The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-12-20
Jesus Ascends Into Heaven.


delineation Of this transcendent
scene. Take, for example, the
closing verses of the gospels OF
Mark and Luke. the opening par
agraph of the Book of Acts and
Psalm xviii, 1913.
On a certain day conspicuous
and memorable, last of the forty
mystic days since His resurrection,
Jesus led His disciples to we'll re-
member Olivet. Together they
went down into the deep chasm
and across the Brook Kedron, past
Gethsemane, place Of agony and
betrayal, along the oft-trodden
road, the very way by which,
strewn with garments and palm
branches, He had approached the
city in triumph, and so on toward
Bethany.
The text i'll Acts reads, And
being assembled together with
them;" the margin reads, Eating
together with them" This was
the real "last supper" Under
some grateful shade, beside some
trimming fountain, they sat.
The ten recorded appearances,
and the many not recorded had
helped to wear away in good part
the preternatural character of the
risen Savior's associations with
His disciples. So that this last
instance of personal contact was
prominently natural, social, and
solacing.
Under these favorable conditions,
Iesus' last commands, which are
of inexpressible Importance, are
now communicated. Personal safety
would have suggested to the disci-
pies immediate flight from Jerusa-
lem, Two days would have taken
them to happy Galilee, with its
comparative seCurity-far from
the melancholy scenes of the
Savior's betrayal, humiliation, and
and death. But Jesus offsets the
dictates of the heart and flesh with
His direct command that they
should not depart from Jerusalem.
He promises the effusion of the
Spirit, Here inveterate racial
prejudice intrudes the question
whether this is the time when the
kingdom will be restored to Israel.
Jesus patience is unfailing. He
shows how an exclusive pride of
race can have no place in the
worldwide dimensions of His COM
ing kingdom.
Frederick w. Robertson has
spoken discriminating words upon
progress by oblivion of the Past. "
But there is also helpful oblivion
of the. .Future-there is a blessed
ness i'll not knowing "times and
seasons" with absolute precision.
The disciples are encouraged by
the affirmation that the kingdom is
near. They are not told how near
in order that they may be alert.
1t is surprising to notice that the
commentators magnify the resur-
rection of the Lord at the expense
of His ascension. Among all the
lives Of Jesus, scarcely one devotes
more than a single paragraph to
the latter scene. This is phil O.
sophically wrong. The whole life
of Jesus was an ascending scale.
1t was progressive and cumulative.
The lastsc or Olives brow was
splendid golden climax and tri-
umph of the inspiration of which
the Church ought not to be rob-
bed.
The last attitude in which Jesus
appeared on earth was that of
hands Cutstretched in benediction.
"And He lifted up His hands and
blessed them, and while He bless
ed them" Could anything be
more significant? The whole
tenor and purpose of His life was
to bless. What mute significance
in this last act and attitude.
While in this very act He was
parted from Internationally. He
stood aside from them''-as the