Maurice
Member
I think the answer to the question is, no Jesus did not shed his humanity at the Ascension.
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God. [Ps. 110:1.]20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it). Mk 16:19–20.
The Ascension is a discrete element of Christ the mediator. It marks his entry into supreme authority over the creation. The Ascension is, I think, a subject richer and more instructive than is commonly recognized. A description of the event occurs in only two places in the New Testament, both written by Luke (Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:6-11) but the New Testament refers to it in many places and it is also foreshadowed in the Old Testament.
The dramatic departure of the risen Christ from His earthly, bodily ministry among His followers. Since His birth in Bethlehem by the miracle of the *Incarnation, Jesus had lived physically on earth. But forty days after the Resurrection, His earthly ministry ceased with His ascension into heaven . To a large extent the Ascension was for the benefit of Jesus’ followers. They could no longer expect His physical presence. They must now wait for the promised Holy Spirit through whom the work of Jesus would continue.Jesus’ departure into heaven was a literal, physical, bodily ascension in His resurrected body.
Stephen and Paul both reported seeing Jesus in bodily form after His ascension. The Ascension marked the beginning of Christ’s intercession for His followers at the right hand of God. There He makes continual intercession for all believers . Although Christ is not physically present with His people today, He is no less concerned for them or less active on their behalf. Christians enjoy peace, hope, and security because Christ is their advocate with the Father. It is as the exalted Lord that Jesus sent or “poured out” the Holy Spirit upon His church, with His gifts for believers.
Heaven’s strategy determined that the presence of Jesus would be replaced by the presence of the Holy Spirit, who could be everywhere at the same time. Since Pentecost until today, Jesus’ followers now enjoy the presence of the Spirit and the operation of the Spirit’s gifts through them, as the church pursues the mission Jesus ordered. As a result of His ascension, Jesus exercises His heavenly reign at the right hand of the Father as Lord of the church.
This reign will last until His *Second Coming, when He will return to the earth as the reigning Messiah, announced as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Finally, the ascension of Christ is the pledge of His Second Coming:
“This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” Acts 1:11
Jesus will return to earth—literally and physically—in bodily form just as He ascended into heaven. He's coming back!
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God. [Ps. 110:1.]20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it). Mk 16:19–20.
The Ascension is a discrete element of Christ the mediator. It marks his entry into supreme authority over the creation. The Ascension is, I think, a subject richer and more instructive than is commonly recognized. A description of the event occurs in only two places in the New Testament, both written by Luke (Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:6-11) but the New Testament refers to it in many places and it is also foreshadowed in the Old Testament.
The dramatic departure of the risen Christ from His earthly, bodily ministry among His followers. Since His birth in Bethlehem by the miracle of the *Incarnation, Jesus had lived physically on earth. But forty days after the Resurrection, His earthly ministry ceased with His ascension into heaven . To a large extent the Ascension was for the benefit of Jesus’ followers. They could no longer expect His physical presence. They must now wait for the promised Holy Spirit through whom the work of Jesus would continue.Jesus’ departure into heaven was a literal, physical, bodily ascension in His resurrected body.
Stephen and Paul both reported seeing Jesus in bodily form after His ascension. The Ascension marked the beginning of Christ’s intercession for His followers at the right hand of God. There He makes continual intercession for all believers . Although Christ is not physically present with His people today, He is no less concerned for them or less active on their behalf. Christians enjoy peace, hope, and security because Christ is their advocate with the Father. It is as the exalted Lord that Jesus sent or “poured out” the Holy Spirit upon His church, with His gifts for believers.
Heaven’s strategy determined that the presence of Jesus would be replaced by the presence of the Holy Spirit, who could be everywhere at the same time. Since Pentecost until today, Jesus’ followers now enjoy the presence of the Spirit and the operation of the Spirit’s gifts through them, as the church pursues the mission Jesus ordered. As a result of His ascension, Jesus exercises His heavenly reign at the right hand of the Father as Lord of the church.
This reign will last until His *Second Coming, when He will return to the earth as the reigning Messiah, announced as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Finally, the ascension of Christ is the pledge of His Second Coming:
“This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” Acts 1:11
Jesus will return to earth—literally and physically—in bodily form just as He ascended into heaven. He's coming back!
