ASCENSION (OF CHRIST) (עָלָה, H6590, ἀναβάινω, go up; also ἀναλαμβάνεσθαι, to be taken up, ἐπαίρεσθαι, to be lifted up). The exaltation of Christ to the presence of the Father in glory after His Resurrection from the dead.

A. Biblical information.

1. Anticipations in the OT and later Judaism. Three men in the OT have unusual circumstances recorded with regard to the end of their life on earth: Enoch (Gen 5:24), Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), and Moses (Deut 34:6). Rabbinic legends of later Judaism considerably embellished these statements into ascensions which took these people to heaven without dying, and a number of other lesser personages also, such as Eliezer (Gen 15:2; 24:1-67), Pharaoh’s daughter (Exod 2:5-10), Jabez (1 Chron 4:10), and Ebedmelech (Jer 38:7-13). There were also stories of temporary translation into heaven of Abraham, Isaiah, Baruch, and Ezra. These may bear resemblance to the experience of Paul, who recalls how he was “caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows” (2 Cor 12:2-4). Such rabbinic stories, and the accounts of vertical communications between heaven and earth (as in Gen 28:12; Isa 14:12-14) doubtless helped form the background of the apostles’ understanding of the event, but hardly paralleled in any sense the Ascension of Christ. Perhaps the clearest anticipation in the OT is found in the Royal Psalms (Pss 2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 61, 72, 89, 110, 132) and others, which look forward to the exaltation of David’s Son to a position of universal authority. Psalm 110:1 in particular is quoted by Peter in Acts 2:34, and in Hebrews 1:13; 10:12, 13 with reference to Christ’s Ascension, similarly Psalm 16:8-11 (Acts 2:25-33), Psalm 68:18 (Eph 4:8).

2. During our Lord’s earthly ministry. Anticipatory references to the coming Ascension are found in the narrative of Luke 9: “his departure (ἔξοδος, G2016), which he was to accomplish” (vs. 31) and “the days drew near for him to be received up” (vs. 51) (ἀνάλημψις, G378). John makes repeated references to the coming time when Jesus would be “glorified,” an inclusive word signifying the whole process of death and resurrection, but particularly the Ascension (7:39; 12:16, 23; 13:31, 32; 17:5). Jesus spoke repeatedly of going to His Father (John 7:33; 14:12, 28; 16:5, 10, 28), and on one occasion specifically of His Ascension (John 6:62). Though John 12:32 refers primarily to His being “lifted up” on the cross, many see a further reference to the Ascension. In the apocalyptic discourses, Jesus spoke of coming again on the clouds, and in great glory with the angels—words which clearly anticipate His prior Ascension (Matt 16:27; 24:30; Mark 8:38; 13:26, 27). It was His similar statement on oath to the high priest that convicted Him of blasphemy (Matt 26:64). After His Resurrection He referred again to His coming Ascension (John 20:17).

3. Description of the event in the gospels and Acts. The gospel of Mark records (in the textually doubtful ending) that the Lord “was taken up (ἀναλήμφθη) into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19). Luke 24:51 tells us that it was while He was in the act of blessing His disciples, that He was parted from them. Most MSS add the words “and was carried up (ἀνεφέρετο) into heaven.” But the only detailed account of the Ascension is that given in Acts 1:6-11. While the compressed account of Luke’s gospel suggests that the Lord ascended on the evening of resurrection day, Luke makes clear in his second volume that it was actually forty days later. The location was on the Bethany (Luke 24:50) side of the ridge of the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12). He repeated to the disciples the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit, bringing power for world-wide witness, and then, in their full view, He was lifted up (ἐπαιρεσθαι) and disappeared from sight in a cloud. While they gazed upward, two angelic messengers told them, “this same Jesus, who was taken up (ἀναλαμβάνεσθαι) from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

4. Further references in Acts. The speeches in Acts reveal that the essence of the apostles’ preaching was that the same Jesus who went about doing good and mighty deeds, and who died in accordance with God’s plan, was raised from the dead (of which the apostles, and all in Jerusalem, are witnesses [2:32]), and ascended to heaven, where He is now seated at God’s right hand. From there He has bestowed the gift of the Holy Spirit, and will one day come to establish His kingdom. Foundational to their experience of the living Christ was the fact of the Ascension (2:33-36; 3:20, 21; 7:55-60). It was the ascended Christ in glory who “arrested” Saul (9:3-5; 22:6-8; 26:13-15).

5. Paul’s epistles. Paul’s personal experience of Christ started from his recognition of the ascended Lord. The Second Advent of Christ is the main theme of his letters to the Thessalonians. They are waiting “for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead” (1 Thess 1:10), who “will descend from heaven with a cry of command” (4:16). In Romans and 1 Corinthians Paul lays stress mainly on the Resurrection, but he clearly thinks of the Resurrection as leading to Christ’s present exaltation (1 Cor 15:20-28, 47-49; Rom 1:4, 5; 6:9). Christ who was raised from the dead is now at the right hand of God making intercession for us (Rom 8:34). In Ephesians there is particular emphasis on the Ascension, as that which makes Christ supreme authority over all things esp. to the Church (1:20-23). Believers share with Christ “in the heavenly places” (2:6). The Ascension is closely connected with the gifts of the exalted Lord to His Church (4:7-12). In Philippians 2:6-11 the supreme exaltation of Christ is shown to follow His deep humiliation. Now Christians are citizens of heaven, from where they await the Savior (3:20). The only reference in the pastoral epistles to the Ascension is in what seems to be an early Christian hymn, “He was manifested in the flesh,...taken up in glory” (1 Tim 3:16).

