Jesus’ Ascension
TRANSLATION
(1) In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach (2) until the day when he was taken up into heaven after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles that he had chosen. (3) After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days, speaking about the kingdom of God. (4) On one occasion when he met with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father about which you heard me speak. (5) For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
(6) Later when they were together with him, they asked, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (7) He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or date the Father has established by his own authority. (8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (9) After he said this while they were watching, he was taken up from them, and a cloud hid him from their eyes. (10) As they were gazing into heaven watching him ascend, two men dressed in white stood by them. (11) They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking into the sky? This same Jesus who was taken up from you will return the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
OBSERVATIONS
Three important issues were addressed in these opening verses of the Acts of the Apostles. First, we realize that Luke was the author of this volume which serves as a sequel to his Gospel recounting Jesus’ earthly life and ministry. Then we find here yet another version of the same command Jesus gave his disciples in each of the four gospels often called, “the Great Commission” (Acts 1:8). This command served as a blueprint for how the early church would spread the Gospel and how the disciples would carry out Jesus’ promise recorded by Matthew “I will build my Church...” (Mt. 16:18). Then, we have an eye-witness account of Jesus ascending into heaven as well as the promise that he will someday return in the same way.
Repetitions in this opening segment of Luke’s Acts of the Apostles, included “Jesus” (vss. 1 & 11) along with “Lord” (vs. 6), three occurrences of “Holy Spirit” (vss. 2, 5, & 8), two of “Father” (vss. 4 & 7), two of “baptized with” (both in vs. 5), and four of “into heaven” (vss. 10 & 11).
OUTLINE
I. Luke introduced the Acts of the Apostles as a sequel to the Gospel he had written. (1-3)
II. Jesus instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit’s coming. (4 & 5)
III. After commissioning them to go to the ends of the earth, Jesus ascended into heaven. (6-9)
IV. Two angels told the disciples that Jesus would return the same way he had departed. (10 & 11)
IDEA STATEMENT
Before ascending into heaven Jesus instructed his disciples to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit to empower them to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
APPLICATION
Luke’s second contribution to the canon of the New Testament in addition to his Gospel is normally called The Acts of the Apostles. Some commentators have suggested that a more accurate description would be “the acts of the Holy Spirit through the apostles.” In fact, verses 4 & 5 contain one of the clearest references we have to the Trinity. Here the risen Lord commanded his followers to wait for the Father’s promise to empower them with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. At that time the Spirit would come to indwell each of them permanently. This would enable them to carry out his Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to the world. For the present, they were to wait for that empowering to take place.
The message given to the disciples as Jesus ascended into heaven has been a source of encouragement for many generations of believers who have patiently waited for him to return. Paul articulated this expectation in his Epistle to Titus in these words: “…(we wait) for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…” (Tit. 2:13). While we wait, we are to be focused on what he told us to accomplish until he returns, proclaiming his Gospel to the ends of the earth.