The centrality of Christ’s ascension

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A case could be made from John’s Gospel for regarding the crucifixion as the climax of Jesus’ ministry.  For it is from the cross that Jesus is recorded as crying, triumphantly, “It is finished!”

More frequently, the resurrection is placarded as marking the completion of Jesus’ work.  The crucified Jesus, preaches Peter, was raised from the dead (Acts 2).  Paul preached ‘Jesus and the resurrection’ (Acts 17:18).  In 1 Cor 15:3f the summary of the gospel is that ‘Christ died for our sins…was buried…and was raised on the third day.’…

Phil 3:11 – Paul uncertain of his resurrection?

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3:10 My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, 3:11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

The word for ‘resurrection’ – exanastasis – is used only here in the NT (the usual word being anastasis).  But Paul’s meaning is detected not by the use of this word but (according to F.F.…

Jn 14:3 – “If I go…I will come again”

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“And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too.”

What does our Lord mean, when he speaks of ‘going’ and ‘coming again’?

There are two main interpretative options:

(a) ‘I am going to heaven to prepare a place for you there, and at my parousia I will return and take you there, so that you will be with me for ever.’…

Jn 14:2 – “My Father’s house”

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“There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house.“

Various alternatives need to be considered.

(a) Temple?

Kanagaraj suggests:

‘The phrase “my Father’s house” could denote the temple (Jn 2:16). Possibly there is a temple motif here that identifies the Father’s house as a heavenly temple into which Jesus, the high priest, will enter with his own blood after his death and resurrection to offer eternal redemption (Heb 9:12, 24).’

Gundry notes that:

‘Most interpretations of Jesus’ statement have it that he’s referring to heaven.

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Mt 19:13–15, Mk 10:13–16 and Lk 18:15–17 – ‘Like a child’

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This teaching is found, with some variations, Mt 19:13–15, Mk 10:13–16 and Lk 18:15–17.

This is Luke’s version;

8:15 Now people were even bringing their babies to him for him to touch. But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them. 18:16 But Jesus called for the children, saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.…

Lk 1:28 – “Greetings, favoured one!”

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Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 1:27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 1:28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!”

‘Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour!’ (JB);
‘Hail, thou that art highly favoured’ (AV);
‘Hail, O favoured one’ (RSV),
‘Greetings, favoured one!’…

Mk 16:8 – The ending of Mark’s Gospel

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Verse 8 forms a stangely abrupt ending to the Gospel.  And yet, many of the oldest and best manuscripts do not have vv9-20.

According to Edwards, this presents ‘the gravest textual problem in the NT.’

Steve Wells (Skeptic’s Annotated Bible) thinks that believers find this longer ending ’embarrassing’.  But no: they find it puzzling, but not embarrassing.  Nearly every translation and modern commentary discusses the issue, agreeing with more or less certainty that the text is ‘doubtful’ in its authenticity.…

Rev 20:2 – ‘A thousand years’

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20:1 Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 20:2 He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and tied him up for a thousand years. 20:3 The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)…

1 Corinthians 4:1 – ‘under-rowers’?

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4:1 One should think about us this way—as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

The word ‘servants’, ‘hyperetas’, is thought to be derived from ‘eresso’, ‘to row’ and ‘hypo’, ‘below’, and thus to mean (‘literally’) ‘under-rower’.  Lay preachers and popular writers tend to make much of this.  Wiersbe, for example, writes:

‘The word translated ministers is literally “under-rowers.” It described the slaves who rowed the huge Roman galleys.

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Cross Vision 7 – Rorschach God

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A precis of chapter 7.

Often, what we think we see in other people, or God, is simply a projection of our own character and attitudes.

The Pharisees studies the Scriptures diligently.  But they failed to see Christ in them, because ‘they did not have the love of God in their hearts’ (Jn 5:39-42).  When our hearts are not right, misunderstanding abounds (Jn 2:19-22; 8:43; Mt 13:15).

Many (including Jesus’ disciples) expected a Messiah who brought military victory. …