The Gospel of John

Resurrection and Ascension

Professor: Dr. R.J. Rushdoony

Subject: Conversations, Panels and Sermons

Lesson: 23- 70

Genre:

Track: 023

Dictation Name: RR197N25

Location/Venue:

Year:

Let us worship God. The lord is risen indeed, hallelujah. I am He that liveth and was dead sayeth the Lord and behold I am alive forever more, Hallelujah. Let s pray.

All glory be to Thee oh God the Father almighty who didst on this day raise up Thy son Jesus Christ from the dead. We thank Thee that Thou hast given us victory over sin and death. We give thanks unto Thee that Thy son came and for our sakes overcame the power of death and gave unto us the gift of eternal life. We give thanks unto Thee oh God the Holy Spirit who dost lead us into all truth in the risen Christ. And so we praise Thee Father, Son and Holy Ghost and we rejoice that Thou hast made us Thy people now and forever more. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Let us turn now to John 20:11-18. Our subject: Resurrection and Ascension. John 22:11-18.

There are many accounts of the resurrection in the gospels and in the epistles. They have varying stresses, some on the implications of the resurrection for us because Christ is risen we shall rise. This has a rather different emphasis which is exceedingly important. John 20:11-18.

“But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.”

This very moving text gives us also much incidental information. The two angels are either singly or together referred to in Matthew 28:2-3 where the one who rolled back the stone, of him I tis said his countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow. In Mark 16:5, following, the angel is described as a young man who commands Mary and the other two women to go and tell Jesus’ disciples and Peter. In Luke 24:4 the two angels are described as two men in shining garments. Thus, in all four gospels, as elsewhere in the bible, the angels are not described as art depicts them, as feminine and winged. They appear as young men. Hebrews 13:2 tells us that some people have entertained angels unawares, in other words, we don’t know the difference unless they let us know. The difference between angels and men is not one of form but of function. The two angels are seated, one at the head, the other at the feet of the place where the body of Jesus had been laid. This reminds us at once of the cherubim on the mercy seat in the tabernacles and temple with the Lord of Hosts dwelling between them as on His throne. God’s communion with His people was from His throne, the mercy seat. Not in a physical presence but in the power of His spiritual presence. Now with Christ as the new temple His cross or atonement symbolized in the empty grave His our new mercy seat.

And Christ’s atonement is the basis of His royal power and priesthood as the last Adam, we are the people of the new human race, of Adam two, members of the new creation. Next we have the fact that our Lord’s first words after His resurrection repeat the angel’s first words. Woman, why weepest thou? At first glance these words seem strange, the horror of the arrest, trial and crucifixion were such that the words seem almost heartless. However what the angel and our Lord tell us is that the most evil and horrifying judicial murder in all of history is the basis of our salvation. And that it is forever true in God’s kingdom that all things do work together for good for them that are the called of God according to His purpose. In such a world we are always more than conquerors through Christ. With this question our Lord asks another, whom seekest thou? Because of the great public concentration on the trial, death and burial of Christ, this question seems curious. Very obviously Mary was seeking the body of Jesus. But Jesus instead was pointing her to His person and to what He said about His resurrection. In her response, her eyes tear filled, she assumed that He was a gardener. She asked if the body had been moved elsewhere, perhaps as a safety measure. Jesus simply said ‘Mary’ and she then recognizing His voice and His person exclaimed ‘Rabboni’ or master. Jesus responded saying ‘touch me not’ or literally, ‘stop trying to cling to me’. The previous nature of my life is now over, I’m no longer your teacher.

