–Matthew Emerson, associate professor, Oklahoma Baptist University. [41] The blessing gesture by Christ with his right hand is directed towards the earthly group below him and signifies that he is blessing the entire Church. If we are to endure and carry on in this sin-ridden world, running the race God has laid out before us, we need to see Jesus Christ. The ascension was no surprise to the Lord. The first great event, and one anticipated since the fall of man, is the incarnation--the moment in time when God descended to earth in the person of His Son to become true, yet sinless humanity. Ascension, in Christian belief, the ascent of Jesus Christ into heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection (Easter being reckoned as the first day). Luke 24:51-53; Col. 3:1). Title: Ascension from the Rabbula Gospels: Notes: The artist of the Rabbula Gospels illustrated more scenes from the book of Acts than from the Gospels, including this Ascension scene that includes symbols associated with Ezekiel (wheels, tetramorph) and a small, brown hand of God. 1:11; Ps. We would have a resurrected person, but not one who was now at God’s right hand in the place of authority. [23][24], Non-Jewish readers would have been familiar with the case of the emperor Augustus, whose ascent was witnessed by Senators; Romulus the founder of Rome, who, like Jesus, was taken to heaven in a cloud; the Greek hero Heracles (Hercules); and others. Our study will demonstrate just why this is so, but let’s look at two passages that demonstrate our need to know and personally relate our lives to Jesus Christ--not only as the one who died and rose from the grave, but also as the ascended Lord. In other words, regardless of what was happening in the nation and on this earth, God was on the throne carrying out His purposes. 5 Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Through the ascension of Jesus, God the Father exalted the Lord to his right hand in … Where did He go? (2) It ended His public ministry of words and works (John 17:4-11). [38] By the 6th century, the iconography of the Ascension had been established and by the 9th century, Ascension scenes were being depicted on domes of churches. The following chart identifies some of the results of the ascension of Christ. But Christ’s life existed from all eternity and continues into the eternal future. Acts 1 describes a meal at which Jesus commands the disciples to await the coming of the Holy Spirit. Ascension Christian is the only Pre K-12 Christian, non-denominational school in Ascension Parish. John 14:28; 16:16; Acts. We need to answer this question because it is tremendously important (1) to the impact of Christ on our daily lives, (2) to our courage and the enjoyment of our salvation in Christ, and (3) for our effectiveness in the mission of the Great Commission to which Christ has called each of us. In John 13:1-3 the ascension is mentioned twice because it is on the basis of His work as Priest (Christ in the presence of the Father) that He would be able to continue His ministry as our High Priest and provide continual cleansing. It is a removal, a change of position and locale which is of the utmost importance both to God and to man. On this day, the risen Christ, in the sight of His apostles, ascended bodily into Heaven. This revelation of the Lord turns our attention from the HUMAN and the EARTHLY to the DIVINE and the HEAVENLY--from the CHAOTIC and DEGENERATE to the PEACEFUL and HOLY. .” Literally the text reads, “I saw also . [5] In the left hand, he may be holding a Gospel or a scroll, signifying teaching and preaching. It continues to be observed in Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, and most Reformed churches. In other words, it was a supernatural cloud, a symbol of the glorification of the Son. It was subsequently rebuilt, destroyed, and rebuilt again by the Crusaders. 2:5-11). Messiah would be David’s son but also David’s Lord--one who shared God’s throne as God Himself. On Easter we commemorate the resurrection of Christ--one of the four greatest events in human history since the creation of man. First, the ascension clearly marked the end of Christ's earthly ministry. As the great prophet and revealer of truth, He would continue this ministry through the apostles via the Holy Spirit (John 16:7, 12f). In view of the phrase, “lofty and exalted” in Isaiah 6:1, let’s note the same phrase in Isaiah 52:13. The Ascension of Jesus Christ. Yet the Bible shows us a grave--and empty grave--which is the picture of ultimate hope” (Donald K. Campbell, Seminary Easter Card, 1988). The ascension of Christ presents a problem for the opponents of Christianity. He was resuming His preincarnate glory--the glory He had before the incarnation. He was ascending to the right hand of the Father from whence He would send the Holy Spirit to empower them for ministry. school in Louisiana. The Ascension of Jesus Christ The ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven is one of the