What Is Ascension Day?

Thursday, May 9, is Ascension Day, which is a public holiday in many countries, the Christian Today website reports today (May 10, 2024).

The English word "to ascend " means to go up, and an "ascent" process of doing it. In English, we talk about "ascent of Mount Everest or a person's" arcension  to the presidency." In theology, ascension is the idea that some individuals  ascend to heavenwithout dying first or first die and are bodily resurrected and taken into heaven.  

In the Bible, the idea  of ascension is sometimes applied to Enoch, who was Noah's great-grandfather. The text says, " And Enoch walked with God: and he was not ; for God took him." (Genesis, 5:24). It is not totally clear what that means, but some people interpret it to mean that Enoch had an ascension ionto heaven. A clearer story is told of Elijah . The text reads "behold, there appeared a  chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went uo by a" whirlwind into heaven." (2 Kings2:n).

After the resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples . The scene of the Ascension is the Mount of Olives near Bethany near Jerusalem. The Gospel accounts by Matthew and John do not record the ascension, but it is recorded by Mark and Luke. Mark mentions it at the end of his Gospel where it reads: "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God (Luke 24: 52--53).

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