The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God

by Tim Chester, Jonny Woodrow

Who is this ascended Jesus? He is King, Priest and man and is still at work. Ultimately he is humanity in the presence of God. Here we discover how we are a part of the Ascension. With the Spirit’s enlightening we can begin to understand the Ascension. Tim Chester introduces us to this important doctrine.

Genres: Theology, Religion

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2013

About the author

Dr Tim Chester is involved in The Crowded House, a church planting initiative in Sheffield, UK. He was previously Research & Policy Director for Tearfund UK, and has been published widely on prayer, mission, social issues and theology. He is married to Helen and has two daughters.

Reviews

[Josh Ens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chester and Woodrow’s book provides Christians with a sense of the wonder and mystery of the ascension of Christ to heaven. By admitting up front that the ascension is 'weird', at least in the eyes of unbelievers, the authors cement their commitment to all that the Bible has to say about this unique event. Wonderful introduction.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful little book (only 94 pages) on the much neglected doctrine of the ascension of Christ. Chester and Woodrow provide a popular-level survey of this doctrine's significance, particularly through the lens of Christ as the ascended priest, king, and man. This book helped me see much more clearly how essential Christ's ascension is for our salvation. What follows here is a detailed summary of the book.

In the introduction, the authors begin by citing the ascension text in Acts 1:6-11 and then acknowledging what is surely the view of many: "the ascension of Jesus is weird" and "it can also feel a bit disappointing" (8). Why did Jesus not stay on the earth permanently following His resurrection? Would that not have been a superior strategy for the success of world evangelization? The authors argue that Christ's ascension is good news, not at all a bad strategy of God. Its reality is essential for salvation and mission. It is better that Jesus is physically absent from the earth than if He had stayed, for He is "our man in heaven" who is "securing our salvation by His presence" (10). Having received all authority, He has sent us out to proclaim Him.

In chapter one, the authors identify the core pieces of the ascension in Acts 1--"being taken up" and "being hidden by a cloud"--both of which occur earlier in Scripture, particularly with Moses at Mt. Sinai (14). Moses ascends Sinai to represent the people where God is hidden by a cloud, just as Christ ascends to heaven on behalf of His people to appear before God where He is hidden by a cloud. Also, the earthly tabernacle revealed to Moses is a copy of the tabernacle in heaven. "The real action takes place in heaven." (16) At the earthly tabernacle sacrifices are offered. The people have a mediator between them and God, the high priest. What happened at the earthly tabernacle was "a kind of pre-enactment of the ascension." (18, emphasis original) All of this Old Testament background to Jesus' ascension is central to the theology of Hebrews, which contains several references to the ascension and repeatedly affirms that Christ has entered the real heavenly sanctuary (over against the earthly tabernacle). Christ's atonement was not finished until the ascension. The good news of the ascension is that Christ's presence before God ensures our presence before God. Christ will never leave heaven, so our salvation is secure; in His second coming, Christ brings heaven to earth. For those who doubt, they can look to Christ in heaven on their behalf and be assured. When the church on earth gathers to worship, they join in the worship of heaven with Jesus as the lead minister. "Jesus is humanity in the presence of God." (27) Those who belong to Him by faith "appear in the presence of the Father" in Him and "can no sooner be removed from God's presence than Jesus can." (27)

In chapter two, the authors begin by connecting Jesus' ascension to Jesus' present rule and reign: "the story of the ascension is the story of the enthronement of Jesus as king of the world." (29) The ascension is central to the ending of the Gospel according to Luke and the beginning of its sequel, the book of Acts. Chester and Woodrow then trace the theme of God's king through Luke and examine the ascension "from above" by unpacking Daniel 7 (36). There is also this comparison between David and Christ: "David spent much of his life on the margins as the anointed-but-not-yet king before he was finally enthroned and made Jerusalem his capital. Jesus spends much of His life on the margins as the anointed-but-not-yet king before being acclaimed king as He enters Jerusalem." (39) At Jesus' temptation, Satan does a "pseudo-ascension" in taking Jesus up a mountain, but Christ as the Second Adam "rejects the rule of the Serpent and chooses a route to the throne in submission to God." (40-41) This route to heaven renders Jesus the ruler of the whole world and not just Israel. This all has implications for the present reign of Jesus and the mission of Christ's people: "Jesus reigns when people submit to the gospel and He extends His reign throughout the earth through the mission of His people" (41). In his Gospel, Matthew connects Jesus' ascension (all authority has been given to Jesus) with mission (Matthew 28:18-20), as the authors summarize: "The ascension is the foundation of global mission; mission is the logic of the ascension." (42) Evangelism entails declaring the truth of the ascended King and the offered terms of peace with that King. Such cosmic news ought to strengthen the church to be bold, not to hunker down in fear; yet, it is not easy in the here and now until Christ returns. Weak and oppressed Christians need to remember Christ's ascension. Christ reigns now and goes with His people in, and provides their needs for, mission. Finally, the ascension creates the overlap of the ages in which the Kingdom of God is now and there is space for sinners to repent, and yet the Kingdom is not yet as there are still rival kingdoms in the world. The rule of Christ is seen most clearly in the proclamation and acceptance of the gospel.

In chapter three, Chester and Woodrow explore the wonder and significance of the truth that "a human being is now in the presence of God." (55) One must be careful to think about Jesus' ascent in biblical terms and not apply what we mean by "human ascent" to His ascension. From John 6, the "scandal" is seen of how Christ not only took on flesh in His coming from heaven to earth, but takes His flesh back with Him when ascends back into heaven. Then the authors trace a history of belief on the physicality of the ascension. Some in church history have spiritualized the doctrine. For many in the early church, the difficulty for them with respect to Christ was not His deity, but accepting His full humanity. One must be careful to think about heaven according to biblical terms, and not common assumptions. Heaven and earth are "two separate planes that intersect," like two dimensions (61). Next the authors turn to a discussion of the Lord's Supper in light of Christ's ascension, which "was perhaps the main issue over which the mainstream reformers disagreed." (67) Lutheran theologians see that the body of Christ became ubiquitous in light of His ascension. Reformed theologians insist that this view undermines Christ's ongoing humanity. Rather than Christ's physical body being present, Christ "is present by the Spirit" (69). Christ does not physically descend to His people in the Supper. By the Holy Spirit, His people "ascend to be with Christ" (70). Then Chester and Woodrow invert the common question of "Where is Jesus?" to "When is Jesus?" In a profound sense, He is "in the future," already "physically present in the new creation" (70). We do not one day come to Him; He will come to us. Heaven and earth will be unified. These truths are to affect our day-to-day decisions like how we spend our money, for "everything we have of real value is in heaven and it is there securely." (73) Jesus is the true humanity who fulfills the role God created humans to fill. We will fully bear His image one day. In the meantime, we are sent by the ascended Lord "to proclaim His reign to the world through the power of the Spirit." (80) That Christ has ascended and forever remains as a man entails that "He makes a place for all tribes, tongues, nations and cultures to be represented before the throne through Him." (83) The ascension vindicates Christ as it also condemns the world who remain in their sins.

In their conclusion, Chester and Woodrow tell the storyline of Scripture through the lens of ascent. This story "reaches a double climax in Jesus": Christ is lifted up on the cross and lifted up to heaven (89). Christ is so ascended that His people are already ascended with Him (cf. Ephesians 2:6). Christ is the forerunner, and what is true of Him is also true of His people. Christ's ascension as the human in heaven is assurance that all of His people have "present access to the Father in prayer" as well as "future presence with the Father in eternity." (90) The story of the Bible ends with John's vision of the new creation, which the authors summarize as "the whole earth is God's city is God's temple." (91) This vision echoes the temple in Ezekiel, which echoes the temple in Jerusalem, which echoes Eden. God dwells with His people because of Christ. "We will ascend. And we have ascended. […] Christ's ascension is our ascension." (92)

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever been hungry for something and not realize what it is until you taste it and know that this is what you wanted along. The study of the Ascension does that very thing. It says to the reader, come and taste and see that the Lord is good. There is not much written or taught from the pulpit on the Ascension and if you are like me, you will wonder this is what is missing. It is the piece that ties God's redemption all together. It is a easy short read but don't let that fool you, it carries a punch. In knowing the Lord, we can more clearly see the condition of our heart and the Ascension shows that in the humanity of Christ. We are shown that thru Moses when he ascended up to the mountain to meet with God. One of the many fine points that show Jesus to our fallen world. We are very much like Israel, however, we have only one Jesus that sits at the right hand of God.

It is Jesus' humanity that allows us to be in the presence of God. The ascension is the story of the enthronement of Jesus as king of this world. The ascension says it is done; whom do we follow. Whom do we allow to rule our hearts, mind and body.

The good news of the Ascension is that when Jesus came as a man to this earth, he came not to judge but was judged for our sins. In the book of Daniel, we discover the Ascension and Jesus' rule when he comes back. Do not be dismayed, as this world goes against the will of God and his design for mankind, the ascension tells us that all will be made right.

As the story and example of the Tower of Babel, the ascension reminds us that we cannot bring perfection to this world, the ascension puts us in our place. It tells us that Jesus reigns; not us. And it is Jesus who will bring God's new world at his return. Our role is not to create God's kingdom, but to model the reality of heaven and proclaim his kingship even if it means suffering. The king rules as people take up their cross and follow him in the hope of resurrection glory. The kingdom does not depend on us, but we do get the privilege to model the heavenly rule of Jesus as we take the Gospel to others in word and deed.

The study of the ascension of Christ demonstrates the Glory of God and his love for his people. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Thank you Cross Focused Media for the opportunity to read such Christ, Cross Centered books.

A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fine little (actually quite short) book on this much neglected, but absolutely crucial, part of the history of our redemption. Tim Chester (A Meal with Jesus) and his co-author have made this very accessible to ordinary church audiences and produced what would be great for a parish group or Bible study.

[Sam Nesbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Chester and Jonny Woodrow have provided an introduction on the ascension of Christ that is simultaneously elementary for the beginner and insightful for the expert. By bringing together exegetical, biblical theological, systematic, missional, and pastoral insights, the reader is able to come away with a well-rounded understanding of the ascension of Christ and its significance for not only Christian theology, but also for the Christian life.

Chester and Woodrow organize their book with three main chapters in addition to an introduction and conclusion: Ascended Priest, Ascended King, and Ascended Man. The first chapter focuses on how the ascension is understood in light of Christ’s priesthood. As such, the role of Christ as mediator and sacrifice is emphasized. Christ is the better Moses who has ascended not a physical mountain, like Sinai, but has ascended into heaven, the true and greater Zion. In doing so, Christ completes his act of atonement and actively intercedes for his church before the throne of God. Christ’s ascension therefore provides grounds for the assurance of faith in the heart of the believer.

The second chapter focuses on the royal dimensions of Christ’s office and how the ascension bears on Christ’s kingship. Jesus is the promised son of David and root of Jesse who, like David, lives a life on the periphery only to ascend to the throne. But, unlike David, the throne that Jesus ascends is the throne above all thrones in heaven — a throne that is only sat upon by one who has defeated death. The ascension of Christ is the enthronement of the King of kings. Woodrow and Chester draw out the significant missional implications of Christ’s enthronement: as Matthew brings out at the end of his gospel, all authority has been given to Christ, and therefore the church has power and confidence to go out and make disciples of all nations. Moreover, it is not just the church working on her own; it is the Spirit-filled church, the church indwelt by the very Spirit of Christ who has been sent by the ascended and enthroned Son of God. Pentecost is bound up with the ascension.

Woodrow and Chester self-consciously break the traditional Reformed pattern of the three-fold office of priest, king, and prophet in their third chapter. Instead of focusing on how the ascension informs our understanding of Christ as prophet, Woodrow and Chester focus on how the ascension impacts the humanity of Christ. Because Christ has ascended as fully man and fully God, our human physicality is vindicated. Ascended humanity is not ghost-like or ethereal; it is more concrete and substantive than we currently are. Woodrow and Chester also discuss the nature of space and time in light of the ascension; space ought to be understood primarily as relational, not like a vessel. Heaven, where Christ is, is not a space, but a place — a place open for sinners who repent and trust in the ascended king, not a space that fills one portion of a larger universe. Moreover, the bodily nature of the ascended Jesus directly impacts our understanding of the Lord’s Supper. Contrary to a Lutheran understanding of the ubiquity of Christ’s body, Woodrow and Chester advocate for the traditional Reformed view that Christ’s body and blood are made present in the bread and wine by virtue of the power of the Holy Spirit, not because of omnipresence of Jesus’s flesh (Lutheran) or because of a physical change in the elements (Roman Catholic).

