Lexical Summary teleuté: End, death Original Word: τελευτή Strong's Exhaustive Concordance death. From teleutao; decease -- death. see GREEK teleutao HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 5054 teleutḗ (a feminine noun) – properly, closure (consummation). 5054 (teleutḗ), used only in Mt 2:15, expresses closure (consummation) in terms of how God alone controls history – down to the exact day He moves each person off the scene of earth (cf. Ac 4:28 with Ps 139:16). See 5053 (teleutaō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom teleó Definition a finishing, end, i.e. death NASB Translation death (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5054: τελευτήτελευτή, τελευτῆς, ἡ (τελέω), end (see τέλος, 1 a. at the beginning); the end of life, decease, death: Matthew 2:15 (and often in Greek writings from Pindar and Thucydides down; the Sept. for מות; with βιοτοιο added, Homer, Iliad 7, 104; τοῦ βίου, Herodotus 1, 30, and often in Attic writings). Topical Lexicon Occurrence in the New Testament Matthew 2:15 contains the sole New Testament use of τελευτή, recording that Joseph, Mary, and the Child remained in Egypt “until the death of Herod”. The word marks the moment Herod’s earthly rule ended and God’s prophecy-driven timetable advanced. Historical Context in Matthew 2 Herod the Great’s final breath closed a reign notorious for cruelty. By tying the Messiah’s return from Egypt to Herod’s τελευτή, Matthew highlights divine sovereignty: political power bows before the King whose kingdom “shall never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). Herod’s death, though tragic in human terms, is portrayed as a hinge on which salvation history turns. Scripture’s chronology moves forward, fulfilling Hosea 11:1 and demonstrating that God’s redemptive purposes are never thwarted by evil rulers (Psalm 2:1-6). Old Testament and Septuagint Echoes Teleutē is frequent in the Septuagint to announce the deaths of patriarchs and leaders (Genesis 25:8; Deuteronomy 34:7; Joshua 1:1). Each occurrence subtly reminds readers that human chapters close, yet God’s covenant plan remains intact. By choosing the same term, Matthew draws readers into this thematic stream; Herod’s demise is one more entry in the long record of rulers who pass, while the Lord’s purposes endure (Psalm 146:3-10). Theological Themes 1. Sovereign Timing—The word underscores divine precision. Christ stays in obscurity until the exact moment Herod’s life ends (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). Doctrinal Insights • God governs both the entrance and exit of lives (Job 14:5). Ministry and Pastoral Application • Comfort the bereaved: teleutē frames death as the close of a chapter written under God’s authorship (Psalm 139:16). Related Greek Terms • 5053 τελευτάω (verb) – emphasizes the act of dying. Contemporary Reflection Modern believers see kingdoms rise and fall; teleutē reminds the church that every ruler, ideology, or movement hostile to God will meet its end, while the gospel advances. Life’s concluding moment is not random; it is woven into God’s redemptive tapestry, inviting trust, obedience, and hope that reaches beyond the grave. Forms and Transliterations τελευτή τελευτήν τελευτης τελευτής τελευτῆς teleutes teleutês teleutēs teleutē̂sLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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