Decease, in New Testament
The Language of Death as Departure
The New Testament uses several Greek words that English translations have rendered as "decease." Understanding these terms reveals how the early Christians thought about death — not merely as an ending but as a transition, a departure, and even a fulfillment. The choice of words in key passages transforms the meaning of death from a biological event into a theological statement.
The Greek Word Teleutao
The most common Greek term behind "decease" is teleutao, meaning "to come to an end" or "to finish." It appears in passages like Matthew 22:25, where the Sadducees present their hypothetical case of a man who "married and deceased," and in Matthew 2:19, recording the death of Herod. In Matthew 15:4 and Mark 7:10, the phrase "let him die the death" (thanato teleutato) intensifies the meaning, reflecting the Old Testament command that certain offenses carry the death penalty. This word treats death as a factual conclusion to earthly life without adding theological interpretation.
The same word appears in Hebrews 11:22, where Joseph on his deathbed spoke of the Exodus, demonstrating faith even as his life ended. Modern translations often render this as "when his end was near," capturing the sense of approaching completion.
The Exodus at the Transfiguration
The most theologically charged use of "decease" appears in Luke 9:31, where Moses and Elijah speak with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration about "his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." The Greek word here is exodos, literally "exit" or "going out." This is the same word used for the Israelites' departure from Egypt, and its use here is deliberate and profound.
By describing Jesus's death as an "exodus," Luke presents the cross not as a defeat but as a mighty act of liberation. Just as the original Exodus freed Israel from slavery in Egypt, Jesus's death would free humanity from the bondage of sin and death. The word "accomplish" (pleroo, to fulfill) further emphasizes that this death was not something that happened to Jesus passively but something he actively completed as part of God's redemptive plan.
Peter's Use of Exodus
Peter employs the same word in 2 Peter 1:15, writing about his own approaching death: "I will make every effort to ensure that after my departure (exodos) you will always be able to remember these things." Peter, who had witnessed the Transfiguration and heard Moses and Elijah discuss Jesus's "exodus," now applies the same language to his own death. This suggests that Peter understood Christian death through the lens of Jesus's death — as a departure leading to something greater, not simply an ending.
Death Transformed
The New Testament's vocabulary for death reflects a fundamental transformation in how death is understood. The straightforward teleutao acknowledges the reality of physical death. But the deliberate choice of exodos for Jesus's death and Peter's death reveals that the cross has changed death's meaning. For believers, death becomes a departure — an exodus from the limitations of this present life into the fullness of life with God. This linguistic shift embodies the Christian hope that death is not the final word.
Biblical Context
The word 'decease' appears in several New Testament passages: Matthew 22:25 (teleutao, dying), Matthew 2:19 (Herod's death), Matthew 15:4 and Mark 7:10 (death penalty formula), Hebrews 11:22 (Joseph's death), Luke 9:31 (Jesus's 'exodus' at the Transfiguration), and 2 Peter 1:15 (Peter's approaching departure). The key theological usage is the word 'exodos' applied to Christ's death.
Theological Significance
The New Testament's treatment of 'decease' reveals a theology of death transformed by Christ. The use of 'exodus' for Jesus's death at the Transfiguration frames the cross as an act of liberation parallel to Israel's deliverance from Egypt. Peter's adoption of the same language for his own death extends this understanding to all believers, teaching that Christian death is a departure into fuller life rather than mere cessation. This vocabulary embodies the resurrection hope at the heart of the gospel.
Historical Background
The Greek word 'exodos' carried strong associations with the foundational story of Israel's liberation from Egypt. Luke's use of this word in a conversation featuring Moses himself creates a deliberate literary and theological connection between the two great acts of divine redemption. In the Greco-Roman world, philosophical traditions also spoke of death as a departure of the soul, but the Christian understanding was grounded in bodily resurrection rather than mere spiritual release.