II. After our Saviour had continued forty days on earth from his resurrection, and, in that time, conversed with his apostles of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; it is observed, that he ascended into heaven, or, as it is here expressed, visibly went up into the highest heavens. There are two phrases, in scripture, whereby this is set forth: thus it is said, He was taken up, and he went up, Acts i. 9, 10. which variation of expression is used by the Holy Ghost, as some think, to denote two different respects, or circumstances, attending his ascension. His going up, signifies, that he ascended into heaven by his own power, pursuant to that right which he had to that glory; as he says elsewhere, Ought not Christ to suffer, and to enter into his glory? Luke xxiv. 26. And when it is said, he was taken up into heaven, that signifies the Father’s act in exalting him. As he sent him into the world, so he took him out of it, into a better, when he had finished his work upon earth. This variety of expression we find used in several other scriptures: thus it is said, that he ascended up on high, Eph. iv. 8. entered into heaven, Heb. ix. 24. and so put in his claim to the heavenly glory; and, on the other hand, it is said, that he was received up into heaven, Mark xvi. 19. and consequently his claim to it admitted of, and accordingly he was exalted to this honour by God’s right hand, Acts ii. 33. as what was due to him, as the consequence of his sufferings.
But, that we may more particularly consider what it was for Christ to ascend into heaven,
1. We are not to understand hereby that his divine nature was translated from earth to heaven, or changed the place of its residence; for that is contrary to the omnipresence thereof. Whenever a change of place is ascribed to it, it respects not his essential, but his manifestative presence. Though it was united to the human nature, yet it was not confined to it, or limited by it; and though it displayed its glory therein, in one way, whilst he was here on earth, and in another, when he ascended into heaven; yet, considered as to its essential glory, it fills all places; in which respect it is said, that he was in heaven whilst here on earth.[[238]]
2. When we say, that Christ ascended into heaven in his human nature, this is not to be understood in a metaphorical sense, as though it denoted only his being advanced to a more glorious state, than he was in before his death; since heaven signifies a glorious place, as well as state. Were it only to be taken in the former sense, it might, for the same reason, be said, that there are no saints, or angels, locally in heaven, since the metaphor might as well be applied to them, as to our Saviour, which is directly contrary to the known acceptation of the word in scripture. Moreover, that his ascending into heaven denotes a change of place, as well as state, is evident, inasmuch as, though his state of humiliation was over immediately after his resurrection; yet he says, concerning his human nature, that, during his abode forty days here on earth, though raised from the dead, I am not yet ascended to my Father, John xx. 17. therefore,
3. His ascension into heaven is to be understood, in the most proper and known sense of the word, inferring a change of place, as well as state, denoting his being carried from this lower to the upper world, in his human nature, and so entering into that glorious place, as well as triumphant state. This is called, The heaven of heavens, Psal. cxlviii. 4. which gives us ground to conclude, that the word heaven is taken in various senses in scripture: thus it is sometimes taken for the air; and accordingly the fowls, that fly in it, are said to fly in the midst of heaven, Rev. xix. 17. and sometimes it is taken for the clouds, and so we read of the rain, Deut. xi. 11. or dew of heaven, Gen. xxvii. 28. as coming down from thence; and sometimes it is taken for the stars, as we read of the stars of heaven, chap. xxii. 17. but, besides all these senses of the word, it is taken for the seat of the blessed, the throne of God, where he manifests himself, in a glorious manner, to his saints and angels. To this place Christ ascended; and, in this respect, it is not only said that he went into heaven, but that he was made higher than the heavens, Heb. vii. 26. or that he ascended far above all heavens, Eph. iv. 10. Thus it is said, in this answer, that he went up into the highest heaven.
Now that Christ ascended into heaven, and that in a visible and glorious manner is evident from the account we have hereof in scripture: which, together with the circumstances that went immediately before it, is what is next to be considered. Accordingly we read, in scripture,
That when the eleven disciples were assembled together, he came with a design to take his leave of them; and, after having opened their understandings that they might understand the scriptures, and had farther confirmed their faith, by applying them to himself, and had concluded all those necessary instructions, which he gave them, he led them as far as Bethany; and then it is said, in Luke xxiv. 50-53. He lift up his hands and blessed them; and, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried into heaven. But, inasmuch as this relation seems somewhat different from the account given of it by the same inspired writer, in Acts i. 12. who observes, that, when Christ had ascended into heaven, in the sight of his disciples, they returned to Jerusalem, from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey; and therefore it is plain that he ascended into heaven from that mountain; how then could he ascend thither from Bethany? It is observed, that Bethany, John xi. 18. was about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem, and the mount of Olives a Sabbath-day’s journey; so that Bethany and the mount of Olives seem to be almost a mile distant from each other: if Christ ascended from one of these places into heaven, how could he then be said to ascend from the other.
The answer that may be given to this seeming inconsistency, between these two accounts of the place from whence Christ ascended into heaven, is, that the town of Bethany was situate at the foot of the mount of Olives; therefore that part of the mountain that was nearest to it, might have two names, to wit, Olivet, which was the name of the whole mountain, or Bethany, which denomination it might take from the adjoining village.
Or, if this be not sufficient to account for the difficulty before mentioned, we may suppose, that when the evangelist says, in one of these places, that our Saviour led them out as far as Bethany, he does not say he was taken up into heaven from thence; but, after he led them there, he blessed them, and, while he blessed them, he was parted from them; therefore it is probable, that, when he was come to Bethany he gave them an intimation that he should soon be received into heaven; and, while he was going from thence, or going up the mount of Olives, he continued blessing them; and, when he was come up to that part of the mount from whence he ascended, he lifts up his hands, and conferred his last benediction on them, upon which he was parted from them, and a cloud received and conveyed him to heaven; so that there is no inconsistency between the two scriptures, as to the place from whence he ascended. It is farther observed, that his ascension was visible; they looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went up, Acts i. 10.
From this account of Christ’s ascension into heaven, we may make two or three remarks.