He ascended on high - 25 May 2009 |
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The doctrine of the Ascension of Christ does not, on the face of it, seem particularly prominent in the New Testament. It’s described a couple of times (Luke 24; Acts 1), and referred to in passing occasionally (Eph 1; 4), but there seems to be little in the way of extended theological reflection on the topic.
A little thought, however, reveals that the theme is more pervasive in Scripture that it first seems. ‘Ascension’ is all about ascending to a throne. For example, in Isaiah 6 the prophet records his vision of the LORD ‘high and lifted up’ (ascended), seated on ‘a throne’. Jesus’ ascension is all about his ascent to his heavenly throne, where he is now seated and from where he now rules all things.
With this in mind, it is hardly an exaggeration to say that the ascension of Christ is underpins the very fabric of the NT gospel. The gospel is, after all, all about God’s declaration that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-promised King of Israel. It’s all about the LORD returning to Zion to rule over his people.
Ascension Sunday provides a good opportunity to reflect on some implications of this.
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Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Minister's Blog