Ascension of Jesus – A Call to Theosis (St. Luke 24:36-53)

In the name of God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus

When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,…

Gospel of Luke 24:51-53

After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples and many other followers for a period of forty days, after which He “was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mk 16.19; see also Lk 24.50 and Acts 1.9–11).

Throughout the last few weeks since the Feast of Pascha (Easter), we saw our Resurrected Lord meeting with His disciples at multiple points in their life, at differing venues. He met some outside the tomb where He was laid, whereas He met 10 of His disciples in a closed room. He again meets His disciples along with Thomas in a closed room. He also met couple of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. He met them on the shores of Sea of Tiberias,where His disciples had gone fishing. And on His last meeting with His disciples, He again meets them inside a closed room where they were all gathered together and discussing all the events that had taken place, not just the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus, but mainly about His resurrection and the various times He met with them.

It is surprising to see that the disciples who walked and talked with Jesus for more than 3 years before His crucifixion were still frightened and terrified of meeting Him even now. I would think that many of them saw the resurrected Jesus with doubt and mistrust. We know from the Gospel of John that Thomas believed in His resurrection only when He saw the marks of the nails on the hands and feet of Jesus and the puncture wound from the spear in His chest. We find that it is not Thomas alone who doubted among the eleven disciples regarding His resurrection. On the contrary, it appears that only one of the Eleven did not doubt—Saint John, the disciple “whom Jesus loved.” He alone grasped the mystery of the empty tomb at once: “and he saw, and believed” (John 20:8). Even Peter left the sepulcher in amazement, “wondering at that which was come to pass” (Luke 24:12).

When we read the fine-print of the Gospel accounts, we can safely surmise that none of the disciples expect the Resurrection. Why were their hearts so hardened to the news of the Resurrection of their Teacher? Why were they so hesitant to celebrate the news of the Resurrection? Why were the disciples so afraid of the news? Did not they, who were with Him from the beginning, “from the baptism of John,” see all the signs of power which He performed before the face of the whole people? The lame walked, the blind saw, the dead were raised, and all infirmities were healed. Did they not behold how He raised Lazarus from the dead, only by His word, who had already been in the grave for four days? Why then was it so strange to them that the Master had arisen Himself? How was it that they came to forget that which the Lord used to tell them on many occasions, that after suffering and death He would arise on the third day?

The mystery of the disbelief and fear of the disciples is partly disclosed in the narrative of the Gospels. The disciples, along with the whole multitude of the Jewish community, were waiting for an external victory, a victory over the Roman empire. The same temptation possesses their hearts, which first prevented them from accepting “the preaching of the Cross” and made them argue every time the Saviour tried to reveal His mystery to them. “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26).It was still difficult for them to understand this.

Many among them, along with many among us as well, would question Him in the following manner. If He had the power to rise, why did He allow what had happened to take place at all? Why did He take upon Himself disgrace, blasphemy and wounds? In the eyes of all Jerusalem, amidst the vast crowds assembled for the Great Feast, He was condemned and suffered a shameful death. And after Resurrection, He did not enter the Holy City, nor did He meet the people who beheld His shame and death, nor to the High Priests and elders, nor to Pilate—so that He might make their crime obvious and smite their pride. Instead, He sends His disciples to a far away and remote Galilee and appears to them there. Their wonder continues, and even on the day of His glorious Ascension the Apostles question the Lord, “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). They still did not comprehend the meaning of His Resurrection, they did not understand what it meant that He was “ascending” to the Father. Their eyes were opened but later, when “the promise of the Father” had been fulfilled.

In the Ascension resides the meaning and the fullness of Christ’s Resurrection

Our Lord did not rise in order to return again to the fleshly order of life, so as to live again and commune with His disciples and the multitude by means of preaching and miracles. He does not even stay with them, but only “appears” to them during the forty days, from time to time and always in a miraculous and mysterious manner. St. John Chrysostom comments,

He was not always with them now, as He was before the Resurrection. He came and again disappeared, thus leading them on to higher conceptions. He no longer permitted them to continue in their former relationship toward Him, but took effectual measures to secure these two objects: That the fact of His Resurrection should be believed, and that He Himself should be ever after apprehended to be greater than man.”

There was something new and unusual about this resurrected Jesus. Jesus did not want to make known to all those around Him regarding His presence, but it was more of the fact that He was making His disciples aware that He was present. That is why the disciples were confused and frightened. Christ arose not in the same way as those who were restored to life before Him. Theirs was a resurrection for a time, and they returned to life in the same body, which was subject to death and corruption—returned to the previous mode of life. But Christ arose for ever, unto eternity. He arose in a body of glory, immortal and incorruptible. He arose, never to die, for “He clothed the mortal in the splendor of in-corruption.” His glorified Body was already exempt from the fleshly order of existence.

It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body”

1 Cor. 15:42-44

This mysterious transformation of human bodies, of which Saint Paul was speaking in the case of our Lord, had been accomplished in three days. Christ’s work on earth was accomplished. He had suffered, was dead and buried, and now rose to a higher mode of existence. By His resurrection, He abolished and destroyed death, abolished the law of corruption, and raised with Himself the whole race of Adam. Christ rose from death and along with Him rose all the dead who were in their graves.

And now He ascends to the Father, yet He has promised that He will not go away, but abide with the faithful forever. As He ascends to the highest heaven, he takes the whole race of Adam along with Him to the Father. He raises the very earth with Him to heaven, and even higher than any heaven. God’s power, in the phrase of Saint John Chrysostom, “manifests itself not only in the Resurrection, but in something much stronger.” For “He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19).

