Biblical Concept: The Ascension of Jesus Christ
Main vocabulary: avnabai,nw; avna, = a prefixed preposition meaning
“up,” bai,nw = “to go” = literally: “up-to go.”
Note: End parentheses or bracketing
are mine.
NAS John 6:62 "What then
if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before? (Meaning:
Ascension = a home-coming.) (Note John 8:23.)
NAS John 20:17 Jesus *said to
her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but
go to My brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and
My God and your God.'" (Meaning: Ascension = an act of Triune humility.)
NAS Acts 1:9 And after He had said these things, He
was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their
sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing,
behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; 11 and they also said,
"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who
has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you
have watched Him go into heaven." (Meaning: “Lifted up” = evpai,rw + an indicative aorist
passive inflection = the Lord Jesus Christ receiving a lift into heaven. Think honor. “Has been taken up” also employs
a passive voice.)
NAS Acts 2:33 "Therefore having been exalted to
the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the
Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. 34 "For
it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'THE LORD SAID
TO MY LORD," SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, 35 UNTIL I MAKE THINE ENEMIES A
FOOTSTOOL FOR THY FEET."' (Meaning: Ascension = exaltation.) (Note Acts
5:31 and Hebrews 7:26.)
NAS Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a
man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death
on a cross. 9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the
name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD
BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, (Meaning:
Jesus ascended to an exalted name above all names.)
NAS 1 Timothy 3:16 And by common confession great is
the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in
the Spirit, Beheld by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the
world, Taken up in glory. (Meaning: Ascension = glory.)
NAS Ephesians 1:19 and what is the surpassing
greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance
with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in
Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in
the heavenly places, 21 far above
all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that
is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. (Meaning:
Ascension = the final act of victory in the Angelic Conflict.)
NAS Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in
the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, (Meaning: Jesus ascended to enthronement.)
NAS Ephesians 4:8 Therefore it says, "WHEN HE
ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO
MEN." (Meaning: Ascension = victory spoils.)
NAS Ephesians 4:9 (Now this expression, "He
ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the
lower parts of the earth? [Meaning: Ascension followed battle victory.] [Also, 1
Peter 3:22.]
NAS Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is Himself also He
who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
[Meaning: Ascension = the final act of victory in the Angelic Conflict.] [Also, Hebrews 7:26.]
NAS Colossians 3:1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the
things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Meaning: Jesus
ascended to enthronement.)
NAS John 3:13 "And no one has ascended into heaven, but He who
descended from heaven, even the Son of Man.
(Meaning: Ascension follows the humility of Divine descending.)
NAS Proverbs 30:4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in
His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all
the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son's name? Surely you know!
(Meaning: Ascension = omnipotence.)
NAS Psalm 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captive Thy captives; Thou
hast received gifts among men, Even among the rebellious also, that the
LORD God may dwell there.
(Meaning: Ascension follows victory.)
NAS John 1:51 And He *said to him, "Truly, truly,
I say to you, you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of
Man." (Meaning: Ascension =
power. See 1:50-51. Compare Luke 22:69.)
NAS Luke 9:51 And it came about, when the days were
approaching for His ascension,
that He resolutely set His face to go to
NAS Hebrews 1:3 And He is the radiance of His glory
and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word
of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on high; (Meaning:
Jesus ascended to the Majesty on high.) (Also, Hebrews 8:1.)
NAS Hebrews 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (Meaning: Jesus
ascended becoming a heavenly High Priest.)
NAS Hebrews 10:12 but He, having offered one sacrifice
for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT
HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE
A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. (Meaning: Jesus ascended to wait for further glory in
the Angelic
Conflict.) (Compare “wait” in 1
Thessalonians 1:10.)
NAS Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author
and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Meaning: Jesus ascended to joy.)
NAS Romans 8:34 who is the one who condemns? Christ
Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes
for us. (Meaning: Jesus ascended to become an Intercessor.) (See Hebrews 9:24.)
NAS Revelation 12:5 And she gave birth to a son, a
male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her
child was caught up to God and
to His throne. (Meaning: Jesus ascended to enthronement.)
Revelation 4 - Meaning: Jesus ascended to be worshipped.
The Ascension of Jesus Christ, summary of meanings: The Ascension of Jesus Christ = a home-coming, an
act of Triune humility, honor, exaltation, exalted name, glory, victory spoils,
following battle victory, the final act of victory in the Angelic Conflict, following the humility of Divine descending,
omnipotence, power, victory motivation, heavenly High Priest, to wait for
further glory, joy, Intercessor, Majesty on high, enthronement, and worship.
Miscellaneous:
NAS Romans 10:6 But the righteousness based on faith
speaks thus, "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, 'WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?'
(that is, to bring Christ down), [Meaning: Works for salvation is a human
attempt to ascend to heaven without Christ.]
NAS Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death;
AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. (Meaning: Enoch ascended to heaven with no
physical death.)
NAS Revelation 4:1 After these things I looked, and
behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had
heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up
here, and I will show you what must take place after these things."
(Meaning: Apostles ascended to heaven as needed. Compare 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.)
NAS Revelation 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from
heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up into heaven
in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. (Meaning: God’s two Great
Tribulation human witnesses will be resurrected and ascend to heaven = fearful
power. See 11:11b.)
NAS Revelation 19:3 And a second time they said,
"Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER." (Meaning: God’s
just judgment of sin will be memorialized with an eternal ascension of smoke.)
See also Biblical Concept: Christ’s
Resurrection Return to Heaven.