Luke 9:51
. While the days of his being received up, etc. Luke alone relates this narrative, which, however, is highly useful on many accounts. For, first, it describes the divine courage and firmness of Christ (586) in despising death; secondly, what deadly enmities are produced by differences about religion; thirdly, with what headlong ardor the nature of man is hurried on to impatience; next, how ready we are to fall into mistakes in imitating the saints; and, lastly, by the example of Christ we are called to the exercise of meekness. The death of Christ is called his being received up, ( ἀνάληψις) not only because he was then withdrawn from the midst of us, (587) but because, leaving the mean prison of the flesh, he ascended on high.
(586) “ La magnanimite et constance admirable de Iesus Christ;” — “the wonderful magnanimity and firmness of Jesus Christ.”
(587) “ Non pas seulement pource qu il a lors este enleve et comme retranche du milieu des hommes;” — “not only because he was then raised up, and, as it were, withdrawn from the midst of men.”