Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 9:31

Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

31. spake of his decease ] The word used is exodos, ‘departure’ a very unusual word for death, which also occurs in this connexion in 2Pe 1:15. The reading doxan, ‘glory,’ though known to St Chrysostom, is only supported by a few cursives. Exodos is, as Bengel says, a very weighty word, involving His passion, cross, death, resurrection, and ascension.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 31. His decease] , That going out (or death) of his. That peculiar kind of death – its nature, circumstances, and necessity being considered. Instead of , thirteen MSS. have , glory. They spoke of that glory of his, which he was about to fill up () at Jerusalem. The AEthiopic unites both readings. The death of Jesus was his glory, because, by it, he gained the victory over sin, death, and hell, and purchased salvation and eternal glory for a lost world.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

31. spake“werespeaking.”

of his decease“departure”;beautiful euphemism (softened term) for death, which Peter,who witnessed the scene, uses to express his own expected death, andthe use of which single term seems to have recalled the whole by asudden rush of recollection, and occasioned that delightful allusionto this scene which we find in 2Pe1:15-18.

which he shouldaccomplish“was to fulfil.”

at JerusalemMark thehistorical character and local features which Christ’sdeath assumed to these glorified menas important as it ischarmingand see on Lu 2:11.What now may be gathered from this statement? (1) That a dyingMessiah is the great article of the true Jewish theology. For along time the Church had fallen clean away from the faith of thisarticle, and even from a preparedness to receive it. But here we havethat jewel raked out of the dunghill of Jewish traditions, and by thetrue representatives of the Church of old made the one subject oftalk with Christ Himself. (2) The adoring gratitude of glorifiedmen for His undertaking to accomplish such a decease; their feltdependence upon it for the glory in which they appeared; theirprofound interest in the progress of it, their humble solaces andencouragements to go through with it; and their sense of its peerlessand overwhelming glory. “Go, matchless, adored One, a Lambto the slaughter! rejected of men, but chosen of God and precious;dishonored, abhorred, and soon to be slain by men, but worshipped bycherubim, ready to be greeted by all heaven. In virtue of thatdecease we are here; our all is suspended on it and wrapped up in it.Thine every step is watched by us with ineffable interest; and thoughit were too high an honor to us to be permitted to drop a word ofcheer into that precious but now clouded spirit, yet, as thefirst-fruits of harvest; the very joy set before Him, we cannotchoose but tell Him that what is the depth of shame to Him is coveredwith glory in the eyes of Heaven, that the Cross to Him is the Crownto us, that that ‘decease’ is all our salvation and all our desire.”And who can doubt that such a scene did minister deep cheer tothat spirit? It is said they “talked” not to Him,but “with Him“; and if they told Him howglorious His decease was, might He not fitly reply, “I know it,but your voice, as messengers from heaven come down to tell it Me, ismusic in Mine ears.”

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Who appeared in glory,…. In a very glorious manner, in most divine and beautiful forms to Christ, and to his disciples:

and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem; the word, rendered “decease”, is “Exodus”, the name of the second book of Moses; so called from the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt, it gives an account of; and which departure is expressed by this word, in Heb 11:22 and to which the allusion is here. Death is a departure out of this world, and goes by this name, 2Pe 1:15 and so here it signifies Christ’s death, or exit, which he was to make at Jerusalem; and Moses and Elias talk with him about this; the nature, manner, use, and near approach of it; and to which they might encourage him, as man. The sufferings and death of Christ were what Moses and the prophets had foretold; and these two speak of the same things now; and which must serve to confirm what Christ a few, days ago had showed his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and there suffer and die. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that the ascension of Christ to heaven is contained in the word “Exodus”, which was his final departure out of this world, as well as his sufferings and death; and especially if there is any, allusion to the Israelites’ departure out of Egypt, which was in victory and triumph; and the rather, because “the time of his receiving up”, Lu 9:51 may be thought to refer to this; and so Moses and Elias conversed with him, not only about, his sufferings and death; but his ascension, and of which also the “Exodus”, or going of Elias out of this world to heaven, which was by a translation and ascension, was a figure. Some render this word, “Expedition”, and think it refers to the whole affair of the redemption of Christ’s people by him, from the bondage of sin, Satan, and the law, by his sufferings and death; of which the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt was a lively representation: an expedition which Moses was sent upon, and accomplished: but now the discourse turns upon an expedition of greater importance, which shortly was to be accomplished at Jerusalem, where Christ was to be arraigned, and condemned, and then suffer without the gates of it, in order to obtain eternal redemption for the whole Israel of God.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

There talked with him ( ). Imperfect active, were talking with him.

