Luke 24:51 - Printer Friendly

ESV: While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

NIV: While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

NASB: While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

CSB: And while he was blessing them, he left them and was carried up into heaven.

NLT: While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.

KJV: And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

NKJV: Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

Jesus has explained how the Old Testament prophets told of His suffering. The disciples witnessed this before and while Jesus bled from the cross. Now, the disciples get to witness the other promise: Jesus "enter into his glory" (Luke 24:26–27).

Jesus had explained why He had to return to heaven during the Last Supper (John 14; 16). His return to heaven meant sending the Holy Spirit to indwell believers. The Holy Spirit will "convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (John 16:8), "declare…the things that are to come" (John 16:13), and glorify Christ (John 16:14).

Luke later tells Theophilus that the disciples don't immediately leave after Jesus rose into heaven. They gaze into heaven until two men dressed in white robes—angels—give them a similar message to the one given the women who came to the empty tomb. Instead of, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" (Luke 24:5), they say, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

This time, they believe. They return to Jerusalem and celebrate in the temple, praising God that the Jewish Messiah has come and will come again (Luke 24:52–53).

Luke 24:50–53 is the first of two times Luke records Jesus' ascension. Acts 1:6–11 gives more detail. It has been forty days since the crucifixion. Christ must return to heaven so the Holy Spirit can indwell His followers and they can build the church. He takes the disciples to Bethany where they watch Him ascend into the heavens. The disciples return to Jerusalem. There, they replace Judas and praise God in the temple until the Holy Spirit comes ten days later.

After Jesus is executed and buried (Luke 23:52–53), the women who had followed Him from Galilee come to improve His burial condition. They find an open, empty tomb and angels. The disciples are informed. Two of them spend time speaking with a stranger while walking, only to realize it was Jesus Himself. Jesus appears to His followers, eating fish and explaining how His role as Messiah was predicted in Scripture. Jesus then ascends to heaven while His disciples worship.

Luke 24 describes how Jesus' followers learned of His resurrection. Luke 23 recorded His legal trials, crucifixion, death, and burial. Acts chapter 1, also written by Luke, explains how Jesus' followers prepare for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church. Luke 24's theme is the fulfillment of prophecy from Jesus and the Old Testament prophets. Once Jesus' followers understand, He returns to heaven. Matthew 28 includes how the Sanhedrin bribed the guards. John chapter 20 adds Thomas coming to believe while chapter 21 records Peter's reconciliation with Jesus.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.