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» Christian Message Boards   » Bible Studies   » Questions & Answers   » When Did Jesus Ascend Into Heaven?

   
Author Topic: When Did Jesus Ascend Into Heaven?
John Hale
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Son of man was the description most made about himself... he went to all the trouble of becoming one of us, he wanted the emphasis placed on this sacrifice...
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Carol Swenson
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quote:
I lean toward the latter because "son of man" is a description of his humanity...

SON OF MAN

Jesus gave himself this name. The name reflects both his humanness and his divine origin, as well as the mystery of his becoming human, and his work on earth that took him to the cross and then into glory.

The background of the term “Son of Man” is in the Old Testament. The book of Ezekiel is the main source, since Ezekiel was called the “son of man” ninety times. For example, God said to him, “Son of man, stand upon your feet, and I will speak with you” (Ezekiel 2:1, RSV). Jesus’ use of the term “Son of Man” and his repetition of other ideas in the book of Ezekiel suggest that he wanted to identify himself as a prophet who, like Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4; 7; 10; 22; and 40–48) had the last word about the destruction of Jerusalem and the restoration of the kingdom of God to Israel (Matthew 23:1-24; Acts 1:6-8).

The first use of the term is Daniel 7:13-14, which describes someone who is “like a son of man” who “comes with the clouds” into the presence of “the Ancient of Days,” who gives him the universal and eternal kingdom of God. Jesus repeatedly quoted parts of this book when he taught people about his second coming (Matthew 16:27; 19:28; 24:30; 25:31; 26:64). Jesus viewed this passage as a prediction that he himself would come, and as a prophecy of his own life: his incarnation, ascension, and inheritance of the kingdom of God.

In the Gospels, the term “Son of Man” is used by Jesus about eighty times as a mysterious, indirect way of speaking about himself (Matthew, 32 times; Mark, 14 times; Luke, 26 times; John, 10 times). In all these texts, Jesus was always the speaker, and no one else ever called him “Son of Man.” Some scholars believe that the way the term is used is so unclear that they believe Jesus is talking about someone else. But the only place in the gospels where Jesus’ hearers seem unclear about who the Son of Man is appears in John, where the crowd asks Jesus, “Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” (John 12:34). In most texts, Jesus is clearly calling himself the Son of Man. In some it is very clear indeed: “Who do men say that the Son of Man is?”—followed by, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:13, 15).

The term is used only four other times in the New Testament. In Acts 7:56, Stephen says, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” Hebrews 2:6 quotes Psalm 8:4 as if it were describing Jesus. Finally, Revelation 1:13 and 14:14 record visions of someone “like a son of man,” who is undoubtedly the glorified Jesus.

In the synoptic Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, the main idea behind the name “Son of Man” seems to be that Jesus has come to earth, as a man, to accomplish his mission. Jesus compares the humbleness of his life on earth with his glorious life in heaven: “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20; see Luke 9:58). This saying indicates that the Son of Man gave up his heavenly home to suffer all the humiliations of earth (Philippians 2:5-11).

Jesus used the title to claim that he had the same authority as God: “The Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath” (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5). The Sabbath was ordered by God, so no mere human can revise or change it. But since Jesus is the Son of Man from heaven, he is free to rule as Lord even of the Sabbath, because he is the same Lord who created the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2; Exodus 20:8-11). After healing the paralyzed man at Capernaum, Jesus claimed that “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:10; Luke 5:24). Previously, forgiveness of sins came from heaven and from God, but now forgiveness comes from Capernaum and is given by Jesus.

The second aspect of Jesus’ use of the “Son of Man” name concerns his suffering, death, and glorious resurrection, the mysterious method he would use to fulfill his earthly mission as the Son of Man. Jesus began talking about this after Peter confessed him to be the Messiah and Son of God (Matthew 16:16). Jesus’ prediction of his death, also known as the “passion,” begins in Mark 8:31-32 and is repeated in several other texts. The Gospels expand the theme to include his suffering of mockery and scourging (Matthew 17:12; 20:18; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22), betrayal by Judas (Matthew 17:22; 26:24-25; Mark 14:21, 41), rejection by the Jewish leaders (Matthew 20:18), death by crucifixion (20:19; Mark 9:12, 31; 10:33), burial for three days (Matthew 12:40; Luke 11:30), and resurrection (Matthew 17:22-23; Mark 8:31). In the famous text “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45), Jesus makes the announcement—which was new to his disciples—that his death was a sacrifice for the salvation of his people.

