Lesson No. 49 

Lesson No. 49 Ascension of Jesus Christ

The ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven constitutes the culmination of the success of His mission as the Redeemer of humanity. This should not also have been an alarming surprise to His disciples, for He had publicly manifested it on different occasions when He was still with them before His death. In this respect, let us consider what the following biblical passages tell us:

Speaking with the Pharisees: John chapter 7: verses 33 and 34: “Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. 34Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come”.51

Speaking with His disciples: John chapter 16: verses 4 to 7: “But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you”.51

John chapter 14: verses 1 to 3: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”.51

Responding to the high priest: Matthew chapter 26: verses 63 and 64: “But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven”.51

Speaking with Nicodemus: John chapter 3: verses 14 and 15: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life”.51

When Moses lifted the bronze serpent on the staff in the desert, everyone who looked at it when bitten by the fiery serpents lived, that is, they were saved from the wound and the lethal effects of the venom they transmitted. See Numbers chapter 21: verses 5 to 9.51 Likewise, Christ was lifted up to heaven. So that everyone who looks to Him in full assurance of faith is healed from the wound and the deadly effects caused by sin and shall have eternal life. For He is seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede constantly for all those who, wanting to be freed from sin, cry out sincerely, fully trusting in the words of the author of the book of Hebrews, according to Hebrews chapter 4: verses 14 and 15, where he proclaims: Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.51

And concluding the theme, it says: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews chapter 7: verse 25).51

The apostle Paul addresses the Church of the Romans with a question to which he gives a satisfactory answer: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans chapter 8: verse 34).51

This is one of the powerful reasons justifying the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ to heaven, where He went to occupy again the position He had before with the Father. Now with a greater degree of glory and majesty, interceding with God for us until the day of His coming.

Regarding His ascension, the Sacred Scriptures narrate the following:

Acts chapter 1: verses 9 to 11: “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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”.51