We have come now in this study of N.T. Wright’s Simply Jesus to Jesus’ ascension into heaven and his enthronement as King of the nations of the world.[1] We’ve discovered in our journey to this point that heaven is not a place that is far away from us. Yes, it is the place, where God lives, but it isn’t a non-physical or immaterial place, nor is it a spiritual place as we’ve often been taught as Christians. When Luke tells us that Jesus ascended into heaven on a cloud (Acts 1:9), or when Paul mentions that Jesus was exalted to heaven (Philippians 2:9-11), they weren’t saying or even implying that Jesus died and went to heaven, and one day we’ll follow. No! it is more like Jesus is now in the next room, and one day we’ll join him there. We’re unable to physically see him, because flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (1Corinthians 15:50). In other words, it is not something within our power or ability to grasp and hold in this present life. We are able to “hear” the word of God in our hearts (Matthew 16:17), but our participation is limited. In fact, without Christ, it is impossible for flesh and blood to even sense the presence or reality of the Kingdom of God.
There are four things we need to consider, as we try to understand the meaning behind Jesus’ ascension into heaven and his enthronement there. First of all, as we’ve discussed often in this study, heaven and earth are not a long way apart. They are interlocked, and it is possible to go from one to the other at will, just as it was so in the Garden of Eden from the beginning. God broke into our world in the Person of Jesus. He was the walking Tabernacle/Temple of God during his public ministry, as recorded in the Gospel narratives. Jesus showed us what the Kingdom of God was supposed to be—God and man in partnership, living and acting together.
Secondly, just as changing forms, vis-à-vis God taking on flesh (John 1:1, 14) had an adverse effect upon Jesus’ power, vis-à-vis he was no longer omniscient, omnipotent or omnipresent (Philippians 2:6-8), so the reversal of that would add to Jesus’ power and enable him once again to be those things once again, which he gave up to become man (Philippians 2:9; cp. Matthew 28:18). Heaven is the place, where Jesus can be everywhere at once and exercise his almighty power over the nations. Jesus’ ascension was his enthronement (Psalm 2:1-12). The fact that the nations are still rebellious (Revelation 11:15, 18), does not negate the fact that Jesus rules today (Revelation 11:16-17).
Third, we must confess that, at some point, as we discuss Jesus in heaven as King of the nations, our words must become inept. After all, how can we, on earth—none of us ever seeing what goes on in heaven (cp. John 1:18)—ever be able to describe what we cannot see, hear, touch, smell or taste? Worldviews and language, itself, have suddenly become out of place and powerless (cp. 2Corinthians 12:4) to describe or convey the truth of what is happening. Suffice to say that, after his resurrection, Jesus was given all power/authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:9), vis-à-vis was made almighty, as he was prior to becoming man (Philippians 2:6-8). Luke represents this event as Jesus taken up in a cloud (Acts 1:9), and Daniel describes it as the Son of Man riding on a cloud and taken to the Ancient of Days, where he is given authority over the nations (Daniel 7:13-14).
Fourth, and finally, as it pertains to Jesus’ ascension into heaven and his enthronement over the nations, Luke is using language in Acts 1 that everyone in the Roman Empire would have understood. In BC 44, during the games held in honor of Julius Caesar, a comet appeared in the night sky, which the Roman people interpreted as proof that Caesar had ascended into heaven, where he became one of the gods. In BC 42 the Roman senate declared Julius Caesar was a god, which made Augustus Caesar the son of the god (Caesar).[2] Luke is a monotheist, so his language (Acts 1:9), although similar to Rome’s description of Julius Caesar, must be interpreted that Jesus did not become another god, but was God himself (John 1:1, 14), whose nature is too complex to accurately put into words. Suffice to say that just as the woman was brought out of the man and the two are one flesh (Genesis 2:23-24), so Jesus (the Son of God) has come out from the Father (John 16:27; 17:7-8) and the two are one Spirit.
The Book of Acts is Luke’s second work (Acts 1:1; cp. Luke 1:1-4). He began by telling us that Jesus ascended to heave on a cloud (Acts 1:9), implying his enthronement (Daniel 7:13-14). From there he rules over the earth, causing his servants to succeed in their efforts to spread the Gospel, even when it is under the very noses of the authorities who oppose them, but no one forbidding him to preach the Gospel (cp. Acts 28:16, 30-31). All things are accomplished from heaven through weakness instead of almighty power, because the Lord’s almighty power is expressed best in weakness (2Corinthians 12:9; 13:4).
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[1] Presently, we are involved in a kind of study of the book, Simply Jesus, written by my favorite Bible scholar, N.T. Wright. I say a kind of study, because, although I’ve used Dr. Wright’s book as a guide to this study, I haven’t always drawn the same conclusions, as he does in his book. At times what Dr. Wright wrote triggered other thoughts in my heart about the subject at hand, and I took the study in a slightly different direction. Therefore, one needs to ask whether he would agree that this study is enough like his book to be called a study of Simply Jesus in the first place. So, if one wishes to know for certain what Dr. Wright’s thoughts are on this subject, I encourage you to get a copy of his book and not depend upon this study as a kind of synopsis of his work.
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