Mark 16:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Micah proclaims, “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven stood by Him, on His right hand and on His left” (3 Kings 22:19). Notice how the greater authorities remain standing while He is seated. Therefore, when it is evident that the Son also sits at the right hand of the Father, do not view Him merely as a servant, but recognize His ruler's stature and independent glory. Paul, understanding the distinction between servants who stand and sovereigns who sit, emphasizes this contrast: “Of the angels it is said, ‘You create with your angels spirits, and with your ministers a flaming fire. And of the Son, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever’” (Heb. 1:7-8), employing the imagery of a ‘throne’ to illustrate kingship. If I have sufficiently demonstrated that the Son possesses a sovereignty not of office but of dominion, let us adore Him as sovereign and equal with the Father, for He commanded, “that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father” (Jn. 5:23).

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And as He completely took on the outward nature of humanity, He transformed it into a glorious form, ascending with that form to heaven. The heavenly powers, witnessing this profound mystery of a man already divine ascending, were commanded to rejoice and cry out to the heavenly hosts: “Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.” Seeing this miraculous union of man with God, they inquired, “Who is this King of glory?” and were answered: “The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory. The Lord is strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (Psalm 23:7-10). Oh, wondrous salvation! Oh, spiritual victory! Oh, divine paschal mystery, descending from heaven to earth and ascending back from earth to heaven! Oh, the joyful feast of all creation! Oh, the delight and honor, and nourishment that overcame grim death and brought life to all; the gates of heaven swung wide, God manifested as man, and man ascended as God, shattering the gates of hell and loosening unbreakable chains! Those who lay in the earth arose from the dead, announcing it to those above; a chorus emerged from the earth. Oh, divine pascha, now spiritually uniting us with God, descending in fullness from heaven, through which the great bridal chamber is filled with wedding feasts, all adorned in the garments of celebration, and none are turned away for lack of them! O Easter, the illumination with new light, the adornment of the radiant wedding procession! Now the lights within souls shine bright; the divine fire of grace is ignited in body and spirit for all, nourished by the oil of Christ. Therefore, we call upon You, O Lord God, eternal King, Christ, to extend Your mighty hands over Your holy Church and the people always devoted to You, guarding, sustaining, protecting, and confronting all adversaries, vanquishing those who wield hidden power, just as You have already defeated our foes. Now establish among us a monument of triumph, and let us join in the victory song alongside Moses, for Yours is the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Do not waver in believing that Jesus Christ, in His human form, is now present where He ascended. Remember and steadfastly affirm the Christian faith that He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, from which He will return to judge the living and the dead. According to the angel’s testimony, He will return in the very manner in which He was seen ascending into heaven, that is, in the same body and flesh He transformed into incorruptibility while retaining its essence. Concerning His flesh, we should not assume that it is everywhere present. It is crucial to avoid overstating the divinity of Christ to a point where the reality of His bodily existence begins to fade. It should not be presumed that everything found in God is present in the same manner as God Himself is. Scripturally, it is indeed affirmed that in Him we “live and move and exist,” yet, unlike Him, we are not omnipresent: humanity is in God in a unique manner, and God’s presence in humanity is likewise unparalleled. One Person—both fully God and fully man—exists as Christ Jesus, who is omnipresent as God, yet His human nature resides in heaven.

After conquering the devil through His resurrection, Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father, where He will no longer die, and death will not reign over Him any longer.

Beloved, so that we may dwell in this joy, our Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled all that pertains to the proclamation of the Gospel and the sacraments of the New Covenant, was taken up into heaven on the fortieth day following His resurrection, witnessed by His disciples. Thus, His time with them in the flesh concluded. Now He sits at the right hand of the Father until the appointed times are fulfilled for the growth of the Church through her children. Then, in the same flesh in which He ascended, He will return to judge both the living and the dead. The tangible presence of our Savior has transitioned into the sacraments, and to make faith more profound and robust, the visible has been succeeded by doctrine, the power of which moves the hearts of the faithful, enlightened by the highest light.

Notably, it is recorded that Elijah was taken up in a chariot, indicating that even a righteous person required assistance from beyond. This assistance was provided by angels, for he could not ascend to the atmospheric heaven alone, burdened as he was by human frailty. However, our Redeemer’s Ascension was marked by His own divine might; He did not ascend in a chariot or with the aid of angels but rose by His own power, being the Creator of all things and sovereign over everything. He returned to His original abode while, in His divine nature, He simultaneously enveloped both earth and heaven. Just as Joseph’s betrayal by his brothers foreshadowed the betrayal of our Redeemer, Enoch’s transformation and Elijah’s ascent into the atmospheric heaven symbolize the Lord's Ascension. Therefore, witnesses of His Ascension existed both prior to and during the Law, preparing the way for Him who could truly traverse the heavens. The accounts of their ascensions are also characterized by distinct levels. Enoch is described as transformed (Hebrews 11:5), while Elijah was taken away (2 Kings 2:11), preparing the way for Him who did not undergo transformation nor was taken but penetrated the ethereal heaven with His divine power.

Through His Ascension, our Lord illustrates the purity of the flesh and strengthens our ability to maintain that purity through the passage of time. This is exemplified in the Ascension of those who foreshadowed Him, serving as His ministers while He Himself ascended into heaven. Enoch had a wife and children, whereas Elijah is noted to have had none. Thus, we reflect on the gradual increase of holiness; this is evident through both the ascended servants and through the Lord Himself. Enoch, who was born through natural means, underwent transformation; Elijah, although also born through natural means, was taken up without transformation. Our Lord, however, was neither begotten nor born in a natural sense and was taken up into heaven.