Who appeared in glory ( ). First aorist passive participle of . This item peculiar to Luke. Compare verse 26.

Spake of his decease ( ). Imperfect active, were talking about his (departure from earth to heaven) very much like our English word “decease” (Latin decessus, a going away). The glorious light graphically revealed Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about the very subject concerning which Peter had dared to rebuke Jesus for mentioning (Mark 8:32; Matt 16:22). This very word (way out) in the sense of death occurs in 2Pe 1:15 and is followed by a brief description of the Transfiguration glory. Other words for death () in the N.T. are , going out as departure (Heb 13:7), , departing (Ac 20:29), , loosening anchor (2Ti 4:6) and (Php 1:23).

To accomplish (). To fulfil. Moses had led the Exodus from Egypt. Jesus will accomplish the exodus of God’s people into the Promised Land on high. See on Mark and Matthew for discussion of significance of the appearance of Moses and Elijah as representatives of law and prophecy and with a peculiar death. The purpose of the Transfiguration was to strengthen the heart of Jesus as he was praying long about his approaching death and to give these chosen three disciples a glimpse of his glory for the hour of darkness coming. No one on earth understood the heart of Jesus and so Moses and Elijah came. The poor disciples utterly failed to grasp the significance of it all.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

This verse is peculiar to Luke. Spake [] . Imperfect, were speaking.

Decease [] . The Rev. retains the word of the A. V., though it has, to modern ears, a somewhat formal sound. No word, however, could more accurately represent the original, which is compounded of ejx, out of, and oJdov, a journeying; and thus corresponds to the Latin decessus, a going away, whence the word decease. The Greek word is familiar to us as exodus, applied principally to the migration of the Hebrews from Egypt, and thus used at Heb 11:22, departing. In the mouth of Christ it covers the ideas both of death and ascension. Peter uses it of his own death (2Pe 1:15, where see note).

He should accomplish [ ] . Better, as Rev., he was about to accomplish. “Accomplish,” or “fulfil,” is very significant with reference to Christ ‘s death. Moses and Joshua had begun an exodus from Egypt, but had not accomplished the going out of God ‘s people from this present world. See Heb 3:18; Heb 4:8.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “Who appeared in glory,” (hoi ophentes en dokse) “Who appearing in glory form,” or glory appearance, or glorified appearance.

2) “And spake of his decease,” (elegon ten eksodon autou) “Spoke of his exodus,” His exit or departure, going out of this life or of His decease, His coming death, by crucifixion, and accursed death, upon the cross, Deu 21:23; Gal 3:13; Isa 63:1-12.

3) “Which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.” (hen hemellen pleroun en lerousalem) “Which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem,” or fulfill in the Jerusalem area, upon Mt Calvary, just outside the city wall; only Luke revealed what they discussed, which was His departure from this life, likely including His resurrection and ascension, or return to glory of the Father, Joh 17:1; Joh 17:5.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(31) Spake of his decease.St. Lukes is the only narrative that names the subject of the words that passed between our Lord and Moses and Elias. The use of the word decease (exodos) instead of death is remarkable: (1) because it had not been commonly so used by Greek authors; (2) because in its wider range of meaning it covered all the special phenomena connected with the close of the ministry of the Lawgiver and the Tishbite (comp. Deu. 34:5-6; 2Ki. 2:11), and not less so, the Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord, as well as the Crucifixion; (3) as meeting us in close connection with a reference to the Transfiguration in 2Pe. 1:15.

Which he should accomplish.Literally, which He was about to accomplish.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

31. Spake of his decease The three evangelists tell us that the two talked with Jesus, but Luke alone informs us what was the topic of the conversation. They conversed about his approaching sufferings; and in what tone appears from the remarkable phrase which follows, namely, the decease which he should accomplish. His death was viewed as a great voluntary work to be achieved.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments