Glory Be to Jesus Christ!
🌞
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.
As Great Lent has begun, the readings from the New Testament are replaced with readings from the Old Testament, in order to urge people more towards repentance.
As it is spoken of several Ancient Greek (Koine) prepositions, the Old Testament readings will continue to be commented upon, examining the first complete translation into Ancient Greek — the Septuagint.
The most widely read are the book of the prophet Isaiah, who is also called the Old Testament evangelist
on account of the clarity of his prophecies concerning Christ, the book of Genesis, from which we learn much concerning the meaning and the need for salvation and concerning God's will, and the book of the Proverbs of Solomon, which is an instructive canonical book, called to raise a person above the commonplace to the threshold of eternity, to prepare them for the higher through the seeking of wisdom rather than of certain earthly gains. All three books, as indeed the whole of the Old Testament, bear witness to Jesus Christ, notwithstanding that each of the books does so in an entirely different manner.
The theme is very profound, but it must be noted at once that the readers and hearers of the Old Testament in its own time differed from people today. The most essential difference was that the depth of understanding, especially the understanding of repentance, conversion and purification, was being formed at that time, and it is precisely for this reason that the reading of Old Testament books takes place first and foremost in the time of the fast, in the time of repentance and preparation, for that which those people encountered is also relevant today.
At the 6th Hour:
Isaiah XLV, 14 — 'ἐν σοὶ' — 'en soi' - in you; with you
. In terms of meaning, the second variant is more likely here.
Isaiah XLV, 16 — 'ἐν αἰσχύνῃ' — 'en aiskhyne' - in shame
.
Isaiah XLV, 17 — 'Ισραηλ σῴζεται ὑπὸ κυρίου σωτηρίαν αἰώνιον' — 'Israel sezetai hypo kyriou soterian aionion' - Israel is saved by the Lord with eternal salvation (note: according to Strong)
. Google Gemini Pro indicates that what is spoken of is the fact that Israel (that is, the faithful) will be in a permanent state of salvation by the Lord, and this salvation will be eternal and cannot even be put to shame. A prophecy concerning the two Comings of Christ. The preposition 'hypo' here with the genitive case indicates through Whom the salvation of Israel (the faithful) will come about, Who the Saviour is.
Here is a prophecy concerning the Saviour Lord, the Son of God Jesus Christ. Also concerning eternal salvation in him. Concerning the knowledge of God by the nations and by people, and concerning the connection with the Son of God, the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, there are fine works at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/Cognition.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/Proof.html
and others cited there.
It must also be said that we understand much, but also do not understand to the full much of what concerns God and creation. Much of what can be understood is in another fine work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/DialogueOnWordsChristFear.html
More concerning the readings from the Prophets see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31032023.html
At Vespers:
Genesis XXII, 2 — 'εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν ὑψηλὴν' — 'eis ten gen ten hypselen' - into the high land
. That is, to the mountain. 'ἀνένεγκον αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν' - 'anenenkon auton ekei eis holokarposin' - bring him there as a whole burnt offering
(this is a sacrifice that is completely burned). God tells Abraham to do precisely what He Himself intends to do, what He has already promised to do — to offer His Son as a sacrifice. Through this the faith of Abraham is tested — God had previously promised in Isaac to grant Abraham the promises, then miraculously granted Isaac, and now He Himself says to offer him as a sacrifice. As though He contradicts Himself, but these are not mutually exclusive words and promises — if only… Isaac will be alive and will beget descendants. Abraham was to believe that this is precisely what would happen. All other possibilities render Abraham's faith not precious but erroneous, even evil. Abraham was to trust God concerning what he did not know, but which God had promised to accomplish. Abraham was also to believe that it was truly God Who was speaking to him.
Genesis XXII, 3 — 'ξύλα εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν' — 'xyla eis holokarposin' - wood for the whole burnt offering
. The preposition 'eis' indicates here the purpose.
Genesis XXII, 7 — 'τὸ πρόβατον τὸ εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν' — 'to probaton to eis holokarposin' - the lamb that is for the whole burnt offering
.
Genesis XXII, 8 — 'πρόβατον εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν' — 'probaton eis holokarposin' - a lamb for the whole burnt offering
.
Genesis XXII, 11 — 'ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ' — 'angelos kyriou ek tou ouranou' - the angel (messenger) of the Lord from the heaven
. That is, whence that Angel (Messenger) is. In view of all that is said in Scripture, here one may see the Son of God Himself, the Second Hypostasis of the Most Holy Trinity. See more at the links below.
