Disciples and Women Praying in the Upper RoomBible World
24:52Luke 24:52
And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
After He led them out to Bethany on the Mount of Olives and blessed them with uplifted hands, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven, and they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy to praise God continually in the temple while waiting as He had commanded for power from on high. Their joy was not because they had been parted from their Master and left to struggle alone, which in itself would have been cause for mourning, nor was it the shame and defeat their enemies expected to see. They rejoiced in triumph because His resurrection and ascension fulfilled the Scriptures and assured them that this same Jesus would come again in person in like manner. They rejoiced also because He had gone to the Father to prepare a place for them and to carry forward as man's Advocate and Intercessor the atoning work He had finished by suffering death and answering the claims of the law, and because the promised Comforter would come to them as the equivalent for His visible presence. Made ready by seeing Him ascend and by the angels' testimony, they went forth and preached everywhere repentance and remission of sins in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem, with the Lord working with them.
Ascension Setting and Response
Luke 24:52 belongs to the account of Christ's final blessing, departure, and ascension, concluding Luke 24:50-53, and to His last words, resurrection appearances, promises, and triumphant return to heaven. He led the disciples out as far as Bethany on the Mount of Olives, a place associated with His ministry, prayers, and suffering, lifted up His hands and blessed them, and while blessing them was parted from them and carried up into heaven. The same mountain is where He will stand when He returns, not as a man of sorrows but as a glorious and triumphant king.
As He ascended He stretched out merciful, wounded hands as if embracing the whole world in the disciples and calling down a blessing on all His followers, with beams of light seeming to fall from those hands upon the watchers below. His countenance shone with heavenly brightness and smiled lovingly upon them, and He ascended in tangible human form in meekness and quietness in harmony with His life. What remained as their last remembrance and last sight was His loving expression, blessing, and character as sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer, distinctly keeping before them the beauty and majesty of His life and the mysterious union of divine and human in His nature.
At this they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising, blessing, and thanking God, with faces aglow with a happiness not born of earth. In obedience to His command to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high with the promise of the Father, they waited there before beginning their work.
Grounds of Disciples' Joy
Their great joy was not because they had been parted from Him, deprived of their Master, or left to struggle with trial and temptation and to face life without Him, which in itself was cause for personal mourning rather than joy. They did not mourn over disappointed hopes after His trial and crucifixion, nor return in shame, grief, sorrow, or defeat as their enemies expected to see. Their joy was in Him and in the hope and promises He had given, following their recognition that the Scriptures concerning Christ had been fulfilled. That joy and praise were an effect of the blessing of sanctification He had bestowed, making them loving, gentle, and kind.
They returned full of joy and triumph because His resurrection and ascension were a triumph for the church, trusting the risen Christ had gone to heaven. Their joy followed His resurrection and ascension and the angels' assurance that this same Jesus would come again in person in like manner as they had seen Him go, and that they would see Him. To the righteous that advent brings joy and hope, and this truth has been the consolation of God's faithful ones through all the ages. They rejoiced because of the promise that He would come again and that the Holy Spirit would come upon them as they waited in Jerusalem. The Comforter was assured to them as the equivalent for His visible presence, and He had told them to rejoice because He went to the Father. His promise that He had gone to prepare a place for them gave them joy and strengthened their hope in His personal return.
They rejoiced because Jesus had wrought out salvation for man, had suffered the penalty of death, answered the claims of the law, and become a perfect offering. He had gone to occupy His Father's throne to carry forward the work of atonement begun on earth as man's Advocate, Intercessor, and representative with the Father. They rejoiced in the assurance that the risen Christ is their living Saviour and Advocate in the heavenly courts, fitted by feeling human infirmities, sorrows, and temptations to plead for man. They rejoiced because the same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, worked at the carpenter's trade, sat weary by Jacob's well, slept in Peter's fishing boat, hungered and thirsted, took little children in His arms and blessed them, and was rejected, scourged, and crucified, ascended in the form of a man to take His place at the right hand of God. This patient, loving Saviour is to be the Christian's King and Judge, and the heavenly glory of His welcome was hidden from them so they could keep attention on His earthly character.
Commission and Continuing Witness
The worship, joy, obedient waiting, and praise of those who saw Jesus led out as far as Bethany, lift up His hands and bless them, and part from them to be carried up into heaven show how delegated messengers are to do exactly what Christ told them, cooperating with Him in the sacred trust of preaching repentance and remission of sins in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem while He fulfils His word to them. In obedience to His command to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high with the promise of the Father, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Having seen the Lord ascend and heard the angels' testimony that He had gone to occupy His Father's throne, with His last remembrance kept before them as the sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer whose visible ascent in meekness and quietness was in harmony with His life, they were prepared to take up again the burden of earthly life in a world of trial and to execute with courage and faithfulness the commission He had given them. Their joy was grounded in seeing Him ascend in tangible human form and in the assurance that this same Jesus would return in like manner, His final blessing and loving expression remaining their last sight while the heavenly glory of His welcome was hidden so they could keep attention on His earthly character and carry out His commission.