most important events recorded in the New Testament. [16], The cosmology of the author of Luke-Acts reflects the beliefs of his age,[25] which envisioned a three-part cosmos with the heavens above, an Earth centered on Jerusalem in the middle, and the underworld below. The ascending Christ may be carrying a resurrection banner or make a sign of benediction with his right hand. [29] According to Dunn, "the typical mind-set and worldview of the time conditioned what was actually seen and how the recording of such seeings was conceptualized,"[25] and "departure into heaven could only be conceived in terms of 'being taken up ', a literal ascension. When Christ returned to heaven, he withdrew his physical presence from our sight. [42] In many Eastern icons the Virgin Mary is placed at the center of the scene in the earthly part of the depiction, with her hands raised towards Heaven, often accompanied by various Apostles. Partly, I am sure because they were amazed and perplexed, but partly because they didn’t want to see Him go. [26][27] Heaven was separated from the Earth by the firmament, the visible sky, a solid inverted bowl where God's palace sat on pillars in the celestial sea. The ascension declared that the old Mosaic Covenant was no longer valid, that it was only a temporary covenant until Messiah-Savior could come. As we think about our own country today and see what is happening on every front, it is frightening, discouraging, and frustrating. [20][4], Ascension stories were fairly common around the time of Jesus and the gospel-authors,[21] signifying the deification of a noteworthy person (usually a Roman Emperor), and in Judaism as an indication of divine approval. Where was He? In fact, in the majority of the books there is not a line referring to it: nothing in Matthew, Mark,2most of the Pauline corpus, the Catholic Epistles, or Revelation. [22], Figures familiar to Jews would have included Enoch (from the Book of Genesis and a popular non-Biblical work called 1 Enoch); the 5th-century sage Ezra; Baruch the companion of the prophet Jeremiah (from a work called 2 Baruch, in which Baruch is promised he will ascend to heaven after forty days); Levi the ancestor of priests; the Teacher of Righteousness from the Qumran community; the prophet Elijah (from 2 Kings); Moses, who was deified on entering heaven; and the children of Job, who according to the Testament of Job ascended heaven following their resurrection from the dead. The period of human limitation was at an end. Let’s note the words used for Christ’s departure and what they teach us. Heb. John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”. It Affirmed Christ as the God-Man (John 6:62). We want to be able to answer our Lord’s very provocative question, “What then if you should see the Son of Man ascending where He was before?” In other words, what does the ascension mean to us? According to the New Testament narrative, the Ascension occurred forty days after the resurrection. The Ascension my beloved therefore is a feast of personal hope! By the word ascension we mean the removal of Jesus Christ from this earth into a different place and sphere which we call heaven. [33] The real problem is the fact that Jesus is both present and absent,[34] an ambiguity which points to a "something more" to which the eucharist gives entry. In John 6 we have the great discourse on Christ as the Bread of Life. [16], In Christian theology, the death, Resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus are the most important events, and a foundation of the Christian faith. The ascension is the connecting link, the link between the past ministry of Christ and His future ministry. What difference does all this make to us, to the church in the world? Because of His unique person, He is able to give eternal life. 8:7-13; 9:11-15, 23-10:1). "[11] Luke and Acts appear to describe the same event, but present quite different chronologies, Luke placing it on the same day as the Resurrection and Acts forty days afterwards;[12] various proposals have been put forward to resolve the contradiction, but the question remains open. Christ used this Old Testament passage which anticipated the ascension of David’s son to God’s right hand to demonstrate just who Messiah was and what this should mean to mankind. The third great event is the resurrection, when Jesus Christ was raised from death by the glory of the Father. The Lord must be absent from us for a time. Many studies of the life of Christ trace His life and ministry beginning at Bethlehem and ending with the ascension. [6][7], The Ascension has been a frequent subject in Christian art. Beverly Hills, Michigan 48025. Before the conversion of Constantine in 312 AD, early Christians honored the Ascension of Christ in a cave on the Mount, and by 384 the Ascension was venerated on the present site, uphill from the cave. (NASB). A third benefit of the ascension of Christ was the giving of spiritual power to his disciples. The Son of Man who was the