Book of Acts: Story of Ascension

Story of Ascension

The Passage: Acts 1:1-11

Structure:

A. 1:1-2, until the day He was taken up

 B. 1:3, appearing to them during 40 days (showing)

  C. 1:4-5, wait for the promised power of the Holy Spirit

   D. 1:6, question of the disciples

  C’. 1-7-8, promise of the power of the Holy Spirit

 B’. 1:9-10, cloud took Him out their sight (hiding)

A’. 1:11, Jesus was taken up   

Historical and geographical context:

Gospel of Luke teaches that the Ascension happened at Bethany (Lk. 24:50)

Bethany – southeast side of the Mount Olives, glorious entry of Jesus to Jerusalem (Mk. 11:1), city where Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11:1), Jesus was anointed in the house of Simon the leper in Bethany (Mt. 26:6-13)…

It looks like Bethany was a “headquarters” town/city for the ministry of Jesus during the Holy Week and after the Resurrection until Ascension.  

40 days after the resurrection of Jesus – see, 40 in the Bible (incomplete list):

The beginning and concluding parts of the flood sequence were 40 days (Gen. 7:12 and 8:6).

Moses life is divided into three periods of 40 (years)

40 – in the house of pharaoh

40 – in the house of Jethro

40 – in the wilderness

Moses went to the Sinai Mountain top for 40 days (Ex. 24:18)

Elijah’s travel to the mountain Sinai is 40 days (1 Kg. 19:8)

Jesus’ wilderness experience is 40 days (Mt. 4:2) – the very beginning of His ministry, then 40 days at the very end of His ministry (cp. Flood, etc.)

 

Theology:

The Ascension of Jesus is underappreciated event on the ministry of Jesus. The celebration of Ascension falls on Thursday – people in the US are not used to go to church… But, Ascension is an important event in Salvation history. As Irenaeus [of Lyon, d. 202AD] puts it: The ascension confirms what had been spoken by the prophet: “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool.” Thus God who was announced by the prophets is truly one and the same as God who is celebrated in the true Gospel, whom we Christian worship and love with the whole heart as the maker of heaven and earth. And of all things within it” Against Heresies 3.10.5. (cp. 110:1, Mt. 22:41-46)     

Two important issues:

(1) fulfillment of the Scriptures

(2) finally, human nature came (ascended) to the throne of God.

As Leo the Great (d. 461AD) says: “And so while at Easter it was the Lord’s resurrection which was the cause of our joy, our present rejoicing is due to his ascension into heaven. With all due solemnity we are commemorating that day on which our poor human nature was carried up in Christ above all the hosts of heaven. Above all the ranks of angels, beyond those heavenly powers to the very throne of God the Father.” Sermon 74.1-2 (Cp. 1 Cor. 6:3, Rev. 4 – 5)

Other themes:

Patience – the disciples need to exercise patience, waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit. The movement that Jesus began is not a business development strategy. The ministers rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, not on their own skills and understanding (cp. Acts 16:6).  

Grand plan of Evangelism – God could’ve created the heavens and the earth, and all within it in a micro or millisecond but He did not – He laid out a pattern of creation and transformation for us to follow (since we are the images of God, Gen. 1:26-27). In the same way Jesus gives to His disciples a pattern of progressive outreach. Beginning with our own community, then to neighbors, then to somewhat distant people (both culturally and geographically), then “to the ends of the earth”.