SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ASCENSION

Jesus descended from heaven (cf. John 1:1-2; Phil. 2:6-7; 2 Cor. 8:9). Now He is restored to His pre-existent glory (cf. John 1:1-3; 17:5; Eph. 4:10; 1 Tim. 3:16; I John 1:2).  He is now seated at the right hand of God (cf. Ps. 110:1; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:33; 5:31; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Pet. 3:22; Rev. 3:21).  This is an affirmation of the Father's approval of His life and death!

There are a number of different Greek words used to describe Jesus' ascension back to heaven:

  1. Acts 1:2,11,22; analambanō, to take up (cf. 1 Tim. 3:16)
  2. Acts 1:9, epairō, to lift up, to raise up, to elevate
  3. Luke 9:51, analēpsis (form of #1)
  4. Luke 24:51, diistēmi, to depart
  5. There are several allusions to Jesus' return to heaven in John's Gospel (cf. John 6:62; 7:33; 8:14,21; 12:33-34; 13:3,33,36; 14:2,4,5,12,28; 16:5,10,17,28; 20:17)
    1. John 3:13; 20:17, ana BeBēken, has gone up
    2. John 6:62, anabainō, to ascend
      This event is not recorded in Matthew or Mark's Gospel. Mark's Gospel ends at 16:8, but one of the three later scribal additions describes the event in Mark 16:19 (i.e., analambanō).
  6. There are several allusions to Jesus in heaven in Acts (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KERYGMA OF THE EARLY CHURCH).
    1. Peter ‒ Acts 2:33; 3:21
    2. Stephen ‒ Acts 7:55-56
    3. Paul ‒ Acts 9:3,5; 22:6-8; 26:13-15

Theologically this doctrine reflects the coronation Psalms (cf. Psalm 24; 47; 68; 110; 118). Jesus' return to heaven is crucial to the doctrine of His Second Coming (see Millard Erickson's Christian Theology, 2nd ed., pp. 796-797). This doctrine became part of the "Apostle's Creed." However, the modern world needs to realize that a heaven above and hell below are ANE imagery. As Jesus entered the locked upper room in John 20, so too, He ascended to the Father's presence where

  1. He interceeds for believers (cf. Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24)
  2. He will return (many texts, e.g., Acts 1:11; 3:21)

SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING (terms)

SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING (chart)

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