6. The letter to the Hebrews. The Ascension of Christ and His present work at God’s right hand are central to the theme of Hebrews. This implies that He holds a position of supreme authority (1:3-13). He who “has passed through the heavens” is now our great High Priest (4:14), the forerunner who has entered within the veil for us, a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (6:19, 20). As such, He maintains in heaven an eternal ministry of intercession on our behalf (7:24, 25). This heavenly ministry of the ascended Christ is the central thought the writer wishes to emphasize (8:1). Christ now serves in the eternal Tabernacle, the real (as opposed to the shadowy earthly) holy place, where He has obtained eternal redemption for us (9:11-14, 24). The present session of Christ at God’s right hand indicates the sufficiency of the one single sacrifice for sins He offered, and the assurance of His ultimate victory when all enemies are subdued before Him (10:12-14).

7. Other NT references. The only reference in Peter is 1 Peter 3:22. Peter invites those who suffer to consider Christ, who also suffered and died, but was raised from the dead, and is now at God’s right hand. The Apocalypse repeatedly refers to the living Christ who is in heaven, who also is working in the churches, and in the world, and who will come again in triumph to reign (Rev 1:7, 13-20; 5:5-13; 14:1-5; 19:11-16). The connection of this Christ with the One who lived and died (Rev 1:18; 2:8; 5:6) shows that such a picture of the exalted Lord necessarily involves His prior Ascension.

B. Philosophical problems.

1. The laws of nature. It is argued that the picture of a body ascending contravenes the law of gravity. However, the real problem is that we know so little of the Lord’s resurrection body. It was different from the body laid in the tomb, yet essentially the same. Thus the resurrected Lord could be seen, touched, handled, recognized; He could eat and drink; yet He could also appear and disappear, enter a room when the doors were shut. There is no greater problem in the Ascension than in the Resurrection.

2. The localization of the spiritual world. The account seems to suggest that heaven is located a short distance above the earth; modern science makes such a picture untenable. But surely this criticism takes the narrative in too literal a sense. The language is symbolic. We should pieture Christ as transferring, not from one position to another, but from one condition to another. As C. S. Lewis comments, “Perhaps mere instantaneous vanishing would make us feel more comfortable...But if the spectators say they saw first a short vertical movement and then a vague luminosity (that is what ‘cloud’ presumably means here as it certainly does in the account of the Transfiguration) and then nothing—have we any reason to object?” (Miracles p. 186). Perhaps the contemporary scientific mind would prefer to think, in Einsteinian terms, of matter transformed into enormous energy, but would this not also be but a symbol of a reality beyond adequate expression in terms from the physical universe?

3. The historical credibility. Luke’s writing throughout is that of the careful historian, who verified his facts from original written sources, and from direct interrogation of eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1, 2). For an event which stands as the critical junction point between his two vols., and is essential for the theme of Acts, viz., the continuity of Jesus’ deeds and teachings in His ascended state (Acts 1:1, 2), it would be incredible that he should not verify the details of their experience firsthand from the surviving apostles. Our knowledge of the bodily appearances of the risen Lord to His disciples through the weeks subsequent to the Resurrection is based on solid historical evidence; it is equally dependable that these bodily appearances came to an end, when our Lord at His Ascension reassumed His position of supreme authority “at God’s right hand.”

C. The significance of the Ascension.

1. For Christ. The exaltation of Christ to the right hand of God meant for Him the clear demonstration of His victory (Eph 4:8), and the resumption of His immediate fellowship in glory with the Father (John 17:5) in the place of honor (Ps 110:1), power (Acts 2:33), and eternal joy (Ps 16:11). In some sense at least, because of His willingness to suffer and die, His Ascension leads into greater glory than in His pre-incarnate state. God has now “hyperexalted” (ὑπερύψωσεν) Him (Phil 2:9).

2. For Christian believers. The Ascension does not mean for Christians Christ’s physical remoteness, but His spiritual nearness (Matt 28:20). It issued in our Lord’s present life in heaven for us. It enabled Him to send forth the Holy Spirit (John 16:7; Acts 2:33) to convict the world of sin (John 16:8), and to indwell His disciples (John 14:17), giving power for witness (Acts 1:8; 4:8, 31), and creating a new and radiant fellowship (Acts 2:42-47; 2 Cor 13:14; Phil 2:1, 2). The Ascension meant that Christ took His perfect manhood with Him into glory. Now, in the heavenlies, He does not continue to offer His blood, as Milligan states (The Ascension, etc., p. 266). The sacrifice for sin has been made once for all (Heb 7:27; 9:12; 10:10-14). But as our High Priest who understands our human temptations, He is able to sympathize (Heb 4:1-5), succor (Heb 2:18), and save (Heb 7:25). By virtue of His Ascension He is now Head of the Church (Eph 1:20-23; Col 1:17) and Lord of all (Phil 2:11). He is our Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1) ever interceding for us (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). His presence in heaven assures us that we shall follow (Heb 6:18-20), and we await His coming again to receive us to Himself (Phil 3:20, 21; 1 Thess 4:16, 17; Heb 9:28).

Bibliography W. Milligan, The Ascension and Heavenly Priesthood of our Lord (1891); W. J. Sparrow-Simpson, Our Lord’s Resurrection (1905), ch. 9; H. B. Swete, The Ascended Christ (1910); W. H. G. Thomas, “Ascension,” ISBE I (1929); K. Lake, “The Ascension,” The Beginnings of Christianity V (1933); C. S. Lewis, Miracles (1947), ch. 16; J. G. Davies, He Ascended Into Heaven (1958); M. L. Loane, Our Risen Lord (1965), ch. 9.