Genesis XXII, 13 — 'ἐν φυτῷ σαβεκ' — 'en phyto sabek' - in the planting of sabek (note: according to Strong)
. Google Gemini Pro indicates that this is an ancient Greek transliteration of the thicket
of branches of a tree or bush in Hebrew (possibly also the name of a particular plant), which came to be understood as a prefiguration of the Crown of Thorns of Christ or of His Cross. 'εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν' - 'eis holokarposin' - as a whole burnt offering; for a whole burnt offering
. Analogous to what is above.
Genesis XXII, 14 — 'ἐν τῷ ὄρει κύριος ὤφθη' — 'en to orei kyrios ophthe' - on the mountain the Lord was seen
.
Genesis XXII, 15 — 'ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ' — 'ek tou ouranou' - from the heaven
. That is, whence the address came and whence that Angel is.
Genesis XXII, 17 — 'ὡς τὴν ἄμμον τὴν παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης' — 'hos ten ammon ten para to kheilos tes thalasses' - like the sand along the shore of the sea
. The preposition 'para' here with the accusative indicates that the sand is along the shore of the sea.
Genesis XXII, 18 — 'ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς' — 'eneulogethesontai en to spermati sou panta ta ethne tes ges' - and in your seed (singular) all the nations of the earth will be blessed
. That is, all people. What is spoken of is Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul explains.
One of the most significant readings about faith in general in all of Scripture. It has a great many commentaries and interpretations.
Personally memorable to me is the story of the conversion of Søren Kierkegaard, the outstanding Danish philosopher and founder of existentialism. It was precisely this story that inspired him to change his life. On the basis of it he reached the conclusion that people in life may be guided by aesthetic values (beauty and pleasantness, seeking enjoyment, as Kierkegaard himself did before his moment of realisation), ethical values (correctness, logic, meaning, seeking goodness), and faith (as Abraham in this story, which is higher than the ethical and aesthetic approaches, for it leads to God). In general a rather distinctive philosophical construction, not necessarily correct in every respect (although it has much sound sense), but it had an enormous influence on Kierkegaard himself.
Returning to the reading, I shall dwell only on certain moments that are important specifically for Christian understanding.
As I wrote in the work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20032026.html
Abraham believed God, trusted him and entrusted himself and others to him, and in this way became the father of all the faithful (believers)
, as Paul calls him.
How Abraham understood that God was addressing him I reflected upon at the link above.
I will say that Scripture in the text itself writes of an Angel who stopped Abraham and then blessed him, whilst Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews writes (Hebrews VI) that it was God. This is not the only place in Scripture where we have an analogous situation (Angel = God), and many scholars consider that in such a case one must truly understand by the Angel God Himself — or more precisely, the Son of God, the Second Hypostasis of the Most Holy Trinity, whom the Father sent into the world. This is also immediately a testimony that the Son of God is God.
Further I wish to identify, on the basis of the words of Scripture and the actions of Abraham, what he truly believed.
That God is able to raise even from the dead
(Hebrews XI, 17-19; Romans IV, 16-25) and that he will indeed raise Isaac in order to fulfil his promise.
That God will accomplish what he promised and that in Isaac there will be descendants of Abraham (that is, that in the end Isaac must be alive).
That Isaac will understand him (his father), even though Abraham was to perform for the fulfilment of God's will what by ordinary human reckoning would amount to the killing of Isaac.
Here I wish to dwell more deeply on one important question. Previously I understood it generally correctly, but in certain details imprecisely. The reading of an article by Daria Morozova prompted me to a deeper reflection. See the article (written on a different occasion, but in the critique of Monothelitism I saw a parallel with some of my older views, which is precisely what prompted deeper reflection):
https://risu.ua/chomu-v-upc-nibi-ne-mp-nemaye-voli-do-zmin-bogoslovskij-poglyad-z-ilyuminatora_n150345
Christ says: Whoever does not gather with Me scatters
(Matthew XII, 30; Luke XI, 23). If we look at this more deeply, these words indicate that the actions of the person are of great importance! For in any case the person makes their contribution to the gathering of Christ. Gathering
leads to ordering, to the formation of something like a park or garden, through which it is pleasant to walk, in which it is pleasant to be and to rest. Whilst scattering
leads to chaos, to disorder, which makes walking, life, and other things more difficult. God interacts with the person, with people, regardless — but if they do not gather together with Him, then God additionally takes care to direct the consequences of people's actions towards good, and people themselves — towards salvation.
I wished to find an image of the combination of God's action and the human. And I thought that an exact one is impossible to find; yet at the same time there are many parallels in everything that surrounds us — in sounds, for example. See also in particular in the poem at the link:
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DUu8adRDfD0/
This is so also in connection with what I wrote in the work at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/Proof.html
Here it is important to emphasise that gathering
with Christ most fully reveals the entire person, every individual, groups of people, and society — it leads not to the decline or idle standing
of natural good possibilities, but to their fullest and best realisation. Similarly, as concerning the union of the two natures in Christ — the divine and the human in the One Hypostasis — we believe that each in this union is the more fully revealed.