More topics are discussed within these chapters, such as how the church ought to see herself and her mission in light of the ascension of Christ, for example. Overall, this is a very fine work that introduces the reader to the significance of the ascension in concise, yet robust ways. The only qualm I have with the work is the number of sources cited. There is an interestingly eclectic range of primary sources cited throughout the work, Peter Leithart, T.F. Torrance, Charles Hodge, and Oliver O’Donovan to name a few. There are sections, however, that could have used some citations, especially within sections that were critical of other views. Other than that, Woodrow and Chester have provided an encouraging work on the ascension that can be read and enjoyed by many.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6-7)

The ascension of Christ to the right hand of the Father is arguably an element of theology most Christians have not pondered much on. We certainly, or at least we should, believe Christ ascended into heaven as noted in the gospel accounts and that he will indeed return as promised. What he is doing now and why God raised Christ up to be seated at the right hand of the Father and most importantly how that impacts us is pregnant with theological importance. The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God by Pastors Tim Chester and Jonny Woodrow seeks to address this oft neglected topic focusing specifically on Christ as the ascended Priest, King, and Man.

Keep in mind this 94 page book will not answer every nuance or theological avenue of what it means for Christ to be the ascended Priest, King, and Man as that is after all not the intent of the authors. Tackling those issues in depth would require a series of lengthy tomes that quite frankly might be worthwhile from a scholarly or academic perspective yet overlook the need to address the practical aspects of this topic. It is the practical aspect to which Chester and Woodrow do an admirable job of approaching.

In chapter one, after walking the reader through some background of the wilderness tabernacle to include it being a foreshadowing of the heavenly tabernacle, the authors rightly note “Understanding the ascension of Jesus in the light of Mount Sinai and the Old Testament tabernacle is at the heart of the theology of the book of Hebrews.” This is a very important point to make on a number of levels most important being the need to understand the front of the book before trying to engage the rest of Scripture. Jesus as the ascended High Priest as noted in the book of Hebrews is compared and contrasted to the Aaronic priesthood. Jesus is noted as being after the order of Melchizedek. Chester and Woodrow do a marvelous job of engaging the theological and practical aspects of this truth. Jesus as the ascended priest is the eternal priest, the perfect priest and his ascension to sit at the right hand of God to be “the memorial before God of your atonement.” We can then rejoice that we have such a great High Priest who mediates on our behalf before the throne of God. Thus, we are able to approach the throne of grace with great confidence.

Chester and Woodrow next engage the subject of Jesus as the Ascended King walking the reader through the provision of creation to Adam and Eve to rule along with their subsequent failure, the deliverance of Israel from bondage with God as their ruler along with their subsequent desire for an earthly king resulting in what turned out to be the penchant for those earthly kings to reject God. This was followed by the promise of the Messiah, a King of kings from the line of David who “would restore God’s rule.” This is vital background to grasp in order to fully comprehend the importance of Jesus’ ministry on earth, his ascension to heaven, and ultimately his return as the conquering king. Chester and Woodrow aptly state “David is not the ultimate king, he is not the king of the world, because he did not ascend to heaven. His throne was only in Jerusalem. Jesus is the King of Israel and the king of the world.” This kingship motif runs throughout the gospel of Luke and refers back to Old Testament prophetic books such as Daniel. Why is this important for believers today? Chester and Woodrow remind us that by ascending to heaven, all authority has been given to Jesus. When Jesus commanded his disciples and future generations of believers to go therefore, preach the gospel and to make disciples obeying all he has commanded us, that statement bears with it the reality of Jesus’ authority. That authority is in part a result of his ascension to heaven. As noted by Chester and Woodrow, “The ascension establishes the age of mission, both because the king is on the throne and because the king is absent.”

In their final chapter on the subject of the ascension, Chester and Woodrow analyze the concept of Christ as the Ascended Man, noting the importance of the incarnation. This is yet another vitally important element of this subject matter, specifically God becoming man to save man. “The life-giving bread that descended from heaven and became human flesh will ascend back to heaven as human flesh. The scandal is not just that God has left heaven to be ‘enfleshed’ on earth, but that God will return to heaven in the flesh.” Why is this a scandal? It is a scandal because it confronts both the Greek resistance to the flesh ascending to a heavenly realm as well as the Jewish resistance to that being a permanent fixture for the Messiah. Despite Jesus being seated at the right hand of the Father, he is not absent from our lives. This is evidenced by the Holy Spirit being provided as a first fruit following the ascension of Christ.

