疯客直播

Getting your player ready...

By R.A. Mathews

To me, it鈥檚 odd, but I will let you decide.

The Day of Ascension is Thursday, May 9, which celebrates Jesus鈥� return to His heavenly Father. Odd because it鈥檚 39 days after Easter, but Jesus ascended 40 days after Easter, which falls on Friday. Here鈥檚 the passage:

鈥溾��He听was taken up听to heaven 鈥� appearing to (the disciples) over听a period of听forty days and speaking of听things regarding the kingdom of God 鈥� And after He had said these things,听He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight 鈥� Then they听returned to Jerusalem from the听mountain called听Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a听Sabbath day鈥檚 journey away.鈥澨�(Acts 1:1-12).

Luke鈥檚 40 days end on a Friday, which was also the Jewish Sabbath. When Luke says 鈥渁 Sabbath day’s journey,” he assures the reader that the apostles walked no farther than what was allowed for the Sabbath, which was three-quarters of a mile.听

The much bigger odd thing to me is that the church only acknowledges one Ascension. As I said, I鈥檒l let you decide if there鈥檚 another. The following scene from Mark’s Gospel happens the evening after Jesus’ resurrection.

鈥溾��He appeared to the eleven disciples themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reprimanded them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen from the dead 鈥μ齋o then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God鈥�听 (Mark 16:14-19).

Luke describes this Easter Day event in greater detail, beginning with a man who joined two of Jesus鈥� disciples as they walked toward the village of Emmaus that afternoon.

The man ate dinner with them, and they abruptly realized it was Jesus. The Lord disappeared, and the two hurried back to Jerusalem that night to tell the disciples. That鈥檚 when Jesus appeared to all of them. He then ascended. Here鈥檚 the passage:

鈥淣ow that same day two of (the disciples) were going to a village called Emmaus 鈥� 听As they talked 鈥� Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;听but they were kept from recognizing him 鈥� As they approached the village 鈥� they urged him 鈥� to stay with them.

鈥淲hen He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and 鈥� then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him,听and He disappeared from their sight 鈥� 听

鈥淎nd they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and听found the eleven gathered together鈥�

鈥淣ow while they were telling these things,听Jesus听Himself听suddenly听stood in their midst 鈥� He showed them His hands and His feet鈥�

鈥淭hen He听opened their minds to understand the Scriptures 鈥� When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.听While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven鈥� (Luke 24:13-51).

In both passages, it looks like an Easter Day Ascension. Or did Mark and Luke write of the Easter dinner and merge that with the Ascension 40 days later?听

Carefully read Luke’s passages and you鈥檒l have your answer. Remember, Luke made a point to state that the disciples only traveled a Sabbath鈥檚 journey, which was three-quarters of a mile. Scripture tells us Bethany was much farther.

鈥淣ow Bethany was near Jerusalem, about听fifteen stadia away鈥� 鈥� (John 11:18).

The NASB footnote defines fifteen stadia as 鈥淧ossibly 2 miles or 3 km.鈥� Moreover, Bethany is now called Al-Eizariya, which is also 2 miles or 3 km from Jerusalem. 听

The Mt. of Olivet ascension and the Bethany ascension appear to be two separate events, on separate days, and in separate places?

Scripture points to a third ascension, which is a discussion for another day.

To me, it鈥檚 odd that the church doesn鈥檛 acknowledge the Easter Ascension, but read the passages again and you decide. Let me know your thoughts.

I believe Jesus longed to see His Father and went to Him soon after the Resurrection. I would believe that if nothing was written of His ascension.

Read Scripture. Read it with prayer and the Holy Spirit. Also read it with your heart.听

Next week: Why did Jesus lead His disciples to Bethany, an obscure village?

The Rev. Mathews (BA, MDiv, JD) is a newspaper faith columnist and the author of Emerald Coast: The Vendetta. Write to her at Hello@RAMathews.com. (Just one t in Mathews)

Copyright 漏 2024 R.A. Mathews. All rights reserved.