"And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. (51) And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (52) And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: (53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen."
The Evangelist hath made a long step, from this first day of Christ's resurrection, to the day of his ascension, which this paragraph relates. Luke himself, who was the writer of this Gospel; was the writer also of the Acts of the Apostles. And in the opening of the records there, he speaks of Jesus having shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3. But the Evangelist takes no notice in his Gospel of any further appearance of Christ during those forty days after his resurrection, beside those we have gone through, but at once proceeds to record the particulars of his ascension.
He led them as far as Bethany. If the town of Bethany, where Lazarus and his sisters dwelt, be meant, that place was very memorable to Jesus; and numberless instances of past events were upon Jesus's mind. And if, as some have thought, there was a little mount so called close to the Mount of Olives, the garden of Gethsemane was at the foot of it, and still more interesting scenes then opened to the Lord. See Mark 11:1. I do not venture to decide, but I merely direct the Reader to that memorable prophecy of Zechariah, Zechariah 14:4. whether this prediction referred to this great event? I think it might. But I also think, there may be a day yet to be seen, when it will be more fully realized. Job 19:25
I have only in the close of Luke's Gospel, and in this most interesting scene of our Lord's ascension, to beg the Reader to observe the several sweet and precious things here recorded. The farewell of Jesus! How affectionate and how tender! He was now going to his Church above, The Abrahams, and the Isaacs, and the Jacobs, waited and longed for his coming. But amidst all this, Jesus's heart was still with his redeemed below. He said himself, I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you. John 14:18. Precious Lord! Sure I am from this proof, if there were no other, (and there are thousands), thy Church on earth is as dear to thee as thy Church in heaven.
There is somewhat very gracious, that Jesus, while in the act of blessing his Church, should be parted from them, and carried up into heaven. Yes! this was not without significancy. The blessing of Jesus is continued. It is one great whole. There is no interruption. The Jewish High Priest typified Christ in the lifting up of his hands. He, however, prayed for it. Jesus commanded it. Our Great High Priest ascended therefore, while blessing, as if to say that his blessing is forever. And, as in the instance of Manoah, Christ ascended in the fragrancy of his own incense. Judges 13:20
The joy of the Apostles forms a blessed conclusion to this most precious Gospel of Luke. They worshipped him as God. They had now sweet and precious views, since Jesus opened their understanding, to the apprehension of the Person, Work, Offices, Character, and Relation of the Lord, Jesus; and were now only waiting the Ordination of God the Holy Ghost, as promised, to send them forth in the ministry. They waited therefore daily in the temple for this blessing, praising and adoring the Lord. And the Evangelist hath put an Amen to the whore, as one of the precious names of Jesus, in confirmation of the glorious record. Amen. Reader! can You and I, from a conscious interest in the saving truths, put to it our Amen, as our Jesus? Isaiah 65:16; Revelation 3:14.