LECTION 95 - The Ascension.
The Ascension.
1. AND Iesus (after he had shewed himself alive to his disciples) after his resurrection and sojourned with them for ninety days, teaching and speaking of the Kingdom, and the things pertaining to the Kingdom (of God) and had finished all things that he had to do, led forth the twelve with Mary Magdalene, and Joseph (his father) and Mary (his mother) and the other holy women as far as Bethany to a mountain called Olivet, where he had appointed them.
2. And when they saw him as he stood in the midst of them, they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Iesus spake unto them, saying,
Behold, I have chosen you from among men, and have given you the Law, and the Word of truth.
3. I have set you [as] the light of the world, and [as] a city that cannot be hid. But the time cometh when darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, and the enemies (of truth) and righteousness shall rule in my Name, and set up a Kingdom (of this world) and oppress the peoples, and cause the enemy to blaspheme, putting for my doctrines the opinions (of men) and teaching in my Name that which I have not taught, and darkening much that I have taught by their traditions.
4. But be of good cheer, for the time will also come when the truth they have hidden shall be manifested, and the light shall shine, and the darkness shall pass away, and the true Kingdom shall be established (which shall be in the world) but not of it, and the Word (of righteousness and love) shall go forth from the Centre, even the holy city of Mount Zion, and the Mount (which is in the land of Egypt) shall be known [as] an altar of witness unto the Lord.
5. And now I go to my Parent and your Parent, my God and your God. But ye, tarry in Jerusalem, and abide in prayer, and after seven days ye shall receive power from on high, and the promise of the Holy Spirit shall be fulfilled unto you, and ye shall go forth from Jerusalem unto all the tribes of Israel, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.
6. And having said these things, he lifted up his pure and holy hands and blessed them. And it came to pass that while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and a cloud, [as] the sun in brightness, received him out of their sight, and as he went up some held him by the feet and others worshipped him, falling to the earth on their faces.
7. And while they gazed steadfastly into Heaven, behold two stood by them in white apparel, and said,
Ye men of Israel, why stand ye gazing into thee, Heaven; this same Iesus who is taken from you in a cloud, and as ye have seen him go into Heaven, so shall he come again to the earth.
8. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives (which is from the city a Sabbath day’s journey). And as they returned they missed Mary Magdalene, and they looked for her, but found her not. And some of the disciples said,
The Master hath taken her, and they marvelled and were in great awe.
9. Now it was midsummer when Iesus ascended into Heaven, and he had not yet attained his fiftieth year, for it was needful that seven times seven years should be fulfilled in his life.
10. Yea, that he might be perfected by the suffering of all experiences, and be an example unto all, to children and parents, to the married and the celibates, to youth and those of full age, yea, and unto all ages and conditions of mortal life.
LECTION 95. 5. -There is no doubt that the "power" here referred to means the spiritual power which we read of as exercised by the followers of Jesus and other great prophets in all ages more or less. Taking the various accounts in the Gospel and ecclesiastical history as correct, miracles (i.e., wondrous works wrought by the exercise of faith and will power and often by the uses of subtle forces of nature, quite natural, but seemingly supernatural to those in ignorance of these forces) were of frequent occurrences in those days, even as they are in these days, but better understood, false miracles being no proof of the non-existence of true ones. Often they would be the effect exercised on the minds and imaginations of vast numbers of the poor and afl1icted, the diseased and suffering of humanity by faith in some great champions of the oppressed, themselves destroyed by the oppressor, yet realised by faith, if not by actual knowledge as still living and acting, with hands outstretched to heal and bless those who invoked their aid.
v. 9. -From the testimony of the Jews, John viii. 57, A. V., it appears that Jesus at that time was not far from fifty years of age, and this is supported by S. lrenmus, 120-200 A.D., who appeals to the gospel as received by those of his day and to all the elders as testifying the same," those who were conversant in Asia with John, the disciple of the Lord, affirming that John conveyed to them this tradition." "Some of them," he says again, "not only saw John but the other Apostles also, and heard the very same tradition from them. Bond bear testimony to the truth of the statement."
The Editor of this Gospel has been credibly informed by an esteemed friend of his, "a Syrian Bishop," and a relative of the late learned Pope Pius IX., that he frequently (in private) assured him that he firmly held this (as a private opinion), the present time (1870) not being yet ripe for a public declaration on this and similar subjects, now introduced into the notes to this and other publications of the O.A.
LECTION 95. 8. -Mary Magdalene was chosen by our Lord as a type of the Church, in her fallen condition, redeemed by His love, and would be fitly one of the first fruits taken to be with her Lord, as Ioseph and Mary were after. She was the constant companion of Iesus' Ministry, to him she ministered of her substance, she anointed him for his Ministry, and for his Burial. She was the last at the Cross, and the first at the Tomb, and to her aJone He gave the commission, " Go tell Peter," and wheresoever the Gospel was to be preached, her love and devotion to her Master were to be declared.