JESUS' FINAL APPEARANCES AND ASCENSION

The Ascension of our Lord

-Luke 24:50-53; Mark 16:19-20, Acts 1:9-12

-Jesus took the apostles “as far as to Bethany” (Luke 24:50) – “to the vicinity of Bethany” (NIV) –

 on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives.  There He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

            -“[I]t is significant that our Lord’s gesture, when last seen of men, was one of blessing” (ibid).

-Notice Luke’s words from Luke 24:51 and Acts 1:7 - “And it came to pass, while he blessed them,

 [after he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up] he was parted from them, and

 carried up into heaven [and a cloud received him out of their sight].”

            -“The simplicity and dignity with which Luke describes this great event are impressive; there is

             no speculation about how the body of Jesus could go up; he simply says that ‘he parted from

             them.’  ‘He parted from them’ and was seen rising till a cloud received him from the view of

             their strained eyes; they can think of him henceforth only as having gone into the heavens”

             (Boles, Luke, pg 479).

-As the apostles stood gazing up into heaven, two angels appeared with a message of comfort and

 assurance – “this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner

 as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

-At the Mount of Olives the apostles worshipped the Lord and then returned to Jerusalem.  “Thither

 they went, and there they staid with great joy. This was a wonderful change, and an effect of the

 opening of their understandings. When Christ told them that he must leave them sorrow filled their

 hearts; yet now that they see him go they are filled with joy, being convinced at length that it was

 expedient for them and for the church that he should go away, to send the Comforter. Note, the

 glory of Christ is the joy, the exceeding joy, of all true believers, even while they are here in this

 world; much more will it be so when they go to the new Jerusalem, and find him there in his glory”

 (Henry).

-Beginning at Jerusalem, “…they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them,