Bible translators have a tough job, otherwise one English translation would be all we have or need. Translation isn’t a straight-forward process. There are many trade-offs, including between ease of reading in contemporary settings, and depth of meaning in the original context, but sometimes I wish different choices were made.
One example is Luke 9:30-31, which says: “And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (from ESV, emphasis mine). This happened during an event known as the Transfiguration, when Jesus took His disciples Peter, James, and John up a mountain for a vision of His future glory. Matthew records in his gospel that Jesus “was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.”[1]
While on that mountain, the 3 lucky disciples also witnessed a conversation about something: Jesus’ “departure.” In a recent sermon I learned that the word translated “departure” is “exodos” in the original Greek. For ease of reading purposes, “departure” is a more familiar word and makes a lot of sense to a modern reader, because Jesus was soon to depart the world temporarily through death, then more permanently after His resurrection. On the other hand, “exodos” literally means an exit, or figuratively a death, but to the original audience and those familiar with Old Testament history, the word “exodos” carries other meanings as well.
So, why would Moses and Elijah be talking to Jesus about His “exodos”? Because they both had history with such “departures.”
As told in the Old Testament book of Exodus, Moses was called by God while the descendants of Israel (Jacob) were slaves in Egypt. After performing many miracles in God’s power, Moses led the new nation of Israel on an exodus out of literal slavery in Egypt.
Elijah performed many miracles, and prophesied that the nation of Israel, unless they repent of their disobedience, would be taken back into exile, but later be freed from Assyrian rule in that generation’s exodus.
Again, why would Moses and Elijah be talking to Jesus about His “exodos”? Because Jesus was going to lead spiritual Israel out of slavery to sin around the entire world, from each nation, in every generation’s Exodus. Moses, Elijah, and Jesus would have had a lot to talk about.
“And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodos, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”
[1] Matthew 17:2
Driving Toward the Morning Sun 