While He was blessing them
This phrase highlights Jesus' role as a priestly figure, offering a blessing to His disciples. In the Jewish tradition, blessings were significant and often given by a father to his children or a priest to the people. Jesus, as the High Priest, imparts His blessing, signifying His ongoing care and authority. This act fulfills the priestly role outlined in Numbers 6:24-26, where the priests were instructed to bless the Israelites. The blessing also signifies the transition from Jesus' earthly ministry to His heavenly intercession.

He left them
This indicates the physical departure of Jesus from His disciples. It marks the end of His post-resurrection appearances, which had served to confirm His resurrection and prepare the disciples for their mission. The departure is not a sign of abandonment but a necessary step for the coming of the Holy Spirit, as promised in John 16:7. This moment is pivotal in salvation history, as it transitions the disciples from reliance on Jesus' physical presence to the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

and was carried up into heaven
The ascension of Jesus is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and a demonstration of His divine nature. Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14 speak of the Messiah's exaltation and authority. The ascension signifies Jesus' enthronement at the right hand of God, a position of power and intercession. It also prefigures the believer's future hope of being with Christ in glory. The ascension took place near Bethany on the Mount of Olives, a location with significant biblical history, including being the place where Jesus often taught and prayed. The ascension assures believers of Jesus' continued work in heaven and His eventual return, as promised in Acts 1:11.

1. Jesus Christ
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is the resurrected Lord who is blessing His disciples before His ascension into heaven.

2. The Disciples
The followers of Jesus who are present with Him during this significant event. They are witnesses to His ascension and recipients of His blessing.

3. Mount of Olives
Although not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the ascension traditionally takes place on the Mount of Olives, a significant location in Jesus' ministry and prophecy.

4. Heaven
The destination to which Jesus is carried up, signifying His return to the Father and the completion of His earthly mission.

5. The Ascension
The event where Jesus is taken up into heaven, marking the end of His physical presence on earth and the beginning of His heavenly reign.The Significance of the Ascension
The ascension marks the completion of Jesus' earthly ministry and His exaltation to the right hand of the Father. It assures believers of His ongoing intercession and the promise of His return.

The Blessing of Jesus
Jesus' act of blessing His disciples before ascending signifies His continued care and provision for His followers. It reminds us of the importance of seeking His blessing in our lives.

The Promise of His Return
The ascension is not just an end but a promise of Jesus' return. Believers are called to live in anticipation of His second coming, maintaining faithfulness and readiness.

Empowerment for Mission
With Jesus' ascension, the disciples are empowered to carry out the Great Commission. Believers today are similarly called to spread the Gospel, relying on the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance.

Heavenly Perspective
Jesus' ascension encourages believers to set their minds on things above, focusing on eternal realities rather than earthly concerns.(51) The words "and was carried up into heaven" are wanting in some of the best MSS., and are omitted accordingly by some recent editors.

Verse 51. - And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven; more accurately rendered, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. The last clause, "was carried up into heaven," is absent from some, but not from the majority of the older authorities. The Acts (Acts 1:9) describe the act of ascension thus: "As they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." The eleven and those chosen to witness the last earthly scene of the Lord's ministry came together, in obedience probably to some command of their Master, to some meeting-place in Jerusalem, possibly the well-known upper room. Thence he led them forth from the sacred city, past the scene of the agony and the scene of the weeping, on to some quiet spot hard by loved Bethany, talking to them as they went; and as he spoke, suddenly he lifted up his pierced hands and blessed them; and in the very act of performing this deed of love, he rose, they still gazing on him - rose, as it appears, by the exercise of his own will into the air, and, while they still gazed, a cloud came and veiled him from their sight. He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. Among the appearances of the Risen to his followers during the forty days (ten of these distinct appearances are related in the Gospels and Epistles), this last notably differs from all that preceded it. As at other times when he showed himself to his friends during these forty days, so on the "Ascension" day Jesus apparently came forth suddenly from the invisible world; but not, as on former occasions, did he suddenly vanish from sight, as if he might shortly return as he had done before. But on this fortieth day he withdrew in a different way; as they gazed he rose up into the air, and so he parted from them, thus solemnly suggesting to them that not only was he "no more with them" (ver. 44), but that even those occasional and supernatural appearances vouchsafed to them since the Resurrection were now at an end. Nor were they grieved at this final parting; for we read -

Parallel Commentaries ...


While
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

He
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

was blessing
εὐλογεῖν (eulogein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2127: (lit: I speak well of) I bless; pass: I am blessed. From a compound of eu and logos; to speak well of, i.e. to bless.

them,
αὐτοὺς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

He left
διέστη (diestē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1339: To put apart, separate, put some distance between. From dia and histemi; to stand apart, i.e. to remove, intervene.

them
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

was carried up
ἀνεφέρετο (anephereto)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 399: From ana and phero; to take up.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

heaven.
οὐρανόν (ouranon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.


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NT Gospels: Luke 24:51 It happened while he blessed them that (Luke Lu Lk)