The Day of Ascension in Relation to Easter
The Day of Ascension, which commemorates Jesus Christ's bodily ascent into heaven, is directly related to Easter, the celebration of Christ's resurrection. The Ascension occurred forty days after Christ's resurrection [4].
Easter itself is rooted in the timing of the Jewish Passover, as the resurrection of Christ took place around the same time [2]. The resurrection is considered a foundational doctrine of the gospel, without which Christian faith would be "vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14) [1]. The New Testament emphasizes the resurrection as a historical fact, with Peter arguing for its necessity from Psalm 16 (Acts 2:24-28) [1]. Christ himself foretold his resurrection (Matthew 20:19; John 2:19-22) [1].
Following his resurrection, Christ spent forty days on Earth before his ascension [4]. This event is described in Acts 1:9, occurring from the Mount of Olives while he was blessing his disciples (Luke 24:50; Acts 1:12) [4]. The Ascension signifies Christ's triumphant return to supreme power and dignity (Luke 24:26; Ephesians 1:20-21) [4]. It is understood as Christ entering heaven as a forerunner for believers (Hebrews 6:20), where he intercedes on their behalf (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24) and from where he sent the Holy Spirit (John 16:7; Acts 2:33) [4].
The theological significance of the Ascension extends to believers, who are considered to have been "raised up together" and "made to sit together" with Christ in his ascension, spiritually and in terms of their future hope (Ephesians 2:6) [5]. This union with Christ means that his resurrection and ascension have a spiritual power that involves the spiritual resurrection of the believer's soul now and the future resurrection of their body (Romans 6:8-11; Romans 8:11) [6]. The concept of believers being "raised up together with Christ" is tied to their conversion and baptism [7]. The expectation of Christ's second coming, which is linked to his ascension (Acts 1:11), is a significant aspect of Christian hope [3, 8].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Resurrection of Christ — One of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the gospel. If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain (1 Cor. 15:14). The whole of the New Testament revelation rests on this as an historical fact. On the day of Pentecost Peter argued the necessity of Christ's resurrection from the prediction in Ps. 16 (Acts 2:24-28). In his own discourses, also, our Lord clearly intimates his resurrection (Matt. 20:19; Mark 9:9; 14:28; Luke 18:33; John 2:19-22). The evangelists give circumstantial accounts of the facts connected with that event, and the apostles, ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Easter — Originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. Hence the name came to be given to the festival of the Resurrection of Christ, which occured at the time of the Passover. In the early English versions this word was frequently used as the translation of the Greek pascha (the Passover). When the Authorized Version (1611) was formed, the word "passover" was used in all passages in which this word pascha occurred, except in Act 12:4. In the Revised Version the proper wor”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Coming of Christ — (1) with reference to his first advent "in the fulness of the time" (1 John 5:20; 2 John 1:7), or (2) with reference to his coming again the second time at the last day (Acts 1:11; 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4:15; 2 Tim. 4:1; Heb. 9:28). The expression is used metaphorically of the introduction of the gospel into any place (John 15:22; Eph. 2:17), the visible establishment of his kingdom in the world (Matt. 16:28), the conferring on his people of the peculiar tokens of his love (John 14:18, 23, 28), and his executing judgment on the wicked (2 Thess. 2:8).”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Ascension of Christ, The — Prophecies respecting -- Ps 24:7; 68:18; Eph 4:7,8. Foretold by himself -- Joh 6:62; 7:33; 14:28; 16:5; 20:17. Forty days after his resurrection -- Ac 1:3. Described -- Ac 1:9. From Mount Olivet -- Lu 24:50; Mr 11:1; Ac 1:12. While blessing his disciples -- Lu 24:50. When he had atoned for sin -- Heb 9:12; 10:12. Was triumphant -- Ps 68:18. Was to supreme power and dignity -- Lu 24:26; Eph 1:20,21; 1Pe 3:22. As the forerunner of his people -- Heb 6:20. To intercede -- Ro 8:34; Heb 9:24. To send the Holy Spirit -- Joh 16:7; Ac 2:33. To recei”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 2:6: raised us up together--with Christ. The "raising up" presupposes previous quickening of Jesus in the tomb, and of us in the grave of our sins. made us sit together--with Christ, namely, in His ascension. Believers are bodily in heaven in point of right, and virtually so in spirit, and have each their own place assigned there, which in due time they shall take possession of (Phi 3:20-21). He does not say, "on the right hand of God"; a prerogative reserved to Christ peculiarly; though they shall share His throne (Rev 3:21). in Christ Jesus--Our uni”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 1:20: in Christ--as our "first-fruits" of the resurrection, and Head, in virtue of God's mighty working in whom His power to us-ward is made possible and actual [ALFORD]. when he raised him--"in that He raised Him." The raising of Christ is not only an earnest of our bodies being hereafter raised, but has a spiritual power in it involving (by virtue of our living union with Him, as members with the Head) the resurrection, spiritually of the believer's soul now, and, consequently, of his body hereafter (Rom 6:8-11; Rom 8:11). The Son, too, as God (though”
- Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 3 (introduction): EXHORTATIONS TO HEAVENLY AIMS, AS OPPOSED TO EARTHLY, ON THE GROUND OF UNION TO THE RISEN SAVIOUR; TO MORTIFY AND PUT OFF THE OLD MAN, AND TO PUT ON THE NEW; IN CHARITY, HUMILITY, WORDS OF EDIFICATION, THANKFULNESS; RELATIVE DUTIES. (Col. 3:1-25) If . . . then--The connection with Col 2:18, Col 2:23, is, he had condemned the "fleshly mind" and the "satiating to the full the flesh"; in contrast to this he now says, "If then ye have been once for all raised up (Greek, aorist tense) together with Christ" (namely, at your conversion and ba”
- 2 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Peter 3:12: hasting unto--with the utmost eagerness desiring [WAHL], praying for, and contemplating, the coming Saviour as at hand. The Greek may mean "hastening (that is, urging onward [ALFORD]) the day of God"; not that God's eternal appointment of the time is changeable, but God appoints us as instruments of accomplishing those events which must be first before the day of God can come. By praying for His coming, furthering the preaching of the Gospel for a witness to all nations, and bringing in those whom "the long-suffering of God" waits to save, we hasten t”