Commentary for (Romans VIII, 22-27; Matthew X, 23-31)

Oleksandr Zhabenko 🇬🇧
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.

Liturgy:
(Romans VIII, 22-27)
Romans VIII, 23, 26 — 'ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ πνεύματος' - 'aparkhen tou pneumatos' - first fruits of the Spirit. 'ἐν ἑαυτοῖς' - 'en heautois' - within ourselves. A common expression.

In verses 24-25 we see how virtues give birth to one another, transition into one another, so that the later fulfilment of God's promises serves the gradual growth in several virtues at once for the faithful. We see here one of the reasons for God's longsuffering for the salvation of people and for history to have meaning.

Romans VIII, 27 — 'κατὰ θεὸν' - 'kata theon' - according to God. God here is the Father, and the Holy Spirit acts in the world according to His common will with the Father and the Son. He recalls the image of caring hands with which someone embraces and draws close, cares for their child. To a certain extent the Holy Spirit represents the faithful, particularly the saints, before the Father. And if a person's request is the request of the person, of creation, then the request of the Holy Spirit is the request of God with all the consequences. Also here it is clearly visible that the Holy Spirit is a Person, because He intercedes. Only a conscious person can intercede. Therefore, He is a Person, a Hypostasis of the God's nature. That is why often in prayer the faithful say: Intercede for us, O God, with Thy grace!.

About hope Paul has in mind that in the very definition of hope there is an indication that hope concerns more not what is obvious, but what is non-obvious. In contemporary language we use this word in various cases, even when it concerns something obvious, but Paul used this word concerning the non-obvious. One can say that when something becomes obvious and present, manifested, evident, visible, then hope gives way to knowledge and certainty. But the faithful in Christ even until the time of the coming of this manifestation, until the Kingdom of God wait eagerly and patiently with hope.

This is also an important place for Trinitarian theology, since it clearly shows that there is no complete general correspondence between the manifestations of the Trinity in creation and what relations exist between the Hypostases in the Godhead.

More about the reading see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22062023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/Trinity.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/11072024.html

(Matthew X, 23-31)
The beginning speaks about persecution and the need instead of paying great attention to persecutors, to preach the Gospel to other people. That is, one needs to wisely use time and other resources and go further with preaching.

Regarding the promise to come earlier, here one can understand that even before the Second Coming itself there will still be a field for mission, that is, there will be a spiritual harvest for labour.

I have written much on this topic before, a significant part is collected in my publication in the collection of theses of last year's Round Table.

I shall try to bring clarity to the question. Holy apostle and evangelist Luke, pray to God for us!
https://churchandsociety.org.ua/pdf/projects/zbirnyk.pdf

One needs to distinguish between God's will and God's permission, what God wants, and what He does not want, but allows for the sake of the freedom of creation. In the Old Testament almost no one did this, and following it, especially when quoting, and in some places of the New Testament they also do not distinguish. But one still needs to.

This is most clearly visible regarding the place about the little birds. Its translations are very eloquent. Many Slavonic, including Ukrainian, as can be seen also in the picture, add the word will…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mereza/posts/

Ukrainian usual translation in the modern version

The word will is not in the original… Instead there is the Father Himself. But as Who? Participant? Judge? The one who kills? Creator? Provider? Almighty? Witness? Co-sufferer? The word will is added, but it narrows all possible meanings to their subgroup, where the Father either kills the little birds intentionally, or wants them to become dead... But this is precisely what God does NOT want. Who agrees?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mereza/posts/

More about the reading from the Gospel 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

Matthew X, 23 — 'ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ' - 'en te polei taute' - in any city. Where. 'εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν' - 'eis ten heteran' - to another; to the other. Where to.

Matthew X, 27 — 'ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ' - 'en te skotia' - in the darkness. Where. 'ἐν τῷ φωτί' - 'en to photi' - in the light. Where, under what conditions, how. 'ὃ εἰς τὸ οὖς ἀκούετε' - 'ho eis to ous akouete' - what you hear into (on) the ear. That is, where words enter, it is meant in the secret of the heart, inaudibly to those around, inner speech, voice.

Matthew X, 28 — 'μὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεννόντων τὸ σῶμα' - 'me phobeisthe apo ton apoktennonton to soma' - do not fear those who kill the body. That is, death from persecutors, the very possible persecutors, oppressors. 'ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ' - 'apolesai en geenne' - to destroy in hell. Where. See in detail and more at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/DialogueOnWordsChristFear.html

Matthew X, 29 — 'οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται; καὶ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν' - 'oukhi duo strouthia assariou poleitai? kai hen ex auton ou peseitai epi ten gen aneu tou patro hymon' - are not two little birds sold for an assarion (small coin, penny)? And (even) one of them will not fall to the earth (dead) without your Father. See the explanation above, and also more at the links below.

Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!