Prepositions (i.e. at, by, during, in, on, etc.) are words that usually precede a noun or pronoun and denote a relationship to a word or idea within the clause. It is important to recognize this so that one may understand what is being communicated. Here's an example that illustrates its importance.

One of the more challenging passages in the Bible is understanding John 6:44. As one attempts to understand its context, it becomes apparent that the pericope begins with "after these things" (John 6:1), and with further examination, the prepositional phrase is seen earlier in John 5:1.

The phrase, "after these things," indicates that there is a relationship of events in temporal sequence; however, the possibility that there is a relationship in thought must be evaluated as well. In this instance, there may be a connection to two prior events: John 4 to 5 and John 5 to 6.

One useful method is developing a chart in which one could experiment and discover if there are associations in thought. One immediate observation is seeing that the temporal sequence of two prior events occurs over a period of months and in different locations. This behooves the observer to carefully curate the events that took place and look for commonalities.

In reviewing the chart, it appears that there is a relationship and sequence of thought.

John 4: When the non-Jews (i.e. Gentiles) witnessed Jesus' signs and heard His claim of Messiah, they believed in Him. Moreover, they testified of Jesus, and caused others to believe in Him as well.

John 5: "After these things," when the Jews of Jerusalem witnessed Jesus' signs and heard His claim of Messiah, they did not believe in Him. They denied the testimony of John the Baptist, the reality of Jesus' works of miracles, and the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. Moreover, the Jews of Jerusalem wanted to kill Him!

John 6: "After these things," When the Jews of Galilee witnessed Jesus' signs and heard His claim of Messiah, they did not believe in Him. They even asked for more works of miracles for proof! Here the Bread of Life chiasm confronts the Jews' disbelief and reveals the real cause of their lack of faith – they never had it to begin with and could not accept the virgin birth of Jesus Christ; this was a rejection of the sign God would give them that would validate His Son (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:22-23). And the chiasm places an emphasis on the fact that the Jews convict themselves! The pericope ends with many of Jesus' disciples deserting Him, and the Jews of Galilee desiring to kill Him!

Prepositions really matter. Here, one can see that the sequence begins with a contrast between faith with a lack of faith, to a confrontation and identification of the Jews' core reason of disbelief.