The passage in Luke 24:44-53 records Christ in His last words before His ascension giving the commission to preach the gospel, even repentance and remission of sins in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem, with the promised power of the Father sent upon them, and it charges preaching only what Christ has commanded as the special work God has given. That commission is not confined to the first disciples but is given to believers now, and the power promised to them is promised now. The chapter gives God's people their work, that after receiving the Holy Spirit they are to bear witness first in Jerusalem and then to all nations, carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth. The power enables mighty preaching of the gospel that converted thousands in a day, and is needed to warn fellow beings, to work for neighbors and the unenlightened, to enter unworked cities and make centers of truth, to bring Bible truth before many people, and to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord.
They then went forth and preached everywhere with the Lord working with them, with rejoicing telling the wonderful story of His resurrection and ascension. Their gladness and triumph came from Christ's resurrection and ascension, full of praise and thanksgiving to God with faces aglow with a happiness not born of earth, praising and thanking God and testifying about what they had seen. They did not mourn over disappointed hopes after His trial and crucifixion, nor return in downcast shame and sorrow and defeat as their enemies expected to see. Their glad testimony was received by many, so that the people looked upon them with amazement.
The wonderful twenty-fourth chapter of Luke to which the verse belongs shows that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save the sinful race, that everyone who repents and is converted receives the gift of salvation, that the Saviour made this possible by suffering the penalty of death, that all who come to the Father through faith in Christ, laying hold of the Saviour by faith and following His example, receive the assurance of the forgiveness of sins, and that the sufferings of Jesus make it possible for every soul to be sanctified through belief of the truth. Their joy was not because Jesus had been separated from them to leave them to struggle with trial and temptation, but because of the angels' assurance that He would come again in person even as He went into heaven. Their experience proves that to the righteous the advent of the Lord brings joy and hope, and that this truth has been the consolation of God's faithful ones through all the ages.
After He led them out to Bethany on the Mount of Olives and blessed them with uplifted hands, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven, and they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy to praise God continually in the temple while waiting as He had commanded for power from on high.
Their joy was not because they had been parted from their Master and left to struggle alone, which in itself would have been cause for mourning, nor was it the shame and defeat their enemies expected to see.
They rejoiced in triumph because His resurrection and ascension fulfilled the Scriptures and assured them that this same Jesus would come again in person in like manner.
They rejoiced also because He had gone to the Father to prepare a place for them and to carry forward as man's Advocate and Intercessor the atoning work He had finished by suffering death and answering the claims of the law, and because the promised Comforter would come to them as the equivalent for His visible presence.
Made ready by seeing Him ascend and by the angels' testimony, they went forth and preached everywhere repentance and remission of sins in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem, with the Lord working with them.
Ascension Setting and Response
Luke 24:52 belongs to the account of Christ's final blessing, departure, and ascension, concluding Luke 24:50-53, and to His last words, resurrection appearances, promises, and triumphant return to heaven. He led the disciples out as far as Bethany on the Mount of Olives, a place associated with His ministry, prayers, and suffering, lifted up His hands and blessed them, and while blessing them was parted from them and carried up into heaven. The same mountain is where He will stand when He returns, not as a man of sorrows but as a glorious and triumphant king.
As He ascended He stretched out merciful, wounded hands as if embracing the whole world in the disciples and calling down a blessing on all His followers, with beams of light seeming to fall from those hands upon the watchers below. His countenance shone with heavenly brightness and smiled lovingly upon them, and He ascended in tangible human form in meekness and quietness in harmony with His life. What remained as their last remembrance and last sight was His loving expression, blessing, and character as sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer, distinctly keeping before them the beauty and majesty of His life and the mysterious union of divine and human in His nature.
At this they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising, blessing, and thanking God, with faces aglow with a happiness not born of earth. In obedience to His command to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high with the promise of the Father, they waited there before beginning their work.
Grounds of Disciples' Joy
Their great joy was not because they had been parted from Him, deprived of their Master, or left to struggle with trial and temptation and to face life without Him, which in itself was cause for personal mourning rather than joy. They did not mourn over disappointed hopes after His trial and crucifixion, nor return in shame, grief, sorrow, or defeat as their enemies expected to see. Their joy was in Him and in the hope and promises He had given, following their recognition that the Scriptures concerning Christ had been fulfilled. That joy and praise were an effect of the blessing of sanctification He had bestowed, making them loving, gentle, and kind.
