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Merry Christmas!
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.
2 Timothy I, 1 — ‘ἐν Χριστῷ’ - ‘en CHristo’ - ‘in Christ; with Christ’. Both translations are possible, the first indicating that the promise is in Christ Himself, and the second that the Father sent the Son into the world, and that this is their unified will.
2 Timothy I, 2 — ‘ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ’ - ‘apo Theou Patros kai CHristou Iesou’ - ‘from God the Father and Jesus Christ’.
2 Timothy I, 9 — ‘ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ’ - ‘en CHristo Iesou’ - ‘in Christ Jesus; by Christ Jesus’. Both translations are possible, the second indicating that Christ Himself is the Source of grace.
2 Timothy I, 11 — ‘εἰς ὃ’ - ‘eis ho’ - ‘for which; to which’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates the purpose here.
2 Timothy I, 12 — ‘εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν’ - ‘eis ekeinen ten hemeran’ - ‘for that day; on that day’. That is, ‘when that day comes’.
2 Timothy I, 13 — ‘παρ’ ἐμοῦ' - par emou
- from beside me
. The preposition ‘para’ in its form before the following vowel is here with the genitive case, a construction used for the Holy Spirit's proceeding from the Father, also in relation to the human nature of Jesus Christ. Here it also indicates that Paul's preaching was from the Holy Spirit. ‘ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ’ - ‘en pistei kai agape’ - ‘in faith and love; with faith and love’. The second variant is more figurative and poetic, as if the virtues were eyes. ‘ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ’ - ‘en CHristo Iesou’ - ‘in Christ Jesus’.
2 Timothy I, 14 — ‘ἐν ἡμῖν’ - ‘eis hemin’ - ‘in us’.
2 Timothy I, 15 — ‘ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ’ - ‘en te Asia’ - ‘in Asia’.
2 Timothy I, 17 — ‘ἐν Ῥώμῃ σπουδαίως ἐζήτησέν με’ - ‘en Rome spoudaios ezetesen me’ - ‘in Rome he searched for me earnestly’. It does not say ‘arriving in Rome’ but ‘searching in Rome’.
2 Timothy I, 18 — ‘ἔλεος παρὰ κυρίου’ - ‘eleos para kyriou’ - ‘grace from beside the Lord’. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the genitive case, the same construction used for the proceeding of the Holy Spirit from the Father, for the human nature of Jesus Christ, and here it further reinforces the idea through the sense of a reward from God for Paul's search (‘he sought me earnestly in Rome, and found me; may the Lord repay him with a hundredfold mercy’). ‘ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ’ - ‘en ekeine te hemera’ - ‘on that day’. That is, ‘when’. ‘ἐν Ἐφέσῳ’ - ‘en Epheso’ - ‘in Ephesus’.
For more information on the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the following link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/08122023.html
Mark XII, 1 — ‘ἐν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖν’ - ‘en parabolais lalein’ - ‘to speak in parables; to speak with parables’. Both variants are possible and complement each other.
Mark XII, 2 — ‘παρὰ τῶν γεωργῶν’ - ‘para ton georgon’ - ‘from beside the farmers (winemakers)’. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the genitive case, the same construction is used for the Holy Spirit's proceeding from the Father, for the human nature of Jesus Christ, here it indicates that these are right actions of the master. ‘ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος’ - ‘apo ton karpon tou ampelonos’ - ‘from the fruit of the vineyard’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates here that the owner only wanted to take some of the fruit, i.e. he acted entirely as an investor.
Mark XII, 10 — ‘ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας’ - ‘egenethe eis kephalen gonias’ - ‘became the cornerstone’. The preposition ‘eis’ here indicates transformation.
Mark XII, 11 — ‘παρὰ κυρίου’ - ‘para kyriou’ - ‘from beside the Lord’. The preposition ‘para’ here is with the genitive case, the same construction is used for the proceeding of the Holy Spirit from the Father, for the human nature of Jesus Christ, here indicating that the suffering of the Son of God was foreseen by God for salvation, just as His glorification after the Resurrection. ‘ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς’ - ‘en ophthalmois’ - ‘in the eyes’.
For more information about the Gospel reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/29092023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27012023.html
To the Apostle and First Martyr, First Deacon Stephen:
Matthew XXI, 42 — 'ημων' — 'emon' - us (our).
I wrote about the readings from the Apostle earlier, see the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01052023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20052024.html
For the Gospel reading, please refer to:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/j8rGNcsRvr9UMogR/
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/10042023.html
The quote about the cornerstone is found in Isaiah XXVIII, 16 and Psalm CXVIII, 22. I previously wrote about the context of the prophecy in Isaiah:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23032023.html
Since the first martyr Stephen, and many other martyrs after him, suffered in the likeness of Christ, remaining faithful to God, a parable is read that promises God's deliverance of the faithful from evil.
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!