1. Making sense of the ascension of Jesus
Acts 1:6-14
ICEL
May 28, 2017

2. Departures
(accessed 31/03/2017)

3. Making sense of the departure of Jesus
Final oral examination (6-8)
Meaning in the story (9-11)
First results (12-14)
Making sense for us today

4. Final oral examination
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (6)

5. Jesus reorients their concerns (1)
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (7-8)

6. Jesus reorients their concerns (2)
NOT
BUT RATHER
“at this time” in God’s time
“you” (Jesus) “you” (followers)
“restore the kingdom” “my witnesses”
“to Israel” “to the ends of the earth”

7. Meaning in the story (1)
What other stories would the disciples and Luke’s readers associate with that of the ascension?

8. Meaning in the story (2)
Negative association: Roman consecratio of the emperor after his death.

9. Meaning in the story (2)
Positive association: Jewish ancestors honoured by God in this way (Enoch, Moses, Elijah, Baruch, Esdras).

10. First results
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (13-14)

11. Making sense for us today
Universal dimension, challenging every other political claim, past, present or future
Absence of Jesus, not abandon, but transformed into the presence of the Spirit in power
Invisibility of Jesus answered by visibility of an inclusive community of men and women at prayer
(Daniel Marguerat, Les Actes des Apôtres (1-12), 51)