Acts 1:9-12 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.… I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES. 1. While blessing His disciples (Luke 24:50, 51; cf. Leviticus 9:22). The first tidings of our Saviour's birth were attended with blessings to men; and when He died, He breathed out His soul in blessings to His enemies. So now He is translated into heaven with a blessing in His mouth. And, indeed, His whole life was a blessing to mankind — a blessed pattern to us; in imitation whereof we should endeavour that our whole life may be h blessing too. 2. In the view of His disciples. After the apostles were fully convinced by several appearances that He was indeed risen; that they might be fully satisfied that He came from God and went to Him, He was in their sight taken up. And this is no small confirmation of the truth of our religion. 3. In a cloud fitly represents the law. Elias was carried up by a whirlwind in a fiery chariot, with horses of fire: but our Saviour in a cloud; to signify to us the coolness and calmness of the gospel dispensation, in comparison of that of the law; which difference our Saviour had before observed to His disciples upon a remarkable occasion (Luke 9:54, 55). And there is likewise another difference. The blessing which Elijah left to Elisha is conceived in very doubtful words (2 Kings 2:9). This was suitable to the obscurity of the law; but our Saviour makes a plain and absolute promise of the Holy Ghost, answerable to the clearness and grace of the gospel (ver. 8). 4. Into heaven (ver. 11). And this is elsewhere more particularly expressed, by declaring the dignity to which He was exalted (Mark 16:19). This exaltation of Christ was conferred upon Him as a reward of His great humiliation and sufferings (Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 2:9, 10). II. THE CONSEQUENT BENEFITS. 1. The sending of the Holy Ghost in miraculous powers and gifts upon the apostles, to qualify them for the speedy and effectual propagation of the gospel, and to give credit to them in the preaching of it (John 16:7). 2. His powerful intercession for us at the right hand of God (Hebrews 9:24). 3. A mighty confirmation of our faith. (1) As to the truth of His doctrine in general. If after all the miracles of His life, and His resurrection from the dead, any man can doubt whether He came from God; yet this is evidence beyond all exception that God took Him to Himself. (2) As to His coming again to judge (Acts 10:42).Conclusion: The consideration of our Saviour's ascension is very comfortable to all true Christians. 1. In respect of our condition in this world. The Church, and every particular member of it, is exposed to trouble and danger; but it is a great comfort that we are under His patronage and protection, who hath "all power given Him in heaven and earth" (Hebrews 4:14, 15). 2. In respect of the happiness which we hope for in the next; world. No religion hath given men so sensible a demonstration of a blessed immortality as Christianity by the ascension. The reasonings of the philosophers concerning immortality besides their uncertainty are only calculated for the more refined and speculative part of mankind; but every man is capable of the force of this argument, that He who declared to the world another life after this, and the happy condition of good men in another world, was Himself visibly taken up into heaven. (Abp. Tillotson.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. |
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