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.
Jude I, 12 — ‘ἐν ταῖς ἀγάπαις’ - ‘en tais agapais’ - ‘at the agapais (love suppers)’. ‘ὑπὸ ἀνέμων’ - ‘hypo anamon’ - ‘through the winds; under the winds; by the winds’. The latter option is the most logical. The preposition ‘hypo’ here is with the genitive case and indicates the passive voice of ‘those carried away by the winds’.
Jude I, 13 — ‘εἰς αἰῶνα’ - ‘eis aiona’ - ‘’for ever‘’. A common expression.
Jude I, 14 — ‘ἕβδομος ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ’ - ‘hebdomos apo Adam’ - ‘the seventh from Adam’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates the beginning of the counting of time. ‘ἐν ἁγίαις μυριάσιν’ - ‘en hagiais myriasin’ - ‘in tens of thousands of saints; amidst tens of thousands of saints’. That is, ‘surrounded by; amidst’.
Jude I, 17 — ‘τῶν ῥημάτων τῶν προειρημένων ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ’ - ‘ton rematon ton proeiremenon hypo ton apostolon tou kyriou hemon Iesou CHristou’ - ‘words, spoken beforehand through the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; the words spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ’. Both translations are possible, with the first emphasising the origin of the words from God and the second - the apostolic tradition. The preposition ‘hypo’ here is with the genitive case and indicates either that the words were spoken through the apostles by God or that the apostles spoke them.
Jude I, 20 — ‘ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ προσευχόμενοι’ - ‘en pneumati hagio proseukhomenoi’ - ‘in the Holy Spirit pray with inspiration, high; by the Holy Spirit pray with inspiration, high’. Both translations are possible, the first indicating that the Holy Spirit wants to fill people in prayer, and the second that He Himself moves the prayer of the faithful when He wants to.
Jude I, 21 — ‘ἐν ἀγάπῃ θεοῦ’ - ‘en agape theou’ - ‘in the love of God; by the love of God’. Both translations are possible, and they complement each other. ‘εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον’ - ‘eis zoen aionion’ - ‘(which leads) to eternal life; for eternal life’. Both translations are possible, although the first is more arbitrary.
Jude I, 23 — ‘ἐκ πυρὸς’ - ‘ek pyros’ - ‘out of the fire’. That is, ‘whence?’ ‘ἐν φόβῳ’ - ‘en phobo’ - ‘in fear’. More about the fear of God is available here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/kxQPohs9xK5YfZap/
‘ἀπὸ τῆς σαρκὸς’ — ‘apo tes sarkos’ - ‘from the flesh’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that the flesh itself (here, the physical body) is not a source of defilement and uncleanness (compare with the words of the Apostle Paul), but the sin in question is.
Jude I, 24 — ‘ἀμώμους ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει’ - ‘amomous en agalliasei’ - ‘blameless in an extraordinary joyful exaltation’. This is a comparison and contrast with those sinful people to encourage the faithful to seek heavenly joy in the Lord.
Jude I, 25 — ‘εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας’ - ‘eis pantas tous aionas’ - ‘in all ages; throughout all ages’.
For more on the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the following:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/14032024.html
Luke XXIII, 4, 14 — ‘ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τούτῳ’ - ‘en to anthropo touto’ - ‘in this human being’.
Luke XXIII, 5 — ‘ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας’ - ‘apo tes Gagilaias’ - ‘from Galilee’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates the beginning, from which, according to the elders, Jesus began His activities.
Luke XXIII, 7 — ‘ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας Ἡρῴδου’ - ‘ek tes exousias Herodou’ - ‘from the authority of Herod; from Herod's possessions’. Literally the first. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates where Jesus is from as a human being, i.e. from the lands that were under Herod's rule. Given this meaning, the second translation is more understandable and unambiguous. ‘ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐν ταύταις ταῖς ἡμέραις’ - ‘en Hierosolymois en tautais tais hemerais’ - ‘in Jerusalem in those days’.
Luke XXIII, 8 — ‘ἐξ ἱκανῶν χρόνων’ - ‘ex ikanon khronon’ - ‘from long ago; since long ago’. Time here is meant simply as the flow of time, i.e. ‘a long time,’ not a meaningful time filled with important events and significance. Herod's time was simply passing. ‘ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ γινόμενον - ‘hyp autou ginomenon’ - ‘’which come from Him; which are done by Him‘’. Both translations are possible, with the passive voice indicating that Herod was only interested in Jesus' miracles, not in Jesus Himself.
Luke XXIII, 9 — ‘ἐν λόγοις ἱκανοῖς’ - ‘en logois ikanois’ - ‘in many words; with many words’.
Luke XXIII, 12 — ‘ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ’ - ‘en aute te hemera’ - ‘on that day’. ‘ἐν ἔχθρᾳ ὄντες’ - ‘en ekhthra ontes’ - ‘were at enmity’.
Luke XXIII, 19 — ‘ἐν τῇ πόλει’ - ‘en te polei’ - ‘in the city’. ‘ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ’ - ‘en te phylake’ - ‘(being detained and put in prison) in the prison’ (where). That is, it refers to the legitimate and proper detention of a criminal.
Luke XXIII, 22 — ‘ἐν αὐτῷ’ - ‘en auto’ - ‘in Him’.
Luke XXIII, 25 — ‘εἰς φυλακήν’ - ‘eis phylaken’ - ‘into prison’ (where to). That is, he was put there.
Luke XXIII, 26 — ‘ἀπ’ ἀγροῦ' - ap agrou
- from the field
. The preposition ‘apo’ in its form before the next vowel indicates that Simon had left his field and was walking home further.
Luke XXIII, 29 — ‘ἐν αἷς’ - ‘en hais’ - ‘in which’.
Luke XXIII, 31 — ‘ἐν τῷ ὑγρῷ ξύλῳ’ - ‘en to hygro xylo’ - ‘in the green tree; with the green tree; in (the case of) the green tree’. Grammatically, the third option is correct. ‘ἐν τῷ ξηρῷ’ - ‘en to xero’ - ‘in the dry; dry; in (the case of) dry’. Similarly, the third option here.
Luke XXIII, 33 — ‘ἐκ δεξιῶν’ - ‘ek dexion’ - ‘from the right side (where)’. A common expression.
Luke XXIII, 46 — ‘εἰς χεῖράς σου’ - ‘eis kheiras sou’ - ‘into Your hands’. That is, ‘where to’.
Luke XXIII, 49 — ‘ἀπὸ μακρόθεν’ - ‘apo makrothen’ - ‘from afar’. A common expression. ‘ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας’ - ‘apo tes Galilaias’ - ‘from Galilee’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that they had left Galilee completely, perhaps also repenting of something that was typical of the inhabitants of that area.
Luke XXIII, 51 — ‘ἀπὸ Ἀριμαθαίας’ - ‘apo Arimathaias’ - ‘from Arimathaea’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that Joseph left Arimathea completely (and lived in Jerusalem as a counsellor).
Luke XXIII, 53 — ‘ἐν μνήματι’ - ‘en mnemati’ - ‘in a tomb’.
Luke XXIII, 55 — ‘ἐκ τῆς Γαλιλαίας’ - ‘ek tes Galilaias’ - ‘from Galilee’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates that the women came from Galilee (to some extent, Jesus' homeland), which had a significant impact on their accompaniment of Jesus, i.e. the fact that He was from Galilee, where they were from, was of significant importance in this situation. Perhaps not for the women themselves, but for the Romans to allow Jesus' body to be buried.
For more on the readings from the Gospel, please refer to the following:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/14032024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!