They returned full of joy and triumph because His resurrection and ascension were a triumph for the church, trusting the risen Christ had gone to heaven. Their joy followed His resurrection and ascension and the angels' assurance that this same Jesus would come again in person in like manner as they had seen Him go, and that they would see Him. To the righteous that advent brings joy and hope, and this truth has been the consolation of God's faithful ones through all the ages. They rejoiced because of the promise that He would come again and that the Holy Spirit would come upon them as they waited in Jerusalem. The Comforter was assured to them as the equivalent for His visible presence, and He had told them to rejoice because He went to the Father. His promise that He had gone to prepare a place for them gave them joy and strengthened their hope in His personal return.
They rejoiced because Jesus had wrought out salvation for man, had suffered the penalty of death, answered the claims of the law, and become a perfect offering. He had gone to occupy His Father's throne to carry forward the work of atonement begun on earth as man's Advocate, Intercessor, and representative with the Father. They rejoiced in the assurance that the risen Christ is their living Saviour and Advocate in the heavenly courts, fitted by feeling human infirmities, sorrows, and temptations to plead for man. They rejoiced because the same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, worked at the carpenter's trade, sat weary by Jacob's well, slept in Peter's fishing boat, hungered and thirsted, took little children in His arms and blessed them, and was rejected, scourged, and crucified, ascended in the form of a man to take His place at the right hand of God. This patient, loving Saviour is to be the Christian's King and Judge, and the heavenly glory of His welcome was hidden from them so they could keep attention on His earthly character.
Commission and Continuing Witness
The worship, joy, obedient waiting, and praise of those who saw Jesus led out as far as Bethany, lift up His hands and bless them, and part from them to be carried up into heaven show how delegated messengers are to do exactly what Christ told them, cooperating with Him in the sacred trust of preaching repentance and remission of sins in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem while He fulfils His word to them. In obedience to His command to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high with the promise of the Father, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Having seen the Lord ascend and heard the angels' testimony that He had gone to occupy His Father's throne, with His last remembrance kept before them as the sympathizing Friend and glorified Redeemer whose visible ascent in meekness and quietness was in harmony with His life, they were prepared to take up again the burden of earthly life in a world of trial and to execute with courage and faithfulness the commission He had given them. Their joy was grounded in seeing Him ascend in tangible human form and in the assurance that this same Jesus would return in like manner, His final blessing and loving expression remaining their last sight while the heavenly glory of His welcome was hidden so they could keep attention on His earthly character and carry out His commission.
The passage in Luke 24:44-53 records Christ in His last words before His ascension giving the commission to preach the gospel, even repentance and remission of sins in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem, with the promised power of the Father sent upon them, and it charges preaching only what Christ has commanded as the special work God has given. That commission is not confined to the first disciples but is given to believers now, and the power promised to them is promised now. The chapter gives God's people their work, that after receiving the Holy Spirit they are to bear witness first in Jerusalem and then to all nations, carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth. The power enables mighty preaching of the gospel that converted thousands in a day, and is needed to warn fellow beings, to work for neighbors and the unenlightened, to enter unworked cities and make centers of truth, to bring Bible truth before many people, and to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord.
They then went forth and preached everywhere with the Lord working with them, with rejoicing telling the wonderful story of His resurrection and ascension. Their gladness and triumph came from Christ's resurrection and ascension, full of praise and thanksgiving to God with faces aglow with a happiness not born of earth, praising and thanking God and testifying about what they had seen. They did not mourn over disappointed hopes after His trial and crucifixion, nor return in downcast shame and sorrow and defeat as their enemies expected to see. Their glad testimony was received by many, so that the people looked upon them with amazement.
The wonderful twenty-fourth chapter of Luke to which the verse belongs shows that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save the sinful race, that everyone who repents and is converted receives the gift of salvation, that the Saviour made this possible by suffering the penalty of death, that all who come to the Father through faith in Christ, laying hold of the Saviour by faith and following His example, receive the assurance of the forgiveness of sins, and that the sufferings of Jesus make it possible for every soul to be sanctified through belief of the truth. Their joy was not because Jesus had been separated from them to leave them to struggle with trial and temptation, but because of the angels' assurance that He would come again in person even as He went into heaven. Their experience proves that to the righteous the advent of the Lord brings joy and hope, and that this truth has been the consolation of God's faithful ones through all the ages.