Christ’s victory over death did not have its purpose His restoration to a teaching function but the assumption of kingly, of royal power. I am not yet ascended to my father, I ascend unto my father and your father, to My God and your God. God the Father is differently the Father of Jesus Christ than the Father of the faithful. He is by nature the Father of Jesus Christ and our Father by grace. Our Lord also says ‘go to my brethren’. This can mean all believers and the term is so used in Acts 1:16. It thus could refer to the apostolic fellowship; however there was no question but that Mary would at once report to the disciples as indeed she did. However Acts 1:14 separates from the disciples and their companions Mary the mother of Jesus and His brethren. We do have two letters in the New Testament written by the sons of Mary, brothers of Jesus. They are James and Jude. Our Lord’s concern for them here is very moving and our Lord’s concern for Mary was apparent on the cross. When he committed her to John’s care as now as a son by His decree now we see His concern for His brothers after the flesh. Now twice in verse seventeen our Lord speaks of His ascension. This has a double meaning. Ascension means to rise up but it also means the assumption rising up to royal power, a throne was always set above the level of people. So ascension was a technical word also for assuming royal power. So our Lord in saying He was ascending meant more than I’m going to heaven.

I am assuming royal power. The empty tomb by the presence of the angels became a throne, the throne of intercession signifying what our Lord forever do for us. Paul in Philippians 3:10 speaks of the power of Christ’s resurrection, the power for us because He is now in the mercy seat. His tom becomes, His atonement becomes our mercy seat. Having destroyed the power of sin and death over His new human race Christ now intercedes for them with God the Father. Calvin made note of the fact that Christ’s resurrection was only completed when He ascended to the Father to assume His royal power. What Calvin had to say on this verse is the most important thing ever written on it. Calvin stressed the plain meaning of Christ’s ascension and session at the right hand of God, ascension taking the throne, rising up to royal power, session means His court, His power, His rule, is in continual session. It’s a sad fact that the church no longer speaks about the ascension and session of Christ. In the early church it was a proud statement, our Lord in His ascension and session rules for us and our kingdom. What the ascension and session means is that we are not to locate Christ in His power in the church nor in the sacraments nor in experience, for then we warp His work and power. We keep it on earth when it is over earth. His ascension meant that He had been inaugurated in to the government of heaven and earth, Calvin said.

Now Calvin’s emphasis is of very, very great importance. If Christ reigns through the church as the one who is enthroned within it so that Popes or Bishops or Presbyteries or elders or anyone else rule as though they were Christ. Then you have seriously warped the faith. Some have held that He rules and is in session through the sacrament. In other words people have made something here on earth the locale of Christ and of divine power, indeed He is imminent in all creation but He is eternally in session at the right hand of God, He rules from there, not from on earth. The world cannot be the locale of Christ’s power if He has ascended into heaven and reigns and is in session at the right hand of God. Rather everything on earth, the church, the sacraments, experience, all persons, all governments, are then under Him and subject to His word, His inscriptured word in every area of life and thought. The church in other words cannot replace Christ. Because the doctrine of the ascension has been replaced too often by the visible and manifest powers of church and state because the state has at times, especially in the Middle Ages, claimed to be the place where Christ’s session takes place. We then see the prevalence of tyranny of imminent powers around us claiming vast powers over us. Christ in this word to Mary by stressing His ascension after His resurrection strips all earthly powers of any right to claim sovereignty and imminent power.

Calvin wrote and I quote:

“We see the end of this session, it is, (that is, the goal) it is that all creatures both celestial and terrestrial may admire His majesty, be governed by His hand, obey His will and be subject to His power. And the only design of the apostles in their frequent mention of it is to teach us that all things are committed to His government.” Unquote.

How revolutionary and important Calvin’s emphasis was we can understand clearly by the summary by Norman R. Gulley. And it’s interesting that a man who is not orthodox nor particularly interested in this except as a scholarly manner, in a scholarly manner, is the only scholar who has called attention to the importance, the radical and revolutionary character of what Calvin said and I quote now from Gulley:

“Calvin produced a copernimicum [sp? Revolution through his ascension studies whereas previously scholars focused on Christ’s presence with His body, the church, making it impossible they thought to be bodily present at God’s throne. Calvin reversed this by stressing the bodily presence of Christ in heaven alone, whereas too, emphasis had been on the person of Christ, Calvin considered the work of Christ, God wards and man wards, breaking new ground in His view of the three fold office of the ascended Christ as prophet, priest and king. Calvin upheld the bodily ascension of Christ to God’s throne with no bodily presence in church or sacrament. He supported a localized humanity of the ascended Jesus in contrast to Luther’s ubiquitous omnipresence of his humanity.” Unquote.

