HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN

 

HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN.

 

Several angles for inspirational ministry are presented by  this subject.  Below is general info background.

 

SCHOLARSHIP CHECK.   Modern scholars make little of this event and bring no useful comment, spiritual or practical. E.g. -  Dr. John Holland’s new massive Commentary in three volumes on Luke expounds only literary critical questions. It looks for parallel stories on which Luke might have drawn to frame his ascension account. Just a nice story ending. They seem blind to the tremendous meaning of it as a related to God’s purposes in history and in Christ It shocks me that anyone could suggest that Luke would tell such a tale if he knew it did not happen. It makes him a downright liar.  What about those others who saw it?  They would object to what he said if it was all made up.

 

What I give below is the fruit of years knowing the Word as inspired and inter-related.  How I see it would be scorned by literary critics.

 

But Dr. Craig Evans ( New International Biblical Commentary)  an evangelical says that is it obvious that Luke had this ascension as His aim in writing all the way through.

 

Wayne Gordon in his Systematic Theology – an evangelical believer said Christ’s resurrection body was still so material  that He could not pass through material doors.  This seems an odd view.  By all understanding what Paul calls “the spiritual body” is capable of it, and not subject to material laws.

 

Scriptures.

 

Some say (e.g. J.J., von Allen) that that ascension took place when Christ was resurrected.  The context is against that, but Christ was glorified by the resurrection before His ascension. He was not raised to heaven to be glorified – He was glorified already. His ascent was to show this visibly to the disciples, and to complete the revelation to mankind of the mind of God in salvation.

 

Two eye-witness accounts  of the ascension – both recorded by Luke.  Luke 24.50-51 and Acts 1.9-11.

 

Other refs:   Jesus at  the right hand of God, quote Psalm 110.1  (most quoted  text in NT). Mark 12;35-37,   l4.62.

       His exaltation.  Phil. 2:8.  1 Tim. 3:16.   Christ is heaven is what Revelation is about -  an answer to the imperial forces of Rome.

 

       Predictions.  Matt 16’27,  24.30,  26.64.  Mk 8,38.  13.26.  Lk 21;27 22.69.

 

       Christ’s upward leaving.  Rom 10: 6-8. Eph 4:7p-11.  In John 3,  13.1-3, 16:5 16.28.

Usually ascending -  (Gr. anabaino)  but often as ‘going’, (Gr. poreumai)  as on a journey, to the Father. Jn :33,  8.`4,21.  13.33, 14:4. 16.5, 10.17. )

 

Jesus spoke of  being ‘lifted up’ – a two-fold meaning.   Jn 3.14,  8.28,  12,32-34.

 

Christ’s option returning  to the Father.

 

John 13.1. Christ had two ways, two options for His  return to the Father. The time had come for  Him to be received up. He could then and there ascend directly, but chose to return by a detour, beginning then but taking Him via Jerusalem, Gethsemane, Calvary and then by ascension.  He chose the Calvary route. Because Jn 13.1 says “He loved His own and loved them to the end’ – the end of His work for them (and for us).  Washing the disciples feet at that time was a signal of His ‘obedience’ ‘taking  the very nature of a servant’.  It  was a timed act of humility but not as a special act or example, but by nature, being humble.  “Learn of me …  I AM gentle and humble  in heart.”  Matt 11:30.         

 

Jesus spoke of being ‘lifted up’  on the Cross and also of His exaltation – His glory. He glorified God by His death, and by His ascension.  It was all one  - it was all loving obedience to the Father.

 

When last seen He was lifting up His hands in blessing. There is only one other account in Scripture of hands lifted in blessing (Lev . 9.22) – by Aaron the first high priest.  Peter preaching said “When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to bless you”. The angels told the disciples watching  that “This same  Jesus, who is taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven” – that is with His hands lifted in blessing.  He came blessing us and is blessing as  and will come back blessing us His hands always lifted up.  Moses needed support when he lifted his hands in the battle against Amorites  But ‘thou hast a mighty arm.”                                                        

 

The ascension is evidence.

  that the work of Christ has come to a conclusion, and so also has God’s historic work of  redemption.

 

Gloried, resurrected human beings (as Christ) can inhabit ‘angel land’ or the spiritual dimension.  By His ascension He became  the way, the Ladder between the spiritual and  the physical. There is no impossible barrier – it is a new and living way.

 

That heaven, where Christ is, holds control over all things and He is at the supreme height.

 

Where has He gone – where is heaven?

 

His ascension has been scorned by liberals. They mock the idea as imagining a three tier universe, and Jesus going to the upper level like a Cape Canaveral lift off.  The earth being a globe, going upwards from Israel is opposite on the other wide of the globe showing His ascent is not just in location but in God-status. He is exalted far all that can be named.  All through Scripture God is ‘above’ and so is heaven.  Jesus prayed and  spoke to God ‘lifting His eyes’ looking upwards, and when He returns it is from ‘above’ outside this globe.  “The Lord Himself will COME DOWN from heaven”.   1 Thess. 4. 16.   In the Psalms  God ‘looks down’ on the world.  He is above all principality of powers on earth.

 

On other occasions of appearances He simply vanished mysteriously, but this time they saw Him leave.  He intended  that.  It is described as an ‘acted parable’ – making it clear that He was departing from earth and not just disappearing.  The disciples had been full of fear during the seven post-resurrection weeks, but returned to Jerusalem paradoxically after ‘losing’ Him ‘with great joy and stayed continually in the temple praising God’ Luke 24:52/53. 

 

Writing the book on Angels I noticed that angels usually left without being noticed, unobtrusively – walking away or going out of view – lost in a crowd or something.  They had to leave someway,  but never by ascending or melting out of sight. They withdraw to avoid people’s questions.  But Jesus went clearly upwards – we know where He is.

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He has not gone into the beautiful land of dreams or Somewhere, but to a ‘place’ described at ‘the Father’s right hand.’   God’s left hand is never named in Scripture.  His right hand is a symbol of omnipotence in action, God working.   Being at God’s right hand He became and IS God’s right hand, working with the Father.  He is also ‘the finger of God’, Luke 11:20.  In Egypt the magicians told Pharaoh that what was happening to their country as by “the finger of God”, that is by the power of the Son of God. He was ‘the angel of God’s presence’ in all Israel’s affairs and inscribed the Commandments on the tablets of stone by His finger.  Deut.  9:10.  This is the Captain bringing many sons into glory.

  

What is He doing?  

 

His ascension was not triumphalism nor meant for that. He was  already glorified. He received from the Father honour and glory but as in all that God does there is no staging of drama, no attempt to impress us or to draw admiration to Himself.  He satisfies Himself – His passion for us - in all He does –  suffering, saving, healing, interceding at God’s right hand.  To please  the Father was all Christ ever did.

 

He sends the Holy Spirit.  That identifies Him. He was so described when His coming was announced by John the Baptist. The Baptism in the Spirit was unknown until John said Christ would baptise. Nobody else ever has or could impart the Spirit.  We read of the ascension of Elijah and perhaps Enoch, but they did nothing afterwards – sent  nothing back here.

 

It not only identifies Him but also brings the change for us to be  Spirit-filled. Our anointing is for ourselves alone personally and cannot be shared. It is available to all but only by Him.  It is His great and holy prerogative. He has reached the  Father and done what He said He would do – ask  the Father for the Spirit to be sent upon us to take His place beside us on earth.  Without it then , as He baptised nobody while on earth, it would have been a blank promise unless He did it after His ascension.  

 

The great thing about Christ coming here was just that – He came, and the great thing is that He will come back – He went and can return.                                                                                                                                            

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George Canty. May 2009.