He ascended into heaven


After He was done with the disciples training, He went up into the sky where He was no longer seen by the disciples. He went to the farthest place in heaven, “The Right Hand of God,” where He is above all created things. The Second Helvetic Confession states,

The Second Helvetic Confession CHRIST IS TRULY ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. CHAPTER XI Of Jesus Christ, True God and Man,the Only Savior of the World

Jesus did not take a ride some human invention or fly off on a UFO. He was not abducted by space aliens. Nor is he a superhuman with a cape flying off with superhuman powers.

The definition of Ascend

The definition of the word ascend can be found in the Hebrew and the Greek.


<05927> עָלָה (alah) (748a)
Meaning: to go up, ascend, climb
Origin: a prim. root


<305> ἀναβαίνω (anabaino)
Meaning: to go up, ascend
Origin: from 303 and the same root as 939
Strong’s New American Standard Bible Concordance

Both simply mean “to go up” into the sky. Simply put, when we say Christ ascended to heaven, we mean He went up into the sky so as not to be seen anymore.

The definition of Heaven in the Bible

The Definition of the word heaven is very simple. The Hebrew and Greek words are defined as follows.


<08064> שָׁמַ֫יִם (shamayim) (1029c)
Meaning: heaven, sky
Origin: from an unused word
Usage: astrologers*(1), compass(m)(1), earth(m)(1), heaven(195), heavenly(3), heavens(152), heavens to the other*(1), highest heaven(2), highest heavens(4), horizons(1), sky(50).
Notes: 1 )Or, firmament


<3772> οὐρανός, οῦ, ὁ (ouranos) {oo-ran-os’}
Origin: perhaps from the same as 3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky; TDNT – 5:497,736; n m
Usage: AV – heaven 268, air 10, sky 5, heavenly + 1537; 284
Strong’s New American Standard Bible Concordance

Heaven simply means the sky and everything proceeding outward from the sky. Genesis has the story of creation where God created the Heavens and the Earth.

(Gen 1:6-8 NAS)

(Gen 1:14-20 NAS)

The Bible defines heaven in Genesis where we see the statement, “God called the expanse heaven.
This is the simplest and most acceptable explanation of what the Apostles and Prophets meant by heaven.

NOTE! Modern Christians try to show that the Bible is teaching 3 Heavens. This is simply not true. When talking about heaven, the early church had a “geocentric” viewpoint of heaven. We must not interpret the Bible with our modern day scientific notions. The Bible must always be interpreted with the understanding of what people believed at the time the documents were written. Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with explaining realities with an imprecise knowledge of science. It is similar to someone in the 1970’s explaining that Christ ascended past the planet “Pluto“, even though there is no planet Pluto. We know what they are saying, regardless of their scientific understanding. 500 years from now we will have a new explanation of our solar system that differs from ours today. There is no alarm in this. Science changes by the minute. For more information on the view of the Apostles and the Jews during Christs time, read “What did the Apostles believe about Heaven during Christs time?

Christ duties prior to His Ascension

After Christ rose from the dead, He stayed on earth for some time teaching the Apostles what to do next. He did not immediately ascend into heaven. The Westminster Larger Catechism states,

Westminster Larger Catechism Question 53

Christ appeared to the disciples 3 times

In the gospel of John, there are three accounts of the Apostles talking with Christ before His ascension.

(Joh 20:19-20 NAS)

(Joh 21:1-2 NAS)

(Joh 21:14 NAS)

Christ stayed on earth for some time prior to His ascension.

Christ was on Earth 40 days after His resurrection

In the beginning of Acts, Luke shows how Christ appeared to the disciples teaching them about the kingdom of God before He ascended to Heaven.

(Act 1:3 NAS)

Christs statement of not touching Him before His ascension

There are some who say Jesus would not let Mary touch Him after His resurrection because She was a Faithless woman (tasbeha.org – why did jesus told mary magdolin not to touch him?). They get this from the following statement in John.


(Joh 20:17 NAS)

Clearly Christ did not refuse anyone to touch Him. There are plenty of passages that show Christ telling people to touch Him.

(Mat 28:9 NAS)
(Luk 24:39 NAS)
(Joh 20:27 NAS)

Clearly when reading John 20:17, where Christ says not to touch Him, He is merely saying for her to get up and quickly go and tell the others. He was reassuring her that He was not going anywhere and that she will see Him again.

Christ ascended to heaven

The Bible emphatically teaches that Christ ascended into heaven. He did not dematerialize or fade away. He did not poof away though some cosmic transporter. He was not beamed up like on Star Trek. He simply went up towards the sky.


(Luk 24:51 NAS) ** NAS Notes (Luk 24:51): 1 )Some mss. do not include and was carried up into heaven

The Bible does teach that the clouds are his mode of transportation. As He ascended into the clouds so He will come in the clouds.

(Act 1:9-11 NAS)

So where did Christ go? Is he floating in outer space somewhere? The location where Christ ascended is explained clearly in the Bible.

Christ ascended above the heavens to the furthest part of heaven

The Bible teaches that Christ did not merely go to “Paradise” where God’s people go at death. He went to the farthest part of heaven before God Himself where no created being can go.

(Eph 4:8-10 NAS)

Christ went farther than that. This “far above” location is called “The Right Hand of God” and is above all the heavens.

So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. (Mar 16:19 NAS See also, Act 2:34-36 and Eph 1:20)

The placement of Christ at the right Hand of God exalts Him above all things in the highest part of heaven. He is above and over everthing in existence. The Westminster Larger Catechism states it well.

Christ was exalted in his ascension, . . .(He) visibly went up into the highest heavens, there to receive gifts for men, to raise up our affections thither, and to prepare a place for us, where himself is, and shall continue till his second coming at the end of the world.
Westminster Larger Catechism Question 53

He went to where no created being can go. Only Christ can stand before and with God Himself, where all things are His subjects.

(Joh 3:13-14 NAS)

(1Pe 3:21-22 NAS)

The ascension of Christ is an essential part of our salvation. If Christ had not ascended to heaven before God, we would not have a mediator between God and us. He would merely be roaming around earth.

Christs ascension is necessary for the atonement for our sins

The ascension and atonement go “hand in hand.” Christ goes before God on our behalf, to keep our salvation sure. He intercedes for us as our advocate.

(Heb 9:24 NAS)