The implications of this are very important. We cannot legitimately transfer Christ’s authority to church, state, experience or anything else. Our Lord is very clear on this. All power and the word can be also be rendered and it has a double meaning, all authority is given to Me in heaven and on earth. We cannot make anything on earth a center of independent authority. In our time as in other times in church history also a human experience has often replaced Christ’s finality and authority and this is blasphemous. We cannot say that our experience is authoritative because we are always at our very best fallible creatures. One consequence is that little stress because of this emphasis on church or state or experience or the sacraments or anything else is the local of His presence and His authority. One consequence is that little stress is now laid upon Christ’s ascension and His session at the right hand of God the Father. And instead of returning to it we have seen that charismania has moved us further from the truth. This doctrine of the ascension and session is one of the great aspects of the reformed faith, now too often forgotten by supposed Calvinists. Now it is it is interesting to whom He made this statement, Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene who was one of the company who followed and tried to minister to the needs of Christ and His apostles. Mary who felt a deep personal gratitude and yet Christ says, no, that’s over.

That purely personal regard for me, that’s over. It was real, it was a part of your experience but now I arise, I ascend, I am to sit at the right hand of the father and it is in that sense that hereafter you must know me. My bodily presence is now on the throne of glory and from there I rule over all things and all the universe. Therefore stop trying to cling to the past, cling to an experience, cling to my teaching function, I ascend unto My Father to sit on His right hand on the throne of glory. Let us pray.

Our Father we give thanks unto Thee for this the glory of Thy word. For the glory of Christ’s ascension and session at Thy right hand. We thank Thee that He has undercut all pretentious authorities and has given us direct access to the throne of grace. Grant oh Lord that we continually come to Thee, to Thy mercy seat to the throne of all eternity and all heaven and earth. Give us joy on this the day of resurrection that our Lord has ascended to the throne of glory and is there in perpetual session, perpetual rule. Oh Lord how great and marvelous are Thy ways and we give Thee thanks. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Are there any questions now about our lesson?

I think as you can see this is a very, very important text because here in a very personal moment for Mary Magdalene He lays down this fundamental fact that is so essential in every age and especially our own when it is sadly neglected and all kinds of abuses have set in.

Yes?

[Question] I just want to make sure I’m clear on this Rush. You’re not saying or implying that our relationship with the risen Lord Jesus is any way less personal and that we’re to cling to Him any the less, it’s simply that we’re to cling to Him and His personal relationship is now in the throne..[becomes unintelligible]

[Rushdoony] Our Lord says where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them, in other words He says persons who believe in me, churches that believe in me, families that believe in me, whoever does, my spiritual presence is with them. But I am not present in my person and power in anything, experience, sacrament, church or potentate in church or state. So we do have a personal spiritual presence and relationship but the bodily presence of Christ is on the throne of glory. Yes?

[Question] So that Christ changed from the suffering servant to God Himself.

[Rushdoony] He assumed the fullness of the Godhead. The suffering servant came to make atonement for us. The empty mercy seat indicated the purpose of the whole sacrificial system, that there would be atonement and atonement would lead to the Lamb of God ruling forever. So we have the fact that the bodily presence now is a very real thing in heaven and from there like any king He rules over all. HE also tells us in John’s gospel I go, physically it’s over. But I will send the comforter, the Holy Spirit to you. So that the Spirit is present wherever there is true faith in Christ. So we have His spirit present, His person bodily is on the throne of glory. Yes?

