He led them out as far as to Bethany;— The town of Bethany was about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem; John 11:18 whereas the place from which our Lord ascended on mount Olivet, was but a sabbath-day's journey, or about half that distance from Jerusalem; Acts 1:12. So that to reconcile what St. Luke here tells us in his gospel, with the account that he gives of our Lord's ascension in the Acts, we must conclude, that he conducted his disciples only to the boundaries of Bethany, which came much nearer to Jerusalem, and took in part of the mount of Olives. See on Matthew 21:1. It is indeed possible that our Lord might make his last visit on earth to Lazarus and his pious sisters; but it is manifest that he did not ascend from the town of Bethany, where many others must have seen him; but from the mount of Olives, where none beheld him but his own disciples;nor is there any intimation in the words of the evangelists that he came from Bethany to the mount of Olives on the day of his ascension; but rather that he went directly from Jerusalem thither. Lifting up the hands was an attitude of blessing, as well as of prayer. See Genesis 19:23; Genesis 48:14-15; Genesis 48:22. It has been observed, that it was much more proper that our Lord should ascend to heaven in the sight of his apostles, than that he should arise from the dead in their sight; for his resurrection was abundantly proved to them, when they saw him alive after his passion; but they could not see him in heaven while they continued upon earth, unless in vision.
Related Commentaries of Luke 24:50
Luke 24:50
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.