Jesus also used the “Son of Man” title to teach about his second coming. As the Son of Man, Jesus will return to earth from heaven in the glory of his Father with the angels (Matthew 16:27; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26). First, he will be seated at the right hand of God, and then he will come again (Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69) with the clouds (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27). This coming will be unexpected (Matthew 24:27; Luke 12:40), like a flash of lightning or the flood of Noah (Matthew 24:37; Luke 17:24). His coming will be for the gathering of the elect, the judgment of all the nations of the earth (Matthew 19:28; 25:32), and the restoration of goodness in the world (19:28; 25:46).

In these passages, Jesus’ focus shifts from the current victory of his death and resurrection to the final victory of the Son of Man at his second coming. Here again, the emphasis is on the heavenly origin and authority of the Son of Man. This man Jesus, the Son of Man, will be the final judge (see Acts 17:31).

The Gospel of John has its own material concerning the Son of Man that the other gospels do not have. The angels are said to ascend and descend on the Son of Man (John 1:51), showing that he existed before he lived on earth and has come from heaven to earth (John 3:13; 6:62). His being lifted up (by crucifixion) will bring about eternal life for all who believe in him (3:14).

The Son of Man (3:14) is also the Son of God (3:16), God’s one and only Son (1:18; 3:18). Quite simply, in John’s Gospel, the “Son of Man” title is equivalent to the title “Son of God.” It reveals his divinity, the fact that he existed before he was born on earth, his heavenly origin, and divine authority. It affirms his present duty on earth to die and be resurrected, and his future eschatological glory. The Father has given the Son of Man authority to raise the dead and to judge the world (5:25-27).

(Tyndale iLumina)

Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
John Hale
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Some comment that he Jesus was on earth in bodily form but as omnipresent God was in heaven at the same time...

John 3:13
13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

Others comment that this is an editorial of John (sitting at the right hand of the Father esque).

I lean toward the latter because "son of man" is a description of his humanity...

Matthew 12:39-40
39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Didn't say Son of God... says his body would be in the grave (only) three days three nights...

His Spirit... was under no time restraint to remain in sheol. None.

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John Hale
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Furthermore... Jesus ascended into heaven on the day of his crucifixion in Spirit.

Luke 23:43
43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—
4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Revelation 2:7
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

Since these are the only mentions of Paradise in scripture it is extremely unlikely that Jesus was referring to Abraham's Bosom on the cross in Luke 23:43.

Ask at the filling station where Paradise California is and he sends you to Blythe because that's where he thinks paradise is... well... you get the point...

The three hour interval between his death on the cross and sunset (the end of that day on the Hebrew Calendar) is when this took place:

Ephesians 4:8-10
8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”
9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

1 Peter 3:18-19
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

He ascended bodily 40 days after the resurrection. In keeping with the waive offering of the firstfruits (Leviticus 23:15)...

Colossians 1:13-18
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Revelation 1:5
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

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Carol Swenson
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When did Jesus ascend into heaven? On the day of his resurrection (Lk 24:1-51; Mk 16:9-19), at least eight days after his resurrection (Jn 20:26), many days after his resurrection (Ac 13:31), or forty days after his resurrection (Ac 1:2-3, 9)? Is there a contradiction?


Acts 1:2-3, 9 clearly reveals that Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples, following his resurrection, and then ascended to heaven. Let us consider the other alternatives which the questioner has proposed.

On the day of his resurrection? - Neither Luke nor Mark say that Jesus ascended on the same day as His resurrection. It is true that neither writer provides complete details, nor do they break events down into this day or that day. However, a lack of information is not a contradiction. We must look at other texts to know exactly how much time passed between the resurrection and the ascension.

At least 8 days after his resurrection - John doesn't mention the ascension. Again, we must look elsewhere to determine the time passage between the resurrection and the ascension.

Many days after his resurrection - Forty days would seem to qualify as "many days", and so there is certainly no contradiction between Acts 13:31 and Acts 1:2-3,9.

There is no contradiction here.

http://www.lookinguntojesus.net/ata20060730.htm

Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator


 
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