What does Jesus mean by "ascending to where He was before" in John 6:62? Passage Text “Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?” – John 6:62 Immediate Narrative Setting John 6 records the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus’ walking on the sea, and the “Bread of Life” discourse in Capernaum. Many disciples stumble at His claim that they must “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood.” Verse 62 is Jesus’ rhetorical question aimed at those offended: if His incarnational language shocks them, will they tolerate the still greater sign of His visible return to His prior heavenly glory? Christological Assertion: Eternal Pre-Existence 1. John’s prologue: “In the beginning was the Word… and the Word became flesh” (1:1,14). 2. John 3:13 parallels: “No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven.” 3. Philippians 2:6–7 corroborates: “Existing in the form of God… He emptied Himself.” Thus 6:62 reaffirms that Jesus is the eternally pre-existent Son, equal with the Father, who temporarily veiled His glory in the incarnation (cf. 17:5). Link to the Bodily Ascension Acts 1:9–11 records the historical ascension witnessed by the apostles, dated A.D. 30/33. Luke’s medical precision and the corroborative “manuscripts of Acts” (e.g., Codex Vaticanus B/03, c. AD 325) certify the event’s textual reliability. Jesus in John 6 anticipates that climactic ascent—proof that His flesh is not a metaphor for mere teaching but the incarnate means of redemption. Foreshadowing of Cross and Resurrection John’s “lifting up” motif (3:14; 12:32) fuses crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. The sequence is: death (John 19), burial verified by Joseph of Arimathea (archaeologically consistent with 1st-century rock-hewn tombs around Jerusalem), resurrection on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–8), and forty days of post-resurrection appearances culminating in His return “to where He was before.” Old Testament Background • Daniel 7:13–14: “One like a Son of Man… came up to the Ancient of Days” – royal ascension imagery. • Psalm 24:7–10: “Lift up your heads… the King of glory shall come in” – liturgical anticipation of the victorious King’s entrance into heaven. Jesus claims these messianic texts for Himself, outraging unrepentant listeners. Patristic Witness • Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.16.6: “He who ascended is the very One who also descended for our salvation.” • Athanasius, On the Incarnation 54: “The Word, after He had completed what was needful for us, was taken up in the sight of all… restoring to the universe its order.” Practical Exhortation 1. Worship: acknowledge Christ’s eternal sovereignty. 2. Hope: His ascension guarantees the believer’s future glorification (John 14:2–3). 3. Mission: proclaim the risen, ascended Lord to a skeptical world. Summary “Ascending to where He was before” in John 6:62 declares Jesus’ pre-existence, anticipates His bodily ascension after resurrection, and validates His divine identity. The statement integrates biblical theology, confirmed history, manuscript integrity, and apologetic coherence, calling every reader to faith in the exalted Son of Man. |
    |