But they going forth preached every where: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.
εκεινοι δε εξελθοντες εκηρυξαν πανταχου του κυριου συνεργουντος και τον λογον βεβαιουντος δια των επακολουθουντων σημειων αμην
12 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 15 commentaries
But we must also know from this that words are confirmed by deeds as then in the Apostles works confirmed their words, for signs followed. Grant then, O Christ, that the good words which we speak may be confirmed by works and deeds, so that at the last, Thou working with us in word and in deed, we may be perfect, for Thine as is fitting is the glory both of word and deed. Amen.
By which words He seems to shew clearly enough that the foregoing discourse was the last that He spake to them upon earth, though it does not appear to bind us down altogether to this opinion. For He does not say, After He had thus spoken unto them, wherefore it admits of being understood not as if that was the last discourse, but that the words which are here used, After the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received into heaven, might belong to all His other discourses. But since the arguments which we have used above make us rather suppose that this was the last time, therefore we ought to believe that after these words, together with those which are recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, our Lord ascended into heaven.
Let us not therefore understand this sitting as though He were placed there in human limbs, as if the Father sat on the left, the Son on the right, but by the right hand itself we understand the power which He as man received from God, that He should come to judge, who first had come to be judged. For by sitting we express habitation, as we say of a person, he sat himself down in that country for many years; in this way then believe that Christ dwells at the right hand of God the Father. For He is blessed and dwells in blessedness, which is called the right hand of the Father; for all is right hand there, since there is no misery. It goes on: And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with than, and confirming the word with signs and wonders.
(Acts 1:8) But how was this preaching fulfilled by the Apostles, since there are many nations in which it has just begun, and others in which it has not yet begun to be fulfilled? Truly then this precept was not so laid upon the Apostles by our Lord, as though they alone to whom He then spoke were to fulfil so great a charge; in the same way as He says, Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, apparently to them alone; but who does not understand that the promise is made to the Catholic Church, which though some are dying, others are born, shall be here unto the end of the world?
The Lord Jesus, who had descended from heaven to give liberty to our weak nature, Himself also ascended above the heavens; wherefore it is said, So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven.
Beloved, let us embrace the gift of faith, which possesses incredible power! This faith ascends to the heavenly realms (cf. Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5), conquers the deluge (cf. Gen. 7:1-8:22), brings forth life from barrenness (cf. Gen. 21:1-3; Heb. 11:11-12), delivers from danger (cf. Gen. 22:1-9; Heb. 11:17, 34), lifts from the pit (cf. Gen. 37:28), enriches those in need (cf. Mk. 12:42-44), liberates those in bondage (cf. Heb. 11:27-29), rescues the oppressed (cf. Heb. 11:27-29), calls down fire from above (cf. 2 Sam. 18:38), parts the waters of the sea (cf. Ex. 14:21), strikes the rock to provide for the thirsty (cf. Ex. 17:6), nourishes the hungry (cf. Ex. 16:15), revives the lifeless and raises them from the grave (cf. Heb. 11:35), calms the stormy depths (cf. Matt. 8:26), and heals the afflicted (cf. Matt. 9:2, 22; Mk. 2:5).
We have seen in the Old Testament that Elias was taken up into heaven. But the ethereal heaven is one thing, the aerial is another. The aerial heaven is nearer the earth, Elias then was raised into the aerial heaven, that he might be carried off suddenly into some secret region of the earth, there to live in great calmness of body and spirit, until he return at the end of the world, and pay the debt of death. We may also observe that Elias mounted up in a chariot, that by this they might understand that a mere man requires help from without. But our Redeemer, as we read, was not carried up by a chariot, not by angels, because He who had made all things was borne over all by His own power.
We must also consider what Mark subjoins, And sat at the right hand of God, since Stephen says, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Now sitting is the attitude of a judge, standing of one fighting or helping. Therefore Stephen, when toiling in the contest, saw Him standing, whom he had for his helper; but Mark describes Him as sitting after His assumption into heaven, because after the glory of His assumption, He will in the end be seen as a judge.
But what should we consider in these words, if it be not that obedience follows the precept and signs follow the obedience? For the Lord had commanded them, Go into all the world preaching the Gospel, and, Ye shall be witnesses even unto the ends of the earth.
Observe that in proportion as Mark began his history later, so he makes it reach in writing to more distant times, for he began from the commencement of the preaching of the Gospel by John, and he reaches in his narrative those times in which the Apostles sowed the same word of the Gospel throughout the world.
Until the message was declared across the entire earth, miracles were absolutely essential. If signs and wonders are required to demonstrate and affirm the Truth that is being shared, then those who accepted the message must also exhibit signs—not of miraculous deeds, but of actions that affirm their steadfast faith. What, then, are these signs? They are demonstrated through deeds. For it is written, ‘Show me your faith by your works’ (James 2:18), and ‘Let him who is wise demonstrate his works with a good life’ (James 3:13).
At the conclusion of forty days, when the disciples had gathered in Jerusalem, He led them from the city to the Mount of Olives. There, in the presence of the faithful disciples who had witnessed His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, He earnestly faced the impending suffering. His disciples, having been informed by Him of the forthcoming outpouring of the Holy Spirit, inquired whether this would be the moment His kingdom would be manifest on earth, as they had envisioned. The Lord replied that it was not for them to ascertain the timing of future events; their task was to testify to what had already occurred.
