Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
There talked with him (sunelaloun autw). Imperfect active, were talking with him.
Who appeared in glory (oi ofqentev en doch). First aorist passive participle of oraw. This item peculiar to Luke. Compare verse Luke 9:26.
Spake of his decease (elegon thn ecodon). Imperfect active, were talking about his ecoduv (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; Matthew 16:22). This very word ecoduv (way out) in the sense of death occurs in II Peter 1:15 and is followed by a brief description of the Transfiguration glory. Other words for death (qanatov) in the N.T. are ekbasiv, going out as departure (Hebrews 13:7), aficiv, departing (Acts 20:29), analusiv, loosening anchor (II Timothy 4:6) and analusai (Philippians 1:23).
To accomplish (plhroun). 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.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Luke 9:31:
Matthew 17:3
Luke 9:51
Hebrews 11:22
2 Peter 1:15
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