The Ascension

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.” Jesus had now fulfilled all the designs of his mission. He had declared the counsels of God to mankind; he had offered himself upon the cross as a sacrifice for sin; and having triumphed over death, he had given his disciples sufficient opportunity to assure themselves of the truth of the fact. “I have glorified thee on the earth; I
have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” There was no reason therefore, why he should prolong his stay. It was necessary that the great High Priest of our profession, having made atonement for his people, should go into the most holy place, to present his blood and make intercession for them. It was necessary, that the Lord and King of the Church, having vanquished his enemies, after a hard and bloody conflict, should ascend his throne and receive the sceptre of universal dominion. He had forewarned the disciples of his departure, both before and after his death; and lest they should suppose, when they heard of his resurrection, that he meant to associate with them as formerly, he sent his message to them by Mary Magdalene: “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God.” Accordingly, “when he had spoken these things,” given them all the instructions which they needed, or were able to bear, “he was taken up while they beheld, and a cloud received him out of their sight.” It appears from these words, which represent him as passive in his ascension, that it was effected by the power of his Father, who had engaged to reward his humiliation, by exalting him to glory; that it was not sudden, but gradual, the disciples having full leisure to observe his ascent from the earth; and, lastly, that when he had risen to a certain height in the air, a cloud intervened, and concealed him from their sight. They had seen enough to qualify them to be witnesses of the fact.

This event, however honourable to their Lord, and joyful to themselves, had they understood its design, could not fail to affect the disciples in a disagreeable manner, in the first moments of surprise, and while they were not acquainted with the important purposes to be served by the ascension. To his personal presence they had conceived a warm attachment, founded in esteem of his excellencies, and experience of his friendship. From his lips they had heard discourses replenished with wisdom and grace; and by his hand they had seen works of the most wonderful and beneficent nature performed. He had been their counsellor in difficulties, and their comforter in sorrow. To be deprived in a moment of his company; to be left alone in the midst of numerous and implacable enemies; to have the prospect of labours, and sufferings, and death, without their Master at their head, without their condescending and affectionate Saviour to advise and encourage them; these were circumstances
sufficient to have discomposed the firmest mind, and which would have almost excused the Apostles, had they given way to lamentation and dejection. We are informed that they “looked steadfastly towards heaven, as he went up,” continuing to gaze long after the cloud had concealed him. It was a look of astonishment and grief for the sudden loss of all that was dear to them; it was a look of eager desire to be again gratified with a sight of their Master.

They did not, however, remain long in this uncomfortable state. “Behold two men stood by them in white apparel; which 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.” There is no doubt that these men in appearance were angels; and the splendour of their dress was a sign by which they must have been immediately known to be heavenly messengers. They were a part of that illustrious retinue, which came from the celestial regions to attend our Lord in his ascension, and to heighten the glory of his triumph. Thousands, and ten thousands of angels accompanied him as he passed from earth to heaven, celebrating his praises. “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive.” To the sorrowful disciples, the words of the angels were full of comfort. They seem to suggest a resemblance between the ascension of Jesus and his second appearance, and in this way have been frequently explained. But I rather think, that nothing more is intended than to assert, that as certainly as he had ascended to heaven, he would descend from it, at the time appointed by his Father; and that the Apostles should entertain no more doubt of the one event than of the other. Between the ascension and his coming at the end of the world, there is no great similarity of circumstances, unless we should choose to say, that as he departed in a cloud, so with clouds he will return, and that as he was now accompanied by angels, so the same glorious spirits will be his attendants and ministers, when he appears in the character of universal Judge.

But the chief thing to which the angels called the attention of the disciples, and ours should be directed, is the certainty of his second
coming; for this is an event, which, although an object of dreadful expectation to the unbelieving and impenitent, is fraught with hope and joy to those who love and obey the truth. The person who shall appear, will be “that same Jesus who was taken up into heaven,” clothed with the same nature, sustaining the same relations to us, animated with the same love, and carrying on the same gracious design. Ten thousand tongues will hail him with accents of exultation and triumph. “Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoice in his salvation.” Then shall the disciples be again gathered to their Master, and the sheep to their Shepherd. Oh! how joyful the meeting, so long promised, so eagerly expected? It will be the day of the gladness of his heart, to behold around him those for whom he died upon the cross, and has ever since ministered in heaven: it will be a source of ineffable felicity to them, to see him whose glory was the subject of their contemplations in this world, to be taken under his immediate care, to be admitted to the most intimate fellowship with him, and to know that no event shall ever separate them again.

Such was the comfortable prospect which the words of the angels gave to the disciples; and we need not wonder, that their fears and sorrows were dispelled, and that, as we are informed in another place, “they returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.”