Jesus’ Ascension may not seem as big of a deal as the Resurrection, or as rousing as the image of Jesus on the cross. Moreover, though we might be loath to admit it, after Good Friday and Easter, in fact, the Ascension might even seem somewhat anti-climactic. Still, nothing Jesus did was unimportant, and as this was his last action on earth, it very much deserves our consideration. In ascending to heaven, the work God sent Jesus to do was finally completed. The Ascension was a living and public declaration of his dying words on the Cross: It is finished. In the Ascension, Jesus furthered the victory of Easter—the victory of a physical body in whom God had conquered death.
It’s precisely because of the Ascension that the incarnation is not a past or throwaway event; because of the Ascension, we know that the incarnate Son who was raised from the dead is sharing in our humanity even now. Ascension Day, a holy day falling inconspicuously on a Thursday, is the declaration that we are not—as Jesus promised—left as orphans. In the same post-resurrection body that he invited Thomas to touch; Jesus invites us to full humanity even today. He ascended with a body, he shares in our humanity, extending his own body even now, promising to return for our own bodies. Christ is preparing a room for us, and we know it is real because he himself is real.
Ascension is fleshed out in Pentecost. In fact, as Advent is to Christmas and Good Friday to Easter, so Ascension is to Pentecost. As Good Friday and Easter form two hinges on which the door of justification is opened for the church in historical concreteness, so Ascension and Pentecost are the two hinges which open the door to salvation’s application. Thus, Ascension is a transitional celebration. Christ’s transition to the higher life of glory, begun in resurrection, was perfected in Ascension.
Likewise, Ascension is the prerequisite for Pentecost. The Spirit could not come in His fullness to open the gospel message fully, until Christ first ascended into heaven. In this sense, Ascension and Pentecost must be spoken of in one breath. They are two sides of the same coin: God’s completing touch on historical redemption.
This is not to say that ascension has no significance in and of itself. On the contrary, it marks the crowning act of Jesus’ work. Christ went to heaven to be crowned with honor; hence, when He had successfully completed the work which His Father had given Him to do, God highly exalted Him, giving Him a name which is above every name. Moreover, Christ has cardinal work to perform as ascended Lord and threefold office-bearer on behalf of His church.