Denzinger, Enchiridion symbolorum 1502), and the verse in question may even belong to a very archaic creed, but historically speaking the notice is dependent upon the traditions recorded in Luke and John and thus cannot be treated as a primary witness. The text is certainly canonical and inspired (H. The Ascension also figures in the canonical conclusion of Mark (Mk 16.19), which is the Gospel reading for the Feast of the Ascension in the Roman rite. Even here the simply physical movement is described with the theologically evocative ἀ ν α φ έ ρ ε ι ν, usually used in the NT for an offering of sacrifice. The next action is presented as a progressive movement that takes time (verb in the imperfect), as the risen Jesus is borne into the sky. There, in the very act of blessing them, He made His final departure (verb in the aorist). Olivet to Bethany (15 stadia from Jerusalem, according to Jn 11.18, or about 1 5/8 miles). Luke depicts Jesus' departure as occurring after He had led His disciples out of Jerusalem up the western slope and over the crest of Mt. Yet there are no indications of time in this chapter after 24.33, and their absence might well be deliberate and theologically motivated. At first glance, since the day of the Resurrection frames all the other events in this chapter, it seems that Luke has placed the Ascension during Easter night (see 24.29). Certain data are, however, of a primarily historical nature. The form and the language of this notice are filled with cultic connotations. The italicized words are found in P 75, B, A, W, and Θ, but they are omitted by S, D, and the Western tradition, perhaps because of the difficulty of harmonizing these verses with Acts 1.1 –12. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven " (24.50 –51). "He then led them out towards Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. The notice of the Ascension then occurs with no indication of its being separated from the preceding materials. The narrative seems to place these events on the day of the Resurrection (24.13), and the following discourse (24.44 –49) is not distinguished in time from the preceding meal. Luke's Gospel describes appearances of the risen Jesus to the disciples at Emmaus (24.13 –33, 35), to Peter (24.34), and to the Eleven (24.36 –43). Luke responded by gleaning from the first-generation preaching and its documentary precipitate (Lk 1.1 –4) such details as he could concerning the when, where, and how of Jesus' departure. He had been seen, and He would be seen again -soon, they hoped meanwhile, His invisible presence perdured.Īs years lengthened into decades and fervent hope for the parousia was tempered by the full realization that no one knew the exact time of the future return (Mk 13.32 Acts 1.6 –7, 11), the second generation of Christians desired to know further details about the final visible departure of Jesus. The departure of Jesus did not alter essentially the relation of the believer to his Lord. The early preaching, for which the continual presence of the risen Jesus with believers (Mt 28.20) was the all important datum, may well have considered such details irrelevant. The early Jerusalem preaching (see below) refers to Jesus' departure only in as far as it is theologically significant and never turns to the material details of when, where, and how that are the indispensable data for the historian. The primitive kerygma recorded in 1 Cor 15.3 –8 mentions no final leave-taking of the risen Jesus. This article under the heading "Biblical" treats the first two moments. In its widest sense the Ascension includes three moments: the final historical departure of Jesus from His disciples, the metahistorical passage and entry into heaven, and the exaltation, also metahistorical, "at the right hand of the Father." Three groups of NT texts describe these three moments: those that narrate the visible departure of Jesus as a terminus a quo those that treat of the Ascension from a primarily theological aspect, more or less explicitly referring to the witnessed departure while concentrating on the metahistorical victory and, finally, those texts that refer to the exaltation of Jesus as a terminus ad quem without explicit mention of the previous moments. Sch önmetzer 11, and in the creeds generally). The Church believes that the risen Jesus "ascended into heaven" in body and soul (H.
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