[Question] When Jesus told the thief on the cross that this day you’ll be in paradise with Me, it seems like it’s a contradiction to what He says to Mary Magdalene that He has yet to go to His father.

[Rushdoony] He has yet to go to in the sense to ascend, you see. The ascension was the formal assumption, it was a technical term. It was a political term, an emperor ascended to power. Now He could be in and around the throne and in the palace beforehand but His ascension was a formal thing, it was His coronation service and ceremony and then He was fully and formally ascended. Yes?

[Question] Rush I know that the last part of verse seventeen that He identifies Himself with His people when He says I ascend unto My Father and your Father, My God and your God.

[Rushdoony] Yes that’s right very clearly He does. But he makes a difference between His person and their person. Any other questions or comments?

Understanding this text I think is especially important in our day . Yes?

[Question] Well the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. was not just a blow to the priesthood and their pride, it was also a statement that the incarnation of Christ cannot be reclaimed by man.

[Rushdoony] Very good, and also that the followers of our Lord, the Christians, could not remake a temple. And the interesting thing is as Acts tells us that many of the priests did follow after Jesus and the well intentioned goal they had was to reduplicate the entire temple service and meaning. And this happened in more churches than one, for example, a book has been written on the liturgy of the church of Armenia and it’s the synagogue and temple worship that they had taken over even to the very words and tunes. So that if you want to know what the synagogue and temple worship was like go to the church of Armenia and listen to the liturgy, it was the first Christian church and it very earnestly and sincerely tried to be a faithful continuation but they continued too much of the Old Testament, they continued the temple worship and of course Rome picked it up, the church of England, the Lutherans, all have in some degrees embodied precisely what our Lord here forbids. The orthodox churches especially, yes?

[Question] Then the literal reign, the view of the millennium as the literal reign of Christ returning to earth is really a denial of Christ’s victory in His ascension to the Father where He does now rule.

[Rushdoony] Yes and the believe ala Scofield that the temple has to be rebuilt, all that is a denial of the session and in fact for a long, long time many, many Arminian pre-mill dispensationalists would not allow anyone to speak of Jesus as Lord because His lordship, His reign was postponed to the millennium. They clearly were not reading carefully and accurately because the word ascension as used here and as normally used in our Lord’s day was a word for ascension to royal power. Yes?

[Unintelligible Question]

[Rushdoony] That’s right. Even in the gospel hymns you see this, the emphasis on His royal power is there, especially in the older hymns.

[Question] The hymns like the Old Rugged Cross…

[Rushdoony] Crown Him with Many Crowns, the Lamb upon His Throne, but in recent years the gospel hymns have increasingly acted as though that didn’t exist. Yes?

[Question] There was a news report ….(becomes unintelligible)…and they meet twice a year to discuss the life and times of Jesus and this year they had voted and decided that He did not ascend, He was not resurrected, it was just a fictitious story brought about so they’ve just decided this.

[Rushdoony] Yes well precisely because they hold such beliefs the media promotes them highly and makes them seem far more important and authoritative than they are. Well if there are no further questions- yes?

[Unintelligible Question]

[Rushdoony] Calvin and His Institutes and in his commentary on John.

[Unintelligible Question]

[Rushdoony] I don’t recall whether [unknown] did.

[Unintelligible Question]

[Rushdoony] S-E-S-S-I-O-N, yes. Sessions or session rather.

Well, let us conclude with prayer.

Our Father we thank Thee for the joy of resurrection. We thank Thee that our Lord is seated at Thy right hand and all things are under His government and His authority. Give us grace therefore to take hands of our lives, to trust in Him, to know that what He has begun in us He will complete. That we are His and He loves us far more than we are capable of loving one another. How great Thou art oh Lord, how marvelous Thy providential care and government. We thank Thee for the joy of this day. And now go in peace, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, bless you and keep you, guide and protect you, this day and always, Amen.