Understanding Christ as the Ascended Priest, King, and Man are three important elements of understanding Christology at large and understanding Scripture at large as well. Chester and Woodrow do an excellent job in a short amount of space examining these topic using Scripture as a clear foundation. For anyone desiring to get a foundational understanding of this topic, this book is for you. It will whet your appetite to further study Christ as Priest, King, and Man, the One who is seated with all power and authority at the right hand of the Father.

I received this for free from Christian Focus Publications for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Jared Mcnabb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful and mostly very accessible treatment on a much neglected topic. The author brought out some great theological and pastoral implications of Christ’s ascension His discussions on the spatial-temporal aspects of the ascension seemed out of tune with the tone of the rest of the book.

“Atonement was not complete until Jesus stood before God on our behalf.”

“His ascension into glory and His enthronement as king is for the church. It is for you.”

[Josh Stowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but pointed reminder of the necessity of the ascension. A crucial branch that has often been broken from our minds and hearts is drafted back in the tree of the gospel by showing the ascension's significance through its priestly, kingly and "fleshly" fulfillments. Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? This book answers just that.

[CJ Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful primer on the Ascension, looking at Christ as the Ascended priest, king, and man. Aside from some conceptually muddled worrywarting over "incarnational ministry" on pp.80-82 or so, this book is tremendously clarifying and encouraging (though not all the temporo-spatial analogies and explanations worked for me). I'd happily give a stack away at church next Ascension Sunday.

[Josh Lange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great opening line. "Let's be honest: the ascension of Jesus is weird." I must admit this is the first book I have read on this topic. I am probably going to read it again (or at least review my highlights) while it reads easy he packs a lot in this short work.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great day off reflections on the significance of Jesus ascension. I was helpfully challenged on several points. It is short and to the point, well written, and with the read.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction on this centrally important, yet often-neglected, doctrine.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that outlines the importance of the Ascension for Christian doctrine.

A book that rejoiced my heart with love for God.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but meaty book on the ascension of Christ organized around the three-fold office of Christ. Takes a more redemptive history approach than most books on this subject.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ascension of Christ is an important theological and historical event in Jesus’ life. But as Tim Chester observes, it is weird (8). Chester is the pastor of The Crowded House in Sheffield. He has teamed up with Jonny Woodrow the pastor of The Crowded House in Loughborough (you know these churches are well attended otherwise the name would just be a bit awkward). They have written a book on the ascension that is brief and accessible but has theological depth. The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God draws on the Reformed tradition and contemporary theology and describes why the Ascension is important for Christians.

In three chapters Chester and Woodrow explore the meaning of the ascension and how Jesus is our ascended priest, our ascended king, and our ascended man. Jesus is our mediator and high priest interceding with us before the Father. Jesus is the ascended heavenly King, which reminds the church and the world, that the culmination of history and the fullness of God’s kingdom rule is a coming reality ( because this world is incomplete and unfinished). Jesus is the ascended man, which means that in Him, humanity has entered into the life of God. Through His ascension we also may ascend into life with the Triune God.

These meditations are theologically rich and are helpful in seeing the blessings implicit in Christ’s ascension. My favorite part of the book was Chester and Woodrow’s discussion of the Lord’s Supper. The ascension implies Jesus’ absence, but in Communion, the church experiences his “Real Presence.” Not in the Catholic sense, of Transubstantiation, or in the Lutheran sense of Christ’s ubiquity. No, Chester and Woodrow draw on Calvin’s sacramental theology and argue that Christ’s presence is made available to us in Communion through the Spirit’s work. ”The communion meal expresses our union with Christ and so reinforces it to our experience (69)”

I happen to think that Calvin’s reflections on the Table are the high point of his theology and loved the way Chester and Woodrow articulated it in this context.They close this book with a conclusion which describes our ascension through Christ and an ‘Ascension Hymn’ written by Chester.

I recommend this book alongside another popular treatment of the Ascension, Tim and Aaron Perry’s He Ascended into Heaven: Learning to Live the Ascension-Shaped Life (Paraclete Press, 2010) and more academic books like Douglas Farrow’s Ascension and Ecclesia or his Ascension Theology (the latter of which I have not read). Farrow is referenced in both this and the Perrys’ book and is meaty. However the gift of Chester and Woodrow’s book is that they make deep theological reflections available to non-theologians (if there is such a thing). I enjoyed this book a lot and give it 4.5 stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book from Christian Focus Publications in exchange for my honest review.

