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.
As Lent has begun, the readings from the New Testament are replaced by readings from the Old Testament to encourage people to repentance.
Since I am commenting on several Ancient Greek (koine) prepositions, I will continue to comment on the Old Testament readings by looking at the first complete translation into Ancient Greek, the Septuagint.
In the 6th hour:
Isaiah XXIX, 13 — ‘ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ' - he de kardia auton porro apekhei ap emou
- their hearts are kept far from Me
. That is, they are not only distant from God, but they restrain themselves from approaching Him, do not yield to approach, or even deliberately move away. The preposition ‘apo’ in its form before the next vowel indicates that they try not to have anything to do with God.
Isaiah XXIX, 15, 18 — ‘ἐν κρυφῇ’ - ‘en kryphe’ - ‘in secret’. A common expression. ‘ἐν σκότει’ - ‘en skotei’ - ‘in darkness’.
Isaiah XXIX, 17 — ‘τὸ ὄρος τὸ Χερμελ εἰς δρυμὸν’ - ‘to oros to Khermel eis drymon’ - ‘mount Hermel for a forest’. That is, mount Hermel ‘will be considered a forest’. The place is unclear. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates what the mountain will be considered as.
Isaiah XXIX, 18 — ‘ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ’ - ‘en te hemera ekeine’ - ‘in that day; on that day’. ‘ἐν τῇ ὁμίχλῃ’ - ‘en te homikhle’ - ‘in the cloud; in the mist’. That is, those eyes that see ‘as if in a mist’.
Isaiah XXIX, 19 — ‘καὶ ἀγαλλιάσονται πτωχοὶ διὰ κύριον ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ’ - ‘kai agalliasontai ptokhoi dia kyrion en euphrosyne’ - ‘and the poor will be exalted through the Lord in joy’.
Isaiah XXIX, 21 — ‘ἐν λόγῳ’ - ‘en logo’ - ‘in the word; with the word’. An unclear expression in the context. ‘ἐν πύλαις’ - ‘en pylais’ - ‘at the gate’. That is, they hinder justice, do not allow the judgement to come and be carried out. ‘ἐν ἀδίκοις’ - ‘en adikois’ - ‘in unrighteousness; in unjustness; with unrighteousness’. There are different translations possible. The first two indicate that these people themselves remain unrighteous, and the next one indicates that by their sins they hinder those who do right.
Isaiah XXIX, 22 — ‘ἐξ Αβρααμ’ - ‘ex Abraham’ - ‘from Abraham’. The preposition ‘ek’ in its form before the next vowel indicates that it refers to the descendants of Abraham, i.e. the children of Abraham. The apostle Paul explains that these words are meant to be understood spiritually - as faithful to God, just as Abraham was.
For more on the reading, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/12042024.html
At vespers:
Genesis xii, 1 — ‘ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου καὶ ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας σου καὶ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου εἰς τὴν γῆν’ - ‘exelthe ek tes ges sou kai ek tes syngeneias sou kai ek tou oikou tou patros sou eis ten gen’ - ‘come out of your land, and from your kindred and from your father's house into the land'. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates the place from which he is to leave, and also the place from which Abram was.
Genesis XII, 2 — ‘ποιήσω σε εἰς ἔθνος μέγα’ - ‘poieso se eis ethnos mega’ - ‘I will make you into a great nation; I will make you a great people’. The preposition ‘eis’ indicates what the Lord will make Abraham to be, i.e. what God's purpose for Abraham is.
Genesis XII, 3 — ‘ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν σοὶ’ - ‘eneulogethesontai en soi’ - ‘they will be blessed in you; they will be blessed with you’. There are two possible translations: the first indicates that the blessing in Abram will be extended to all the tribes of the earth, i.e. to all people, and the second indicates that Abram himself is the one through whom the Lord will bless people.
Genesis XII, 4 — ‘ἐκ Χαρραν’ - ‘ek Kharran’ - ‘out of Haran’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates where Abram was coming out of, as well as where he was from. See also verse 1.
Genesis XII, 5 — ‘ἐν Χαρραν’ - ‘en Kharran’ - ‘in Haran’. ‘εἰς γῆν Χανααν’ - ‘eis gen Khanaan’ - ‘into the land of Canaan’.
Genesis XII, 6 — ‘διώδευσεν Αβραμ τὴν γῆν εἰς τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς’ - ‘diodeusen Abram ten gen eis to mekos autes’ - ‘Abram passed through the land along its entire length’. The common expression is used.
For more on the reading, please refer to the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/12042024.html
Proverbs XIV, 15 — ‘πανοῦργος δὲ ἔρχεται εἰς μετάνοιαν’ - ‘panourgos de erkhetai eis metanoian’ - ‘the experienced (and skilful) goes to repentance (change of mind)’. That is, an experienced and mature person gradually expands their understanding, deepens, improves, corrects it, learns, gains experience, improves, repents, etc.
Proverbs XIV, 16 — ‘ἀπὸ κακοῦ’ - ‘apo kakou’ - ‘from evil’. The preposition ‘apo’ indicates that a wise person completely turns away from evil, avoids doing it.
Proverbs XIV, 22 — ‘ἐλεημοσύναι δὲ καὶ πίστεις παρὰ τέκτοσιν ἀγαθοῖς’ - ‘eleemosynai de kai pisteis para tektosin agathois’ - ‘charity and trusting relationships are in the vicinity of those who do good, as master carpenters make woodworks’.
I used a long translation, a literal giving: ‘alms and trust in the vicinity of carpenters of good works (things)’. The preposition ‘para’ is here with the dative case and indicates that the skilful creation of good finds gracious support, help and creates trust. The plural indicates that all people in society are called to this good state of trust and help. We can also see a prophetic parallel with Christ, Whose named father was Joseph the Betrothed, a carpenter by trade.
Proverbs XIV, 23 — ‘ἐν παντὶ μεριμνῶντι’ - ‘en panti merimnonti’ - ‘in every careful one; in every diligent one’. In other words, the one who works diligently and with heart, who cares. ‘ἐν ἐνδείᾳ’ - ‘en endeia’ - ‘in lack; in scarcity; in poverty’.
Proverbs XIV, 25 — ‘ῥύσεται ἐκ κακῶν ψυχὴν μάρτυς πιστός’ - ‘rysetai ek kakon psykhen martys pistos’ - ‘a true witness will rescue a soul from the wicked ones’. The preposition ‘ek’ indicates what situations a true witness will rescue from, i.e. true witnessing allows one to avoid a deep fall and crimes, while the absence of such witnessing can lead to evil. The word is the same as in the Lord's Prayer. It means ‘protect, rescue, deliver’. The preposition ‘ek’ is different from the one used in the Lord's Prayer (‘apo’), which indicates that while the Lord's Prayer speaks of complete deliverance from evil, here it is only the fact of the salvific nature of true witness against evil, regardless of whether it is final deliverance. Therefore, it is also about human courage, honesty, openness, and concern for others. See also:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/20032025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01032025.html
Proverbs XIV, 26 — ‘ἐν φόβῳ κυρίου ἐλπὶς ἰσχύος’ - ‘en phobo kyriou elpis iskhyos’ - ‘in the fear of the Lord hope is strong’. The words are ambiguous - they can mean that, when combined with the fear of God, hope becomes strong, firm, unshakable, or that the fear of the Lord itself has great and unmistakable hope. Read more about the fear of the Lord and why it is closely related to hope here:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
For more on the reading, please refer to the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/12042024.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!