📖 Biblical Definition
The Ascension is the doctrinal fact that forty days after His resurrection, the Lord Jesus, in His glorified human body, was visibly taken up into heaven from the disciples’ sight at the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:50-53). He entered the Holy Place not made with hands to appear in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 9:24), there to reign and intercede until He shall so come in like manner. The Ascension is not a disappearance but an enthronement: Christ is now seated at the right hand of God, having all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-22). The Christian creed confesses it; the church awaits His return on the same terms.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
ASCENSION, n. The act of ascending; specifically, the visible elevation of our Saviour to heaven.
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1. The act of ascending; a rising. 2. Specifically, the visible elevation of our Lord Jesus Christ to heaven, His being received up out of the sight of His disciples, and exalted to the right hand of the Father, where He ever liveth to make intercession for His people.
📖 Key Scripture
Acts 1:9 — "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight."
Acts 1:11 — "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
Hebrews 9:24 — "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands… but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:"
Ephesians 4:10 — "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Treated as metaphor or footnote, demoted beneath cross and resurrection.
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Many sermons skip from Easter to Pentecost as if the ascension were a stage transition. Liberals demythologize it; pragmatists ignore it; even orthodox preachers leave it as a theological appendix.
Scripture treats the ascension as a coronation. The Lamb who was slain takes His seat. The High Priest enters the heavenly sanctuary with His own blood. The King receives all authority and pours out the Spirit. Without the ascension there is no Pentecost, no enthronement, no return.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek analambanō and anabainō — to be taken up, to go up.
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G353 — analambanō — to take up, receive up
G305 — anabainō — to ascend, go up
G5312 — hupsoō — to lift up, exalt
Usage
"The ascension is not the end of the story; it is the coronation."
"He went up that the Spirit might come down."
"A seated Christ is a finished sacrifice and a reigning King."