Son of God was passing through the heavens into the heaven of heavens, into the very presence of God to appear there for us (cf. “In our culture, as in most cultures around the world, the ultimate symbol of foreboding and despair is the grave . It may have been a gentle rebuke, but I think it is clear that the angels were calling the disciples’ attention to several important principles: The question posed by the angels implies “do you not understand what all this means to you?” It means Christ is exalted, but it also means the promise of His abiding presence with each believer in a very new and special way. This was difficult to grasp and some grumbled over it. Christ sought to eliminate an incomplete grasp of His person because this is essential to faith and salvation. Without the resurrection Christ’s death would be meaningless as far as the great issues of life are concerned. This is true because He is not mere man, but the God-Man, the one who came down from heaven. They say in John 20:17, Christ was telling Mary not to touch Him because this had not yet been done. March 29, 2021. . The ascension declared His work on the cross was finished. “ 9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Jesus is taken up from the disciples in their sight, a cloud hides him from view, and two men in white appear to tell them that he will return "in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. The Ascension of Jesus (anglicized from the Vulgate Latin: ascensio Iesu, lit. (John 6:62) Failing to assimilate the truth of Christ as the Bread of Life, as the source of our spiritual nourishment and life through feeding on Him by faith and study, the Lord challenged His audience (and challenges us) with these words: “What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before?”, J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M. ‘The Ascension Of Christ’ was created in 1636 by Rembrandt in Baroque style. That is not without significance. The scene portrays meaning to the believer and is supported by other Scripture, as well. In relation to the ascension, the Lord said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me.” The ascension means the Lord’s physical removal from His people on earth and from this present state of affairs, “but the spiritual value of the Ascension lies not in Christ’s physical remoteness, but in His spiritual nearness. "[32], Yet, according to Dunn, a sole focus on this disparity is beside the real importance of Jesus' Ascension, namely the Resurrection and subsequent exaltation of Jesus. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT, LIKE ISAIAH, WE SEE JESUS EXALTED OR HIGH AND LIFTED UP REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ON EARTH. Immediately after this commission in verse 8, the ascension occurred. (emphasis mine). 26:64.). [1] In the Christian tradition, reflected in the major Christian creeds and confessional statements, God exalted Jesus after his death,[2][3] raising him from the dead and taking him to Heaven, where Jesus took his seat at the right hand of God. First there is Christ’s descent to earth--God becoming man, the incarnation. First, there is the redemptive-historical contrast of two ages: the world in Adam, from the fall onwards, subject to sin, corruption, and death, an age that is passing away; and the world in Christ, from the incarnation, resurrection and ascension onwards, which is being renewed, and is marked by life, which will last for eternity.Second, this contrast is evident in relation to creation. The Theological Significance of the Ascension Stay Connected with your favorite Ministry Newsletters and Devotionals. The Crucifixion. As a result of the ascension of Christ, Christians have a number of benefits for a fulfilled life and successful service. Turning Point Episode Reminder Get a sneak-peek into each new show, delivered straight to your inbox! Subject to Import Tax. Acts … “In Ephesians 4:7 –12, Paul connects the grace we’ve received with the ascension,” Mathewson explains. The ascension of Jesus describes Christ’s transition from earth to heaven after his life, ministry, death, and resurrection. The ascension is alluded to in the words “at my right hand.” This shows us an understanding of what the ascension means and teaches us about Jesus Christ is vital for right thinking and response to the person of Christ. 2. This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”. [citation needed][43] The site was ultimately acquired by two emissaries of Saladin in the year 1198 and has remained in the possession of the Islamic Waqf of Jerusalem ever since. Saint Jerome held that it was of apostolic origin, but in fact the Ascension was originally part of Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit), and developed as a separate celebration only slowly from the late 4th century onward. In very short space, Schreiner provides a remarkably comprehensive and clear analysis of the ascension. 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