When we read in Luke 24.50-51 and Acts 1.9-11 that Christ was taken into heaven we ignore how this imagery made sense to the ancients in light of their cosmology: heaven is above and earth below. Now that we’ve sent satellites, spacecrafts, and even humans into space we realize that this up-and-down universe doesn’t quite exist. Where did Jesus go? Can modern Christians find meaning in the ascension?

Last week I saw this clip from ‘The Jesus Film’ depicting Jesus’ ascension from his point of view:

I admit thinking that it was a bit ridiculous. Why is Jesus floating like a balloon into the sky?

Of course, God could have taken Jesus into his heavenly realm in such a way that it would have made sense to the ancients. Jesus didn’t keep going into space, past Jupiter, to some floating New Jerusalem a few miles past Neptune. Rather, Jesus disappeared into a parallel reality, yet God accomplished this in a way that would have conveyed symbolic meaning to the disciples.

This leaves us with another problem though. The return of Christ is presented to us in 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18 in the same cosmological terminology. Jesus is depicted as coming from heaven above to earth below. How do we read this now? Do we read this Daniel 7 imagery as Paul using symbolic language not intended to describe the return of Christ in literal imagery (as I think N.T. Wright has suggested)?

Brandon G. Withrow wrote a piece for The Huffington Post titled, “Science and the Up and Down of Christ’s Ascension” that discusses some of these very things (including the scene from ‘The Jesus Film’ that I shared). He frames the same question this way:

“Christ’s ascension and return mentioned in Acts made sense in this up-and-down universe; it was not like anyone had ever been to space. This was eventually challenged, however, when the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) introduced the heliocentric view, namely that the earth and the planets move around the sun (helio).

“There were many implications for Copernicus’ position. To reject the idea of heaven as above runs counter to the record of Acts and it could put Jesus’ return into question, particularly since Acts says his return will happen the same way as he left.”

The Johannine language regarding the Second Coming is more compatible with the modern mind. It speaks of Jesus’ “appearing (1 John 2.28).” But do we want to act like the concordist who try to match Genesis 1 to modern science or should we let the ancient worldview stand on its own, let it tell us a theological truth–Christ will return–without trying to explain how this “works?”

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See also:

Larry Hurtado, Jesus’ “Ascension”

I wrote these words the other day in another post titled, “Scripture, the Jerusalem Council, and the Spirit’s guidance.” I felt like they were worth reproducing on Ascension Day, especially since I have been discussing one of the most contentious topics for the present church:

Sometimes I am anxious about the future of the church. I worry that we wrongly understand Scripture, or we will wrongly maintain misguided traditions, or we will try to be too acceptable to the culture around us forsaking our Christian identity. When I come to this place I meditate upon a few things:

(1) The sovereignty of God: I don’t mean to sound like John Piper here, but I do find comfort in the reality that God is not weak or confused. As God he may allow humanity in general, and the church more specifically, to wrestle with things and make mistakes, but he doesn’t lose control.

(2) The ascension of Christ: In Acts, Ephesians, and Hebrews we are given a picture of Jesus as reigning already. He hasn’t brought everything into full submission, but God’s chosen King (ala Psalm 2) and judge (ala Daniel 7) has been chosen. Christ our King advocates before God the Father for us.

(3) The infilling of the Holy Spirit: Even when we disagree with one another we must realize that together we create the Temple of God. The Spirit dwells in our midst. We are not alone to make decisions in the dark. Christ has send the Spirit as our guide, counselor, and comforter.

(4) The invitation to prayer: I don’t know how prayer works. I do know that God invites us to pray. Sometimes I find peace in talking to God about the things that unnerve me–both personally and ecclesiastically. God listens and hears.

(5) The Scripture provide a context: Some may see Scripture as the thing that causes confusion, “If we didn’t have those pesky passages about women being silent in the church we could get past this whole debate over gender equality.” I understand that, but I wouldn’t want the alternative where we debate what it means to be a Christian without the story of Israel, Jesus, and the church. As with my example from Acts 15 it is Scripture itself that tells me about how my forefathers and mothers in the faith wrestled with change.

What should Christians do about this and think about that? We must debate and discuss, but we are not alone. God has not lost control. Jesus reigns. The Spirit guides us. We are invited to pray to our God. Scripture shows us that we are part of the same people of God who have gone through many changes in the past.