1:9 Jesus Christ's ascension necessarily preceded the descent of the Holy Spirit to baptize and indwell believers in God's plan (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; Acts 2:33-36). "While they were looking on"stresses the fact that the apostles really saw Jesus ascending, which they witnessed to later. This reference supports the credibility of their witness. In previous post-resurrection appearances Jesus had vanished from the disciples' sight instantly (Luke 24:31), but now He gradually departed from them. The cloud seems clearly to be a reference to the shekinah, the visible symbol of the glorious presence of God (cf. Exod. 40:34; Matt. 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7). Thus what the disciples saw was the symbol of God's presence receiving and enveloping Jesus into heaven. This connoted God's approval of Jesus and Jesus' entrance into the glory of God.
"It was necessary that as Jesus in a moment of time had arrived in the world in a moment of time He should leave it."46
1:10-11 "Intently"(Gr. atenizein) further stresses that these men really did see Jesus ascend (v. 2; Luke 24:51).47"Into the sky"(lit. into heaven, eis ton ouranon) occurs four times in these two verses. Luke emphasized that Jesus was now in heaven. From there He would continue His ministry on earth through His apostles and other witnesses. The two "men"were angelic messengers who looked like men (cf. Matt. 28:3; John 20:12; Luke 24:4).48The 11 disciples were literally "men of Galilee"(v. 11). Judas Iscariot was the only one of the Twelve who originated from Judea.49The "men"announced two things: the Jesus they had known had entered into His heavenly abode, and the Jesus they had known would return to the earth. Jesus ascended in a cloud personally, bodily, visibly, and gloriously, and He will return the same way (Dan. 7:13; Matt. 24:30; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 24:50-51; Rev. 1:7).50He will also return to the same place, the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4).51
"Throughout the period of the post-resurrection forty days, Jesus had frequently appeared to the disciples, and during the intervals he had disappeared. Each time, apparently, they had no reason to suppose that he would not reappear shortly, and until this time he had not disappointed them."52
What filled these disciples with great joy (Luke 24:52) was probably the hope that they would see Jesus again soon. Without this hope His departure would have made them very sad. The joyful prospect of the Lord's return should have the same effect on us.
John Maile summarized the significance of the ascension narratives in Luke-Acts as follows. First, he stated, "The ascension is the confirmation of the exaltation of Christ and his present Lordship."Second, it is "the explanation of the continuity between the ministry of Jews and that of the church."Third, it is "the culmination of the resurrection appearances."Fourth, it is "the prelude to the sending of the Spirit."Fifth, it is "the foundation of Christian mission."Sixth, it is "the pledge of the return of Christ."53
"Rightly understood, the ascension narratives of Luke . . . provide a crucial key to the unlocking of Luke's theology and purpose."54
"Luke's point is that the missionary activity of the early church rested not only on Jesus' mandate but also on his living presence in heaven and the sure promise of his return."55
"In Luke's mind the Ascension of Christ has two aspects: in the Gospel it is the end of the story of Jesus, in Acts it is the beginning of the story of the Church, which will go on until Christ comes again. Thus for Luke, as Barrett says, the end of the story of Jesus is the Church, and the story of Jesus is the beginning of the Church'."56