[Timothy Bertolet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very helpful introduction to the topic of the ascension of Jesus Christ. The entire book can be read in one or two sittings at most. It is short and a light read but with significant content. The three man chapters focus on Christ's Ascended Priesthood, His Ascended Kingship and His Ascended humanity. Throughout the emphasis is on Christ's true bodily ascension for us and for our salvation.

The authors briefly survey various texts including Old Testament texts that serve as the basis for ascension and Christ's priestly ministry. Lay persons and pastors will benefit from this brief work. Each chapter ends its discussion with implications. For example, in the chapter on Christ's kingship the discussion turns to how the kingdom advances through missions.

This book is theological fresh water without drowning the novice. In some quarters of the evangelical church today the ascension goes unnoticed as to its reality and its importance. This book is a helpful correction. Most of all the emphasis on Christ as "our man" in heaven standing both as representative and as reigning king should shift our thinking to higher thought of God and Christ our Mediator. A welcomed read. Highly recommended.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"[Jesus] is the sign, the reminder, the pledge, the guarantee that we belong in the presence of God.”

"Jesus is the new Adam, the new David, the new King, the Saviour of the world whose rule will bring peace & prosperity."

"What the [OT] priest did when they entered the tabernacle was a kind of pre-enactment of the ascension."
"Atonement was not complete until Jesus stood before God on our behalf."

"If Christ is not in God's presence on our behalf then we are not in God's presence."

"Jesus is…our man in heaven…I can no sooner be removed from God's presence than Jesus can"
"The ascension is the foundation for global mission; mission is the logic of ascension."
“We should not reduce the kingship of Jesus to a private affair for a ghetto people."

[Roger Leonhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many Christian books have been written about the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, but very seldom do we see a book about the Ascension. The latter is just as important as the former.

This book starts with one of the best opening I have read:

“Let’s be honest: the ascension of Jesus is weird.”

Does that not make you want to read father?

From here we encounter many questions along with their answers.

Why did Jesus leave? Would it not have been better if He had stayed on Earth? Wouldn’t more people believe in Him if they could see him with their own eyes?

Tim Chester and Jonny Woodrow have done the Church a great service with this small book. They have taken a much neglected subject and simplified it so all can understand.

They first take us through the offices of Christ as priest and king and how the ascension was the mechanism Christ used to serve in these offices.

The book contains only 3 chapters:

1. Ascended Priest
2. Ascended King
3. Ascended Man

The first two chapters focus on Christ and his offices. The third concerns Christ and man. Just as Christ ascended, we shall also ascend.

The first chapter shows Christ as the true priest. He intercedes for us day and night. We have an advocate with the Father.

The second shows how Jesus ascended to the throne as King of Kings with all authority. All things are under his feet.

The last chapter shows that we, like Christ, will have a new body and will live forever in communion with God.

For a short book, Ascension is a gem. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to young and old Christians alike.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book, free of charge, from Christian Focus Publications and Cross Focused Reviews, in exchange for an honest review.

[Craig French · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic little book! We hear of Jesus being our prophet and priest, but what does this mean in light of His absence? Why did He retain his body? What's the deal with Old Testament worship surrounding the tabernacle, and what's the deal with the author of Hebrews going on and on about that? Where did Jesus ascend to? Where is heaven? If Jesus is absent in body, what does He mean when He says of the Supper "take, eat, this is my body"?

These are the sorts of questions we often pose within ourselves, or worse, give no consideration of at all. The authors of this book have digested some weighty books (ranging from T.F. Torrance to the Puritans) and include a hefty amount of Scripture references. Not a small feat considering this is less than 100 pages in length!

The main criticism I have is that the book ended too soon. It seemed like chapter 3, The Ascended Man, was defying chapter constraints and should have been another book. I think focusing more on the particular humanity of Jesus as man - Second Adam - would have been helpful since God created Adam (man) to rule. I got the impression that generic humanity is before God when it is the particularity of Jesus as a man (yes, God-Man) that has radical implications for men now.

[Peter Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tiny book is outstanding - Worth every penny!

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, really good. Almost gave it a 5 start rating. Longer review on its way.