Topical Bible: Jesus, the Christ: Ascension of

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The Ascension of Jesus Christ is a pivotal event in Christian theology, marking the conclusion of His earthly ministry and His return to the Father in heaven. This event is recorded in several New Testament passages, most notably in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles.

Biblical Account

The Ascension is described in the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. In Luke 24:50-51 , it is written: "When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven." This passage highlights the blessing Jesus imparted to His disciples, signifying the continuation of His spiritual presence and authority.

The account in Acts 1:9-11 provides further detail: "After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.'" This passage emphasizes the physical and visible nature of the Ascension, as well as the promise of Christ's return.

Theological Significance

The Ascension signifies the exaltation of Jesus Christ, affirming His divine nature and His role as the eternal High Priest and King. It marks the completion of His redemptive work on earth and His enthronement at the right hand of God, as described in Hebrews 1:3 : "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."

The Ascension also serves as a precursor to the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to empower them for their mission. In John 16:7 , Jesus states, "But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."

Implications for Believers

For believers, the Ascension of Jesus Christ is a source of hope and assurance. It confirms the promise of eternal life and the future resurrection of the faithful. As Jesus ascended, so too will His followers be raised to eternal life with Him. This is reflected in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 : "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord."

The Ascension also underscores the ongoing intercessory work of Christ. As the High Priest, Jesus intercedes on behalf of believers, advocating for them before the Father. This is articulated in Romans 8:34 : "Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us."

In summary, the Ascension of Jesus Christ is a foundational event that affirms His divine authority, promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, and provides hope for the believer's future resurrection and eternal life.

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Psalm 47:5
God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
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Psalm 68:18
You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive: you have received gifts for men; yes, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
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Mark 16:19
So then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
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Luke 24:26,50,51
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
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John 1:51
And he said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.
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John 6:62
What and if you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
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John 7:33,34,39
Then said Jesus to them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go to him that sent me.
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John 14:2-4,12,28
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
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John 16:5,7,10,16,25,28
But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asks me, Where go you?
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John 17:5,13
And now, O Father, glorify you me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was.
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John 20:17
Jesus said to her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brothers, and say to them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
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Acts 1:9
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
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Acts 3:21
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
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Ephesians 1:20
Which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
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Ephesians 4:8-10
Why he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.
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1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
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Hebrews 1:3
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
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Hebrews 4:14
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
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Hebrews 9:24
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
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Library

Of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Sending of the Apostles ...
... Pentadius. Chap. XLVII."Of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Sending of
the Apostles, and the Ascension of the Saviour into Heaven. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xlvii of the resurrection of.htm

The Ascension of Christ
... to feed the flock; they abide in one place, and instruct converts which have been
gathered"these also are invaluable gifts of the ascension of Jesus Christ. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the ascension of christ.htm

(On the Lord's Ascension, I. )
... and Ascension, God's Providence had this in view, to teach and impress upon both
the eyes and hearts of His own people that the Lord Jesus Christ might be ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon lxxiii on the lords.htm

Savonarola -- the Ascension of Christ
... THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST[1]. ... Beloved in Christ Jesus, the wise men of this world divide
all created things into two classes; one class they name substances, the ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume i/savonarola the ascension of.htm

Objections to the Narrative Drawn from the Subsequent Dispositions ...
... from Adam down, it is likely that the supernatural generation of Jesus was so ... hereafter
in regard to the omission of the ac count of Christ's ascension as an ...
/.../section 11 objections to the.htm

Joy and Faith, the Fruits of Christ's Departure
... to the eye of sense were successive stages in the departure of Jesus Christ. ... His
death, His resurrection, His ascension, were not steps in the cessation of His ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/joy and faith the fruits.htm

Jesus the Christ.
... Let it be noted, 1. That the Holy Spirit was not given until after the death and
ascension of Jesus.2. The disciples of Christ did not become "fountains of ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/jesus the christ.htm

The Resurrection of Christ; his Last Interview with his Disciples ...
... verses now read have a reference; the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from
the dead; his last interview with his disciples; and his ascension to heaven. ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture i the resurrection of.htm

And in Jesus Christ, his Only Son, Our Lord, who was Conceived by ...
... are all expelled now, and in their place has come Jesus Christ, Lord of ... length of
each article " of the birth, sufferings, resurrection, ascension of Christ ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/the large catechism/and in jesus christ his.htm

The Translation of Elijah and the Ascension of Christ
... reverse is true of Christ's Ascension. In Him our nature is taken up to the throne
of God. His Resurrection assures us that 'them which sleep in Jesus will God ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the translation of elijah and.htm