Let us ponder the words of Mark, “He sat down at the right hand of God,” and the vision of Stephen, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). What does it signify that Mark describes Him as sitting while Stephen sees Him standing? You know, dear brethren, that it is the nature of a Judge to sit and of one who assists or contends to stand. Therefore, since our Redeemer ascended into heaven and now rules over all, Mark depicts Him sitting, proclaiming His authoritative role that will be unveiled at the final judgment. In contrast, Stephen, in his moment of challenge, beheld the One who stood to aid him, empowering him to withstand the doubts of his persecutors.

As we have briefly traversed the Gospel account, we must now contemplate the magnitude of this victory. A question arises: why did angels appear at the Lord's birth but not don white robes, whereas at His Ascension, they appeared in white? It is written, “They that beheld Him were taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9-10). The white garments symbolize the joy and triumph of the soul. Thus, at the Lord's birth, the divinity appeared somewhat humbled, whereas, at His Ascension, humanity was exalted—a fitting contrast reflected in the attire of the angels. At His birth, the Lord’s Godhead seemed lowered, but in His Ascension, it is elevated to glory.

Today, we must recognize, dear brethren, that the documentation of our condemnation has been obliterated and our corruption annulled. The nature, which was once met with, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19), has risen to the heavens. This elevation of our flesh prompts Job to metaphorically refer to the Lord as a bird, foreseeing Judah's failure to grasp the mystery of His Ascension. He proclaimed judgment on this lack of understanding, declaring, “The way, her bird is not known” (Job 28:7). Indeed, the Lord can rightfully be likened to a bird, having harmonized the corporeal with the ethereal. Those unaware of His Ascension did not recognize the significance of this spiritual flight. As the Psalmist states, “Thy glory is lifted above the heavens” (Psalm 8:2), we also hear, “God has ascended with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet” (Psalm 46:6). Furthermore, it is written, “Thou hast ascended on high; thou hast taken captivity captive: thou hast received gifts among men” (Psalm 68:19). By ascending, the Lord led captivity captive, overcoming death for our sake, while granting gifts to humanity through the Holy Spirit—bestowing various graces, including wisdom and healing (1 Corinthians 12:8-10).

Habakkuk also speaks of this glory in his prophecy: “The sun was lifted up, and the moon was set in its place” (Habakkuk 3:11). The sun signifies the Lord, while the moon represents the Church. Before the Lord’s Ascension, His Church was fearful, yet post-Ascension, it gained confidence and began openly proclaiming its hidden belief. The sun's elevation and the moon's proper positioning illustrate the Church's newfound strength in preaching following the Lord's Ascension. The same voice of the Church, through Solomon, asserts, “Behold, there comes one, leaping upon the mountains” (Song of Solomon 2:8) which encapsulates the numerous stages of our Lord’s journey toward salvation. He made significant movements: transitioning from heaven to a womb, from a womb to a manger, from the manger to the Cross, from the Cross to a tomb, and ultimately from the tomb back to heaven. The Truth appeared in flesh to lead us, making these vital leaps for our sake, so that we might genuinely declare, “Draw me after You into the fragrance of Your peace” (Song of Solomon 1:3).

Hence, dear brethren, we must pursue, in our hearts, the place where, in accordance with our faith, He ascended with His body. Let us turn away from earthly inclinations, ensuring that nothing worldly captures our affections while our Father resides in heaven. It is vital for us to reflect on this, for He who ascended in humility will return in majesty, and what He prescribes in gentleness will be accounted for with sternness. Hence, none should squander the opportunity for repentance, nor neglect to care for their spiritual well-being, for our Redeemer will judge us more rigorously based on the patience shown before the final reckoning. Let's carefully contemplate these truths; even as our souls may struggle amidst life's upheavals, we are called to anchor our hopes in the promise of Eternal Life and focus intently on the Light of Truth.

Now that we have witnessed the Lord's Ascension, let us maintain our beliefs steadfastly in our hearts. Though our earthly bodies may still hold us back, let us, at the very least, pursue Him through our love. Our longing is cherished by the One who inspired it, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, throughout all eternity. Amen.

In the condemned, He exists through the power of His unfathomable nature, which allows Him to know the past and present, understand human thoughts, and foresee all the paths of every individual (cf. Ps. 138:2-4). In the elect, however, He is present by the grace of His benevolent guidance, directing them through both blessings and trials, much like a father who nurtures his children in preparation for their eventual inheritance.

Third, it teaches that the human nature that He took from the Virgin Mary remains with Him; He will return to judge the living and the dead, as the angels announced to the Apostles, 'This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will likewise come, in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven' (Acts 1:11). Lastly, this element underscores that Christ, in the flesh He bore during His time on earth, exists exclusively in heaven and not on earth. Nonetheless, He is present on earth sacramentally in the Holy Eucharist; therefore, this Son of God, who is both divine and human, becomes present through 'transubstantiation.' The substance of the bread is transformed into the substance of His Holy Body, and the substance of the wine into the substance of His precious Blood. As such, we ought to honor and regard the Holy Eucharist with the same reverence we afford our Savior, Jesus Himself.