Commentary for (John XXI, 15-25; Acts XII, 1-11; Luke V, 1-11; Acts VIII, 26-39; John VI, 40-44)

Oleksandr Zhabenko 🇬🇧
Christ Is Risen!
🌞

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.

Matins:
(John XXI, 15-25)
More concerning the reading see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/renewal-of-Peter.html
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DWMSsaHDWdy/?img_index=1
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16012025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26072024.html

Liturgy:
Of the Apostle James the son of Zebedee:
(Acts XII, 1-11)
Concerning the readings from the Epistle see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/16012025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13052023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/01062024.html

(Luke V, 1-11)
More concerning the readings from the Gospel see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/12102025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/22092024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/13052023.html

(Acts VIII, 26-39)
Acts VIII, 26 — 'ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς Γάζαν' — 'apo Hierousalem eis Gazan' - from Jerusalem to Gaza. Whence and whither. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that what is spoken of is the fact that Philip was to leave Jerusalem.

Acts VIII, 27 — 'εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ' — 'eis Hierousalem' - into Jerusalem. Whither. In effect in the opposite direction — that is, here coming towards him.

Acts VIII, 33 — 'ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει' — 'en te tapeinosei' - in humiliation; in lowly conditions. That is, what is spoken of is the voluntary self-humbling of the Son of God, His kenosis. 'ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ' - 'hoti airetai apo tes ges he zoe autou' - for His life is (now) taken up from the earth. What is spoken of is the fact that the life of Christ, although He gives it up, does not disappear, but is received as the Sacrifice — according to the teaching of the Council in Constantinople — by the Son Himself together with the Father and the Spirit. The preposition 'apo' indicates here that what is spoken of is the complete departure from earthly life — that is, in general the sufferings unto death. A most eloquent prophecy of Isaiah.

Acts VIII, 35 — 'ἀπὸ τῆς γραφῆς ταύτης' — 'apo tes graphes tautes' - (beginning) from this Scripture. The preposition 'apo' indicates here the starting point of the passages of Scripture which Philip explained and proclaimed as good news.

Acts VIII, 38 — 'εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ' — 'eis to hydor' - into the water. Whither.

Acts VIII, 39 — 'ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος' — 'ek tou hydatos' - from the water. Whence.

Verse 31 testifies that understanding is to a considerable degree a collective process. Philip explains to the official the meaning of the words of the prophet Isaiah. Without Philip, Isaiah, and the Holy Spirit, the official would not have understood on his own what he needed to do for the salvation he was seeking. At the same time his active participation was also needed — action, seeking, conversation, hospitality, humility, reflection, belief, and so on.

The actions of Philip are described as ones directly directed by the Holy Spirit and by God (in particular also through an angel). The Spirit of the Lord took him away — a similar description is found also concerning the prophet Elijah, which shows that the apostles had the gift of the Holy Spirit similarly to the revered Old Testament prophets. But unlike the latter, they were to pass it on further to other people, which signifies a greater fullness of grace. Also the saving Mysteries of the New Testament are something that did not exist in the Old.

And if the meaning of the Old Testament ministry of the prophets was predominantly in preparation, here Philip shares the joy of the Coming of the Saviour and the fulfilment of all those prophecies concerning Him.

More concerning the reading see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/08052025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/23052024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04052023.html

(John VI, 40-44)
John VI, 40, 44 — 'πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν' — 'pisteuon eis auton' - the one who believes in Him. The preposition 'eis' indicates here that true faith leads to Christ — he is the goal and final point of faith — that is, what is spoken of is divinisation. 'ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ' - 'en te eskhate hemera' - on the last day; on the final day. When.

John VI, 41 — 'ὁ ἄρτος ὁ καταβὰς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ' — 'ho artos ho katabas ek tou ouranou' - the bread that descended from the heaven; the Bread that descended from the heaven. The preposition 'ek' indicates here whence the Son of God descended in the Incarnation.

John VI, 42 — 'ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβέβηκα' — 'hoti ek tou ouranou katabebeka' - that I have descended from the heaven. See above.

John VI, 40 — and I will raise him up on the last day — all the dead at the moment of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be raised by Him, but here these words mean not simply resurrection and participation in it, but also spiritual renewal and conformation to the Son of God, similarly to the fact that He too rose. In other words, in the language of this same Gospel, this will be the resurrection of life rather than the resurrection of judgement. That is, such a person will rise for eternal blessed life with Christ in the Kingdom of God.

A difficult question is whether all such people will be dead by the time of the Coming of Jesus. In some places the Lord expresses Himself in such a way that before His Coming there may be almost no deeply believing people. At the same time He also speaks of the fact that the faithful will be present at the time of his Coming. An important truth is learned from the Gospel of Matthew:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/18072025.html
I cite:

Matthew XIII, 49 — 'ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος' — 'en te synteleia tou aionos' - at the end of the age; at the completion of the age. What is spoken of is the Second Coming of Christ in glory, the resurrection of the dead, and the divine judgement. Used also earlier in the chapter. 'ἐκ μέσου' - 'ek mesou' - from the midst. Common expression. An interesting image mathematically — if the wicked are removed from the midst (from among) the righteous, then the set of the righteous must be such that beside each wicked person there must be a righteous one. That is, the set of the righteous in the topological space of the Kingdom of God is dense:
http://encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Dense_set&oldid=42518
This does not mean that there are approximately as many righteous as wicked, but that in one's surroundings there is complete hope of finding at least one righteous person (possibly more). This gives the world hope, since it makes no difference what time or country — these words of Christ are eternal.

In view of the words here in the Gospel of John in today's reading, one must think that the majority of the faithful mentioned by Jesus in these words will be dead by that time, and He will raise them. Attempts to refine this estimate in view of people's ignorance of the time of the Second Coming will not succeed, until the Lord Himself comes and reveals everything.

This also refutes the notion of a sudden increase in the number of deeply believing people just before the Coming of Jesus — no, there will be no such sudden explosive increase in their number (a mass deep conversion of people).

Christ then speaks of the lack of understanding of His words that arose in people. Most people did not know how Jesus was actually born, and that He is the Son of God. And this is known by those to whom the Father has revealed it.

Why so? Why does Christ not recount here the story of His Nativity?

A difficult question.

But one may think that if a person does not see the Divinity in Jesus, then the story of the Nativity for such a person will seem like slight proof — they did not see these events, and even the prophecies that were fulfilled will not be decisive for them, since they need to see their fulfilment in Jesus. One may say in other words that most people see the Lord in Jesus not through the story of His Nativity, but above all through His preaching, miracles, Sufferings, Death, and Resurrection. Therefore the Lord does not now recount to them the story of the Nativity — which confirms His words — but speaks of the Revelation of the Father concerning the Son. See also:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/24042026.html

It must be said that if a person comes to know the Son of God with love, by this they are made like the Father, Who knows and loves the Son Whom He sent into the world. A person who similarly to the Father loves Him can receive the Son — they also receive God's design for the salvation of people and the like. And this means that they are like the Father in this — which is only possible if the Father gives them this.

Therefore one can come to Jesus if the Father draws them.

More concerning the readings from the Gospel see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/08052025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/04052023.html

Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!