Did Jesus rise into the air?
Here's Acts 1:9-11 (NRSV), "When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
So, did Jesus rise up into the sky and finally disappear from their sight? Yes he did!
There you go, smiles all round! Magicians like David Copperfield and their levitation tricks come to mind; David Blane rises a few inches off the ground and everyone oohs and ahs. Little did we know that Jesus was able to pull such stunts way back then. Some non-believers who could care less speak of "a trick" like that and others who care even less yawn and talk of nonsense or say, "Who cares?" A few non-believers and believers describe it as "myth" (a story aimed at promoting some major belief but which is not meant to be a literal description of anything that really happened). To explain the uniqueness and glory of the founders of Rome, it's said, we have the story of Romulus and Remus, their river-ride and being raised by wolves, Moses, his river experience and being adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, Jesus' virgin-birth, resurrection and ascension; all good stories but not an ounce of fact or miracle in them.
Most believers—like me, for example—take the record at face value though we would deny that the record is simply to tell us, "Here's another interesting thing that happened." We would insist that the record is recorded to make a point, to develop the larger picture of which the specific event plays a central part.
So what did happen? I think Jesus rose up in the air before their eyes and at some point some sort of cloud obscured further vision of him! But to say that and leave it like that is precisely what we're not supposed to do when we read the biblical Story.
You look out your window and see a man on a two-wheeled, chain-driven conveyance, gently pedalling past. What's he doing? "He's riding a bike!" Of course he is, but what's he doing? Hmmm. "Nothing, he's just riding a bike." Hmmm. What's he doing? "He's exercising!" Good; what's he doing? "He's working to lose weight!" Good; what's he doing? "He's following doctor's orders to strengthen his heart after his bypass surgery; he's pleasing his worried wife…" Exactly!
What's happening is not just what we see; if we really want to know what's happening we have to have some knowledge of motivation and purpose because that too is part of what is "happening". What happened in Acts 1 was more than Jesus rising into the air. Luke records it not simply to make the point that Jesus "vanished into thin air." Jesus' ascension meant something and it was recorded by Luke to develop the grand drift of the Story.
We aren't supposed to think that Luke was suggesting that Jesus kept on travelling through space until he came to where God lived or that he stepped into a warp in space that took him into another compartment of the space—time universe. He had none of that in mind. Click here. The ascension is what Farrow calls it, "a visible metaphor."
We have something of that kind when in John 20:22 when Jesus literally breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit," which they would later receive at his glorification (compare John 7:39). His literal breathing on them makes the point that the Spirit they will receive is his Spirit and comes from him to coincide with the nature of their ministry and the fulfilment of OT promises and the end of fleshly exclusivism.
The physical ascension of Jesus is his and the Christian's response to the silly claims of divinization of Roman emperors with which Luke's world was filled. He was going to exaltation as Lord of All (in keeping with Daniel 7:1-14, Psalm 110:1-3 and compare Acts 2:23-36) not to some earthly battleground but to God who gives dominion to whoever he chooses in accordance with his developing purpose.
The ascension tells us that humanity is not glorified by developing a kingdom that is "of this world". The real glory that can be inherited by humans (in and through the person of Jesus who made glorification visible to us) is gained not by worldly and human power but by our connection with the heavenly kingdom. Progress to immortality and glory is not by worldly ways, of fighting and straining, but by rejecting the kingdoms of this world (compare Jesus before Pilate in John 18:33-37). Progress to glory and immortality is not by relying on national or racial claims, by fleshly descent and exclusivism, but in and through Jesus who, as the Incarnate One descended and now ascends. The one who now ascends is now done with the limits of Jewish flesh, having died not only in the flesh but to the flesh's restraints and has been raised for the entire human family as a life-giving Spirit (see 2 Corinthians 13:4, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:45 and compare John 6:62-63).
Jesus' physical ascent vindicated God's eternal purpose for humanity in opposition to our arrogant claims of godhood and our grabbing ways that cost us all. Despite all that, God did not abandon us and in Jesus he brings us to the glory he meant for us all along. It confirms the outrageously wonderful honour he has purposed for humanity. That and more is what the ascension means.
Yes, but what happened when he disappeared out of their sight? I've no idea. I know one doesn't get to "heaven" by space travel. One of these days we'll understand something about the nature of a glorified body—what it can do and what it means for an actual body to exist in another mode.
What we're sure of is this: if Luke had wanted a mere metaphor, he could have had Jesus go off into a lovely sunset, to be seen no more; maybe calling back in a voice too sickeningly sweet, "I'll always be with you!" But that's not what he did! Jesus actually rose in the air, embodied in his human body that was now glorified and capable of who knows what.
By the way: He's coming back!
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.