ἔξοδος: How Jesus Fulfills the Ultimate Exodus

exodos: Departure, Exodus, Way Out

This week’s Greek word is exodus, which shows up in Luke 9:31 during the transfiguration. Jesus is talking with Moses and Elijah, and they’re speaking about his upcoming “exodus” (often translated departure).

Luke could have used ἀνάλυσις like Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:6 which literally means the same concept of “departure”.

However, Luke doesn’t use this word.​

Luke goes out of his way to use this particular word which brings connotations to a very famous narrative any first century Christian would know. Scholars argue this is an “obvious” allusion to the exodus from Egypt.

Luke is connecting Jesus’s work on the cross as a spiritual freedom like the physical freedom God brought through the Exodus. As God freed his people from slavery in Egypt, Jesus frees us from a spiritual slavery to sin and death.

​Scriptures where we find "exodos":

Luke 9:31 — "were speaking of His departure which"

Hebrews 11:22 — “made mention of the exodus of the sons"
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​2 Peter 1:15 — "after my departure you will be able"