Once the power of the Holy Spirit descended upon them, they were to bear witness to Him, starting in Jerusalem, then throughout Judea, Samaria, and eventually to the ends of the earth. These were the final words of the Savior to His disciples. Before their eyes, a scene reminiscent of what Elisha witnessed over Elijah unfolded, yet in a far more glorious manner. Instead of a chariot of fire, a divine cloud, previously reserved for God alone, lifted the glorified body of Jesus from Olivet. As He ascended, He raised His hands in the customary priestly blessing and blessed His disciples, akin to the blessings bestowed by Elijah on Elisha and Moses upon the leaders of the tribes. The apostles heard from the angels, in addition to the Lord's reassurance, that He would return to earth as He was now ascending, though they were unaware of when this would take place. The Lord’s four-decade preparation following the resurrection had equipped them for this moment, prompting them to rejoice and return to Jerusalem, praising God. At this point, they could no longer be criticized for their previous lack of love for Him, despite His words at the last Passover Supper: 'If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I said, "I go to the Father: for My Father is greater than I"' (John 14:26), nor for their distrust, which He had also addressed when He said, 'I go to Him who sent Me. None of you ask Me where You are going? Because I said these things to you, your heart was filled with sorrow. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go: for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you' (16:5-7). In their current state, they were more aligned with the image presented by the Lord in His high priestly prayer (17:6-19): I have declared Your Name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world ... and they have kept Your Word. Now they know that all that You have given Me is from You. For the words that You have given Me, I have shared with them; they have received them and recognized with certainty that I came from You, and they have believed that You sent Me.
The narrative of Christ's ascension is presented in a manner that is quite succinct. Mark and Luke both refer to the ascension of the Lord after recounting His appearance to the disciples on the evening of the first day of the week. However, Mark does not specify the timing or location of this event; he merely acknowledges its occurrence. Conversely, Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, provides a more comprehensive description, indicating that the ascension followed forty days of appearances of the Risen Christ (1:1-3), suggesting that this moment took place on the same day as His resurrection.
As he continues with this concise account, Mark summarizes the apostolic mission, implying that the apostles began their preaching immediately following the ascension. Yet, according to Luke's account in Acts, the apostolic proclamation of the Risen One began ten days later, on Pentecost. During this interval, the disciples obeyed the Lord's command to remain in Jerusalem (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4). Luke also briefly reflects on the apostles’ adherence to this directive within his narrative.
In his Gospel, Luke mentions that upon returning to Jerusalem, the apostles "abode always in the temple, glorifying and blessing God." It is understood that the apostles gathered in the temple during the scheduled prayer times whenever possible. At other times, they met with approximately 120 believers in a private residence, notably the upper room, which served as a place for prayer and solitude among the Eastern communities (Acts 1:16, 1:13). The Ascension of Jesus occurred on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12), situated about six stadia from Jerusalem and near Bethany (Luke 24:50), which lies on the eastern slope of this mountain, roughly fifteen stadia from the city (John 11:18).
They recalled the words of Christ: Be strong: I have overcome the world (John 16:33).
After reiterating the promise of the Holy Spirit, who would empower and teach them all things, the Master crossed His hands in blessing and began to ascend into heaven. The disciples lifted their gazes to witness the ascension of Jesus Christ, but a cloud suddenly enveloped Him, ‘taking Him out of their sight.’ Since His resurrection, Jesus had not been continuously present with the disciples; rather, He appeared to them at various times in unexpected ways that sometimes caused doubt, and He left them just as abruptly. From these encounters, the disciples must have recognized that their Master transcended the limitations of physical existence.
However, it was only now that they comprehended that their Master no longer belonged to the earth; He was glorified and had ascended to heaven, where He had existed since before the ages. In awe, the disciples stood still on the mountain, gazing into the cloud that concealed Him. They might have remained in this reverent state indefinitely if not for the voice of heavenly messengers that broke their silence. ‘Men of Galilee!’ the voice called to them. Awakened from their reverie, the disciples saw two men in white garments standing before them. ‘Why do you stand looking up to heaven?’ the messengers asked. ‘This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in the same way you saw Him go into heaven.’ The disciples worshipped the Ascended One and went back to Jerusalem filled with joy, remaining there persistently until they received the promised Comforter of the Spirit and were empowered from on high. Thus concluded the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the account provided is merely a brief glimpse, akin to a drop from an immense ocean. As the beloved disciple testified, ‘Jesus did many other things as well; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.’
They departed from Jerusalem after the Pentecost, which was the time designated by the Lord for them to stay in that city (Luke 24:49). They proclaimed the message throughout the world, encompassing all nations and regions they could access (Rom. 10:18, Col. 1:23). Their message was confirmed by signs, as miracles accompanied their preaching whenever needed to enhance its effectiveness. The Acts of the Apostles and the history of the Church offer numerous accounts of these miracles that supported and validated the Apostles' preaching. Indeed, this is accurately portrayed in this Gospel as it truly unfolded.
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THEOSIS