Returning directly to the story of the testing of Abraham, we may see that Abraham here cooperates with God. And the value of the story lies in the revelation of this cooperation.
For Abraham to act in this way, he had to be absolutely certain that it was truly God addressing him, and that it was truly God who had previously granted him the promises.
Why is Abraham called the father of all the faithful
? For it seems that believers almost never do anything that can be compared with the action of Abraham here.
But one may ask the question: is it truly never anything similar? Truly never?
But no — they do. For example, when God says that purity must be preserved, and a girlfriend or boyfriend says that it is of no consequence not to preserve it, or even threatens to leave a person on account of their keeping purity.
If a believing person for the sake of their faith and purity itself, and for the sake of God ultimately, chooses to remain faithful, they risk (and the risk is real) losing that person who may be very dear to them. But if they agree with the boyfriend or girlfriend, then that former faith has no strength in the person themselves — or better said, the person relinquishes the strength of that faith.
And here the choice and the very situation may already be placed alongside the action of Abraham in terms of content and the manifestation of faith or unbelief.
But in less dramatic situations too, when a person sacrifices something for the sake of faith, this is a manifestation of that very faith.
And here what is important is that if a person wishes to change their life, to change themselves, they need to manifest faith. Not necessarily specifically Christian faith, but faith which consists in the value of repentance, the faith that change is worth undertaking even amid difficulties. Such faith sincerely and directly reminds me of the words of the Apostle James: Show me your faith, and I will show you mine by my deeds!
(slightly paraphrased, but contextually apt here). And then such faith — generally speaking non-religious — may be reckoned by the Lord at the Last Judgement as faith in God. And without such faith a person will not have genuine change. Genuine repentance is therefore always connected with faith.
Someone might say: So, does a believing person resemble someone who has something to lose?
But it is better to say: they believe that God will return to them and give them still more.
Just as Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac in order to fulfil the promises, Isaac accepted this as an example of faith and himself learned from it.
The faith of Christ always expects that God will give back — and will give even more.
More concerning the readings from the Law see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31032023.html
Proverbs XVII, 17 — 'εἰς πάντα καιρὸν' — 'eis panta kairon' — for every time (at every significant change of state)
. 'ἐν ἀνάγκαις' - 'en anankais' - in needs
. That is, when they are needed.
Proverbs XVII, 20 — 'ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κακά' — 'empeseitai eis kaka' - will cast themselves into evils
. That is, will become evil, and will also bring about a difficult life for themselves.
Proverbs XVII, 23 — 'ἐν κόλπῳ' — 'en kolpo' - in the fold (the lower part of a garment)
. Here the meaning is secretly, so as not to be seen.
Proverbs XVIII, 1 — 'χωρίζεσθαι ἀπὸ φίλων' — 'khorizesthai apo philon' - to separate from friends
. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that such a person wishes to separate entirely, to become fully distinct from friends. 'ἐν παντὶ δὲ καιρῷ' - 'en panti de kairo' - but at every time; at every opportunity; at every significant change
. Various translations are possible, they complement one another.
Proverbs XVIII, 3 — 'εἰς βάθος κακῶν' — 'eis bathos kakon' - into the depth of evils
. That is, when a person falls low and consciously distances themselves from God. The plural may point to the various sins and vices in which the ungodly person has become entrenched and hardened.
Proverbs XVIII, 4 — 'ὕδωρ βαθὺ λόγος ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνδρός' — 'hydor bathy logos en kardia andros' - deep water — a word in the heart of a man
. That is, a masculine quality is to think over words carefully, depth of thought, depth of expression. There is also a mystical meaning and a prophecy that through water Baptism the forgiveness of sins takes place, which is impossible without the cleansing of the heart, and also union with the Logos, the Word, the Son of God.
Proverbs XVIII, 5 — 'ἐν κρίσει' — 'en krisei' - in judgement
.
The Greek and Hebrew texts differ noticeably, but are in general similar.
In the verses Proverbs XVII, 17-18 we see distinctions between helping friends (companions, brothers) and taking responsibility for them. It is worthwhile to help where possible and where this is good, but to take responsibility for them — with great caution, and it is better to avoid it. This distinction is very important in all such relationships.
In general, the Lord teaches in the reading about friendship, the ability to speak and to be silent, restraint and prudence, wisdom, joy (cheerfulness), against bribery; he also teaches righteousness, moderation, motivates to learning and knowledge, honesty, and the valuing of goodness. He cautions against the opposing sins and vices.
More concerning the readings from the Didactic and Poetic Books see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26032026.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04042025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/31032023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!