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
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.
1 Thessalonians II, 2 — ‘ἐν Φιλίπποις’ - ‘en Philippois’ - ‘in Philippi’. ‘ἐν τῷ θεῷ’ - ‘en to theo’ - ‘in God’. ‘ἐν πολλῷ ἀγῶνι’ - ‘en pollo agoni’ - ‘in much struggle’.
1 Thessalonians II, 3 — ‘ἐκ πλάνης’ - ‘ek planes’ - ‘from deceit’. ‘ἐξ ἀκαθαρσίας’ - ‘ex akatharsias’ - ‘from uncleanness’. The preposition ‘ek’ in both cases emphasises that the calling was true and holy. ‘ἐν δόλῳ’ - ‘en dolo’ - ‘in tricks; by cunning’. Similar to the previous one.
1 Thessalonians II, 4 — ‘καθὼς δεδοκιμάσμεθα ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πιστευθῆναι’ - ‘kathos dedokimasmetha hypo tou theou pisteuthenai’ - ‘in as much as they were tested under God to be entrusted; inasmuch as they have been tested through God to receive trust and credibility’. The preposition ‘hypo’ here is with the genitive case. The apostle uses the image of managing and entrusting someone to do things on behalf of the master. A grammatically similar phrase is used to describe authority in Romans XIII. See more about this at the following links:
https://churchandsociety.org.ua/pdf/projects/zbirnyk.pdf
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/17082024.html
Taking into account everything stated there, as well as in the cited references, it is said that the apostles received the calling and entrustment to preach the Gospel by a special God's order, or we can say here — directly from God - to the extent that they were tested by Him, whether they could. As for the authority in general, Romans XIII does not specify this, but here it speaks of the authority of the apostles - yes, it was indeed established by God Himself, each of them was called by God personally, taking into account the extent to which he could fulfil this ministry. But with regard to authority in general, there is no such important clarification. Therefore, the authority of the apostles is directly established by God, to the extent that the apostles can exercise it, whereas with regard to any other authority, it is a question of whether people are called to it directly by God. To put it another way, if the authority carries out its activities in accordance with God's will, in accordance with God's commandments and intentions, then it is personally called by God, just as we have in these words about the preachers of the Gospel, the apostles. If the authorities, their representatives, violate God's will or even oppose God, then their authority is based only on God's permission, but not on the will of God, Who has permitted that authority. The measure of divine calling is whether the ministry is carried out in accordance with God's will, whether it is carried out and established legally, correctly, honestly.
1 Thessalonians II, 5 — ‘ἐν λόγῳ κολακίας’ - ‘en logo kolakias’ - ‘in a word of flattery’. ‘ἐν προφάσει πλεονεξίας’ - ‘en prophasei pleonexias’ - ‘in the pretext of covetousness; with the pretext of covetousness’.
1 Thessalonians II, 6 — ‘ἐξ ἀνθρώπων’ - ‘ex anthropon’ - ‘from men’. The preposition ‘ek’ in its form before the following vowel indicates that the glory mentioned here, human glory, obtained dishonestly, does indeed come from humans, is the result of their limitations. ‘ἀφ’ ὑμῶν' - aph hymon
- from you
. ‘ἀπ’ ἄλλων' - ap allon
- from others
. The preposition ‘apo’ in its forms before the following vowels in both cases indicates that those who seek dishonest glory from people deceive them and ‘steal the ability to glorify someone’, steal glory. ‘ἐν βάρει’ - ‘en barei’ - ‘in burden; by burden; weight’. This implies that the apostles' ministry requires continuous intense work.
1 Thessalonians II, 7 — ‘ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν’ - ‘en meso hymon’ - ‘in the midst of you’. A common expression.
For more information about the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/07112023.html
Luke XX, 1 — ‘ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν’ - ‘en mia ton hemeron’ - ‘in one of those days’. ‘ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ’ - ‘en to hiero’ - ‘in the temple’.
Luke XX, 2, 8 — ‘ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ’ - ‘en poia exousia’ - ‘in what authority; by what authority’. Both translations are possible, the first indicating that power is the condition for Jesus' actions, and the second that power itself gives the power to do what is done.
Luke XX, 4-6 — ‘ἐξ οὐρανοῦ’ - ‘ex ouranou’ - ‘from heaven’. ‘ἐξ ἀνθρώπων’ - ‘ex anthropon’ - ‘from people’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates origin.
For more information on the Gospel reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27082024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29112023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!