pleasure’ - that is, those to whom pleasure is related. ‘God's good pleasure is with people, and peace is on earth in them’.
Luke II, 15 — ‘ἀπ’ αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν' - ap auton eis ton ouranon
- from them into heaven
. The angels departed from the shepherds into heaven.
Luke II, 18 — ‘ἐθαύμασαν περὶ τῶν λαληθέντων ὑπὸ τῶν ποιμένων’ - ‘ethaumasan peri ton lalethenton hypo ton poimenon’ - ‘they were marvelling at what had been told them by the shepherds’. The preposition ‘yro’ is with the genitive case and indicates the passive voice of the participle.
Luke II, 19 — ‘ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ’ - ‘en te kardia’ - ‘in the heart’.
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
At the 6th hour:
Hebrews I, 13 — ‘ἐκ δεξιῶν’ - ‘ek dexion’ - ‘on the right hand’. A common expression indicating the most honourable place.
Hebrews I, 14 — ‘εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα’ - ‘eis diakonian apostellomena’ - ‘those being sent out for service’. Parallels with other words indicate that deacons and apostles are like angels.
Hebrews II, 3 — ‘ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκουσάντων’ - ‘hypo ton akousanton’ - ‘by those who heard’. The preposition ‘hypo’ is with the genitive case and indicates the passive voice of the participle ‘havung been preached’. ‘εἰς ἡμᾶς’ - ‘eis hemas’ - ’in us; so that it may spread among us; for us‘. There may be various translations that complement each other.
For more information about the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31032024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22122023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31072023.html
Matthew II, 1 — ‘ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως’ - ‘en Bethlehem tes Ioudaias en hemerais Herodou tou baliseos’ - ‘in Bethlehem in the days of King Herod’. ‘μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα’ - ‘magoi apo anatolon paregenonto eis Hierosolyma’ - ‘the Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that they had left the East and may also be an indirect indication that they repented of their sins and converted, leaving the old for the sake of the Messiah-King.
Matthew II, 2, 9 — ‘ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ’ - ‘en te anatole’ - ‘in the East’.
Matthew II, 4, 7 — ‘παρ’ αὐτῶν' - par auton
- from beside them
. The preposition ‘para’ in its form before the following vowel is here with the genitive case, a similar construction is used when referring to the proceeding of the Holy Spirit from the Father, and also to the human nature of Jesus Christ, here it indicates that the testimony of the Magi and scribes was true - the Messiah-Christ was indeed born.
Matthew II, 5 — ‘ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας’ - ‘en Bethlehem tes Ioudaias’ - ‘in Bethlehem of Judea’.
Matthew II, 6 — ‘ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα’ - ‘en tois hegemosin Iouda’ - ‘in the lands of Judas’. ‘ἐκ σοῦ’ - ‘ek sou’ - ‘out of you’. The preposition ‘eis’ here indicates origin.
Matthew II, 8 — ‘εἰς Βηθλέεμ’ - ‘eis Bethlehem’ - ‘to Bethlehem’.
Matthew II, 11 — ‘εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν’ - ‘eis ten oikian’ - ‘into the house’.
Matthew II, 12 — ‘εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν’ - ‘eis ten khoran auton’ - ‘to his own land’.
At the 9th hour:
Hebrews II, 11 — ‘ἐξ ἑνὸς πάντες’ - ‘ex enos pantes’ - ‘all are from One’. The preposition ‘ek’ in its form before the next vowel indicates origin.
Hebrews II, 12 — ‘ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας’ - ‘en meso ekklesias’ - ‘in the midst of the Church’. A common expression.
Hebrews II, 17 — ‘εἰς τὸ ἱλάσκεσθαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ λαοῦ’ - ‘eis to ilaskesthai tas amartias tou laou’ - ‘for the making of propitiation for the sins of men (the people)’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates the purpose of the action.
Hebrews II, 18 — ‘ἐν ᾧ’ - ‘en ho’ - ‘in what; with what’. There are two possible translations, which have different meanings: the first indicates that the Lord helps people in their sufferings and temptations, and the second that Christ's sufferings themselves help people (hence also as a consequence they are salvific).
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Matthew II, 13, 14 — ‘εἰς Αἴγυπτον’ - ‘eis Aigypton’ - ‘into Egypt’.
Matthew II, 15 — ‘τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος’ - ‘to rethen hypo kyriou dia tou prophtou legontos’ - ‘had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet'. The preposition ‘hypo’ here is with the genitive case, indicating the passive voice of the participle ‘had been said’. ‘ἐξ Αἰγύπτου’ - ‘ex Aigyptou’ - ‘from Egypt’. That is, ‘whence?’
Matthew II, 16 — ‘ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων’ - ‘enepaikhthe hypo ton magon’ - ‘was mocked by the Magi’. The preposition ‘hypo’ here is with the genitive case, indicating that the participle is in the passive voice. ‘ἐν Βηθλεὲμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις’ - ‘en Bethlehem kai en pasi tois oriois’ - ‘in Bethlehem and all the surrounding area’. ‘ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω’ - ‘apo dietous kai katotero’ - ‘from two years of age and younger’. The preposition ‘apo’ here indicates the beginning of a backward countdown. ‘παρὰ τῶν μάγων’ - ‘para ton magon’ - ‘’from beside the Magi‘’. The preposition ‘para’ is with the genitive case and indicates that Herod questioned both the Magi and the scribes, and that their testimony was true.
Matthew II, 18 — ‘φωνὴ ἐν Ῥαμὰ’ - ‘phone en Pama’ - ‘voice in Rama’.
Matthew II, 19 — ‘ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ’ - ‘en Aigypto’ - ‘in Egypt’.
Matthew II, 20, 21 — ‘εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ’ - ‘eis gen Israel’ - ‘into the land of Israel’.
Matthew II, 22 — ‘εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Γαλιλαίας’ - ‘eis ta mere tes Galilaias’ - ‘within the boundaries of Galilee’. This refers to the territories distinct from those under the control of Archelaus.
Matthew II, 23 — ‘εἰς πόλιν’ - ‘eis polin’ - ‘into the city’.
For more information about the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02102024.html
For more information about the Gospel reading, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31072024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!