With Christ, man’s nature also ascends

Saint John Chrysostom says,

We who seemed unworthy of the earth, are now raised to heaven, We who were unworthy of earthly dominion have been raised to the Kingdom on high, have ascended higher than heaven, have came to occupy the King’s throne, and the same nature from which the angels guarded Paradise, stopped not until it ascended to the throne of the Lord.”

By His ascension, the Lord not only opened the entrance of heaven to man, not only appeared before the face of God on our behalf and for our sake, but “transferred man” to the highest of high places. The pathway which was blocked by cherubim with fiery sword was opened for man’s re-entry and re-communion with God. The Lord honored man, whom He loved by putting them close to the Father. God quickened and raised us together with Christ, as Saint Paul says, “and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephes. 2:6). Heaven received the inhabitants of the earth. The First fruits of them that slept now sits on high, and in Him all creation is summed up and bound together.

The mystery of the Ascension of Christ is depicted in a poetical language as follows:

As on the day of Christ’s Nativity the earth was astonished on beholding God in the flesh, so now the Heavens do tremble and cry out. “The Lord of Hosts, Who reigns over all, Who is Himself the head of all, Who is preeminent in all things, Who has reinstated creation in its former order—He is the King of Glory.” And the heavenly doors are opened: “Open, Oh heavenly gates, and receive God in the flesh.” It is an open allusion to Psalms 24:7-10, now prophetically interpreted. “Lift up your heads, Oh ye gates, and be lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty….” 

Saint Chrysostom says,

Now the angels have received that for which they have long waited, the archangels see that for which they have long thirsted. They have seen our nature shining on the King’s throne, glistening with glory and eternal beauty…. Therefore they descend in order to see the unusual and marvelous vision: Man appearing in heaven.”

Ascension, a token of Pentecost, a sign of the coming of Holy Spirit

“The Lord has ascended to heaven and will send the Comforter to the world”

We all know that till the time Jesus was living here on earth, the Holy Spirit was not present with the disciples. The Holy Spirit was with Jesus, which He had received during His baptism in the River Jordan. And Jesus Himself had said to His disciples, “If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you” (John 16:7).

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the ‘gift of reconciliation’ a seal of an accomplished salvation and of the ultimate reunion of the world with God. And this was accomplished only in the Ascension. It is only after the Ascension of Christ, ascension of the nature of man, ascension to the King’s throne that the Holy Spirit descended on to our nature. While Christ in His wholly divine and wholly human nature ascended to heaven to be seated on the Throne of Holies, the Holy Spirit descended upon the human nature. The joy of the Ascension lies in the promise of the Spirit. “Thou didst give joy to Thy disciples by a promise of the Holy Spirit.” The victory of Christ is wrought in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

St. John Chrysostom writes,

On high is His body, here below with us is His Spirit. And so we have His token on high, that is His body, which He received from us, and here below we have His Spirit with us. Heaven received the Holy Body, and the earth accepted the Holy Spirit. Christ came and sent the Spirit. He ascended, and with Him our body ascended also.”

Through the ascension of Christ Jesus and through the descent of the Holy Spirit, the revelation of the Holy Spirit was completed. Now the Comforter, Helper, Advocate is poured forth on all flesh.

St. Basil writes,

Hence comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, apprehension of what is hidden, distribution of good gifts, the heavenly citizenship, a place in the chorus of angels, joy without end, abiding in God, the being made like to God, and, highest of all, the being made God!”

On the Holy Spirit, St. Basil

Now, beginning with the Apostles, then following through all the departed and living saints and through communion with them—by an unbroken succession—Grace is spread to all believers. Through renewal and glorification in the Ascended Christ, man’s nature becomes receptive of the Spirit.

And through the ascension of Christ Jesus and through the descent and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Church, the body of Christ has been placed on high. And through the Church, man’s nature is truly ascended to the Divine heights, to be in the presence of its Bridegroom. St. John Chrysostom comments,

 “Amazing! Look again, whither He has raised the Church. As though He were lifting it up by some engine, He has raised it up to a vast height, and set it on yonder throne; for where the Head is, there is the body also. There is no interval of separation between the Head and the body; for were there a separation, then would the one no longer be a body, nor would the other any longer be a Head.”

The whole race of men is to follow Christ, even in His ultimate exaltation, “to follow in His train.” Within the Church, through an acquisition of the Spirit in the fellowship of Sacraments, the Ascension continues still, and will continue until the measure is full. “Only then shall the Head be filled up, when the body is rendered perfect, when we are knit together and united,” concludes Saint John Chrysostom.

Ascension – A promise of the Second Coming

 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”

Acts 1:11

As we look at Christ ascending to heaven, we (through the eyewitness of the Apostles) also receive a promise of the Second Coming of our Master and Saviour, Jesus Christ, in the same manner He was taken up. The mystery of God’s Providence upon the creation will be completed upon the Return of the Risen King. In the fulfillment of time, Christ’s kingly power will be revealed to the whole world and He appoints the faithful unto a new Kingdom and commune with Him at His table. Salvation will be consummated in the Glory.

And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as My Father has appointed unto me. That ye may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel”

Luke 22:29-30

To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne”

Rev. 3:21

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, as we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord and look forward to descent and indwelling of the Holy Spirit during these days of waiting, let us not be forlorn for departure of our Lord. But let us rejoice and seek with a prayerful heart, to welcome the Holy Spirit, One among the Trinity to dwell within us and help us to ascend towards the Heavenly Throne. Let us look forward to change our fallen human nature to divine nature. Let us also look forwards with radiant faces and eager hearts towards the Second Coming of our Risen Master and King. Let us establish our thoughts and hearts to worship Him continually, as a faithful bride, for all eternity.

Your brother in Christ Jesus

Jobin George

Source: Originally published in Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Quarterly, Vol. 2 # 3, 1954