2139.—"No Man Hath Ascended into Heaven."
By Editor
Thru the medium of your valuable paper please enlighten me in regard to the declaration of Jesus to Nicodemus (John 3:13), "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven." S. E. B. Read the context. The question is not the mere ascension or descent from heaven, but a matter of teaching. Jesus said, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?" The thought is that no man has ascended up to heaven and obtained these things and who came down and taught them to earth but Jesus Christ Himself. Others have ascended; the Lord has not sent them back to be our teachers. Jesus Christ came down from heaven bringing life and truth to the world, and He is the only One who has so done. He brought with Him the very atmosphere of heaven, and His work while here upon earth was to live and bestow the heavenly life.