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Jesus’ ascension (Mk 16:19-20; Lk 24:49-53; Acts 1:4-12)
(Jesus’ charge before his ascension--wait for the Holy Spirit)
When Jesus appeared to the disciples in the same evening of the day of his resurrection, he said, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry (等候) ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high (領受從上頭來的能力).” (Luke 24:49) Prior to his ascension, Jesus also spoke similar words to the disciples, “And, being assembled together with them, commanded, them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:4-5)
At the last supper, Jesus had spoken a lot of words to his disciples, as recorded in Chapters 14-16 of John. During his long speech, he particularly mentioned the coming of the Holy Spirit:
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (保惠師，或譯：訓慰師), that he may abide with for ever, even the Spirit of truth (真理的聖靈), whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:16-17)
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26)
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” (John 15:26)
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away (我去是與你們有益); for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (就要叫世人為罪、為義、為審判，自己責備自己)." (John 16:7-8)
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come (並要把將來的事告訴你們). He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you (因為他要將受於我的告訴你們).” (John 16:13-14)
The Holy Spirit will descend from the Father upon the disciples, but only after the Son ascends to the Father. The Holy Spirit is also “the Comforter” and “the Spirit of truth”. He will dwell within the disciples. (John 14:17) He will remind them of what Jesus has said to them (John 14:26) and teach them to understand the truth (John 16:13). He will even reveal to them of what will happen in future (John 16:13), probably the things concerning the end of the world that require the attention of the believers. Moreover, He will glorify the Son (John 16:14) and testify for Him (John 15:26). Simply said, the Holy Spirit shall extend what the Son has been doing on earth.
Since the coming of the Holy Spirit was so important to the disciples, Jesus told them to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come down from heaven. They would receive or be baptized by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5), just as Jesus received the Holy Spirit when he was baptized by John the Baptist in Jordan river. (Matt 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22, John 1:32) This “promise” of the Father (Luke 24:49) was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire (又有舌頭如火焰顯現出來), and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)
(the place of Jesus’ ascension)
After Jesus had told the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, “he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” (Luke 24:50-51) Bethany was a town where the family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus lived. (John 11:1) This town was near Jerusalem: “Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off (約有六里路).” (John 11:18) Exactly where did they go before Jesus ascended to heaven? The answer was found in Acts 1:12, “Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (橄欖山), which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey.” The mount of Olives was located on the outskirt of Bethany.
So, Jesus took the disciples out of Jerusalem to a mountain called the mount of Olives where Jesus had gone up frequently. Mark 11:1 says, “And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage (伯法其) and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples.” Jesus sent two disciples to find a colt in a village so that he could ride on it to enter Jerusalem. Mark 13:3 also says, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?’ ” Luke 21:37 tells us that the mount of Olives was where Jesus always slept with his disciples during the final week before his arrest, “And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.” The garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was arrested, also lied on the mount of Olives. (Mark 14:26,32)
(Jesus’ final word before his ascension)
Jesus left his final word with his disciples on the mount of Olives prior to his ascension: “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, ‘Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?’ And he said unto them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ ” (Acts 1:6-8) The disciples at this time probably did not know that their Lord was about to depart from them and ascend to heaven. They were still concerned about the issue of when their Lord Jesus would redeem their country out of the hands of the Gentiles. Jesus did not answer them concerning this question, only saying that they were not supposed to know the answer. According to Jesus’ answer, God has designated the time that the kingdom of Israel would be restored in future. Did Jesus refer to the reestablishment of the country of Israel in 1948? Or did he refer to the conversion of the people of Israel at the end of the world, as Paul said in Rom 11:25-27, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” The disciples were more concerned for the country of Israel whereas Jesus was more concerned for the salvation of the people of Israel: "There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob."
Jesus then switched the key issue back to the pouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. After receiving the Holy Spirit, they would be empowered to carry out the Great Commission, beginning from Jerusalem, and would continue to spread the gospel to each corner of the earth.
(Jesus ascended to the right hand of God)
After Jesus had finished his final word, he blessed the disciples before he was taken to heaven: “and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” (Luke 24:50-51) Acts 1:9 describes how Jesus was taken up, “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” Mark 16:19 says, “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.”
The right hand of God usually refers to God’s power. (Psalm 44:3, 89:13) So, sitting on the right hand of God could mean possessing all the power of God. Jesus had once quoted Psalm 110:1 that the seat at the right hand of God was reserved for himself, “For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.’ ” (Mark 12:36) When he was questioned by the high priest, he even said to the high priest, “ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62) The moment before he was stoned to death, Stephen, “a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 6:5), had the opportunity to witness Jesus in heaven after preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ before the Jewish council: “But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.’ ” (Acts 7:55-56)
(Jesus’ second coming)
After Jesus had been taken to heaven, Acts 1:10-11 continues, “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, ‘Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.” In what manner will Jesus return on his second coming? Jesus had prophesied to the disciples concerning the signs of the end of the world, “they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matt 24:30) When asked by the high priest if he was the Christ, Jesus answered him, “ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62) The above sayings are in accordance with the angels’ word to the disciples.
(the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit)
“Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (橄欖山)…And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode …(the eleven disciples). These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (都同心合意地恆切禱告), with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren (並耶穌的弟兄).” (Acts 1:12-14) The Book of Luke thus ends, “he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.” (Luke 24:51-53) During this time of staying in Jerusalem altogether, the disciples waited for the descension of the Holy Spirit, as promised by the Father and foretold by the Son, so that they could become the witnesses of Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit.
According to Acts 2:1-4, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples as they assembled together in one place. Jesus once said to the disciples before his ascension, “ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:5) As we have discussed in the last section, the day of Pentecost (the 50th day from the day of Passover, i.e. the 50th day from the day of Jesus’ death) arrived about a week from Jesus’ ascension.
After receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the disciples began to carry out the Great Commission as charged by the Lord Jesus, starting from Jerusalem. The Book of Mark thus ends, “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” (Mark 16:20)
(Reflection)
As the disciples watched their Lord disappear in the sky, Acts 1:10-11 says, “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, ‘Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.’ ” We now know that the Lord is going to return again as the angels said. Shall we just stand and gaze at the sky, and wait for the Lord to come back in clouds and take us up?
The disciples, after receiving the Holy Spirit, had invested all their lifetime carrying out the Great Commission as instructed by the Lord. They were given the spiritual power with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and took courage to stand out as the faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Book of Acts. They no longer hid themselves in the enclosed house with great fear. We the believers and followers of Jesus Christ have also received the same Holy Spirit and should have the same power and courage to witness the Lord Jesus before everyone. While the disciples at that time had to risk their lives telling people the good news of Jesus Christ, we need not worry about the danger of losing our lives as we share the good news nowadays.
The eleven disciples had lived with Jesus for several years and watched him ascend to the sky with their own eyes. We, of course, are not as deeply impressed by the Son of God as the disciples were. But it is the same Holy Spirit in us that motivates us to share the gospel earnestly as He did to the disciples. While anxiously aspiring for the return of our Lord, we should waste no time fulfilling our obligations of carrying out the Great Commission, which says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt 28:19-20)
We may not have great performance or perform amazing signs as we share the gospel. But the Lord has promised to be with us and work with us. Mark 16:20 says, “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.” As we preach the gospel, the Lord will confirm our testimony with “signs”—signs of seeing sinners repent and believe in Him. We may not see the Lord come down in clouds of heaven in our lifetime, but “wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” (Heb 12:1-2) That’s what the Lord is glad to see us do while waiting patiently for His return.