Did Jesus ascend bodily into Heaven?
Jun 12th, 2009 by Bryan
A friend in my Sunday School class recently loaned me Kathy Reichs’ 2005 novel, Cross Bones, in which a feisty American forensic scientist (with anthropology training, natch) comes across a skeleton believed to be that of Jesus of Nazareth. The extra little twist is that this skeleton was found among the remains of the Jewish defenders of Masada. One theory is that somehow Jesus survived the cross, went on to live a full life, and died defending his homeland surrounded by a group of his followers. This version of events would not make Jews nor Christians very happy, which sets up the tension in the novel.
The book isn’t that great although it was entertaining enough in its way. There aren’t many novels that contain several pages of dialogue about André Lemaire, so from a bibliobloggers point of view the book has some interest. The James Ossuary appears prominently in the book, and as Jim has posted, criminal proceedings against Golan are proceeding despite his denial of guilt.
During the book’s consideration of the possible earthly remains of Jesus, I found myself thinking about a problem that has always puzzled me. If Jesus rose from the dead in a bodily sense, what does that mean for the stories of his ascension into heaven? I’m not a New Testament scholar (thanks be) nor a theologian (to God), so I don’t have an official answer. I’m firmly among the “laity” on this one.
As you know, there is a lot of debate about what the disciples experienced with regard to Jesus’ resurrection: whether Jesus was a corporal entity, a ghostly presence, or a sentimental memory. The gospels themselves, however, seem to argue strongly that his resurrected body was a physical thing, in fact the same body he carried around in his former life.
Jesus’ resurrected body was something other than normal, however. He was able to apparate into locked rooms. (Is it ok to use a Potterism here?) He was his old self, but the disciples didn’t recognize him until he broke the bread, etc. I enjoy having students read the four resurrection narratives (including the stumpy one[s] in Mark), to see how quirky they are, and how much squishiness there is in their language about Jesus’ physical form.
The biggest anomaly, however, is that after some period of time Jesus bids adieu and ascendeds into heaven. If we grant the gospel’s contention that Jesus was more than an angelic presence, this should seem very odd to modern readers. Did he rise up into the ether and pass into the reaches of outer space? Did he go up for a while and then fade away into the spiritual realm through some process of translation? How can a corporal body enter the heavenly realm?
Of course, the same thing happens to Elijah in 1 Kings 2, so there’s that to consider as well. One of the problems we have in dealing with this issue is the difference between Greek ideas of the separation of matter and spirit and traditional Jewish ideas of the unity of body and soul. It might be easier to think of Jesus as reappearing to the disciples in spiritual form after having shed his earthly shell. This spiritual Jesus, no longer bound by his material form, could easily “ascend” to his natural home, the spiritual heaven.
That would not be an orthodox Jewish or Christian view, however, though it well describes the view of Jesus shared by many modern Christians, even of his earthly life. Let’s just say there is a reason that John’s gospel is a favorite of modern gnostic evangelical Christians.
I suppose my point is that we have a lot of discussion about the resurrection as being 1) highly unusual bordering on improbable, 2) an essential article of faith, and/or 3) a singular miracle. Where is the discussion about how this resurrected Jesus was able to go to heaven?
[Note: If you have a chance, check out the Southpark episode, "The Death of Cartman," in which Cartman thinks that he has died and is present in ghostly form until he performs an act of heroic service. The salient scene (which I could link to if copyright law in this country were sane) is when Cartman tries to ascend to heaven, having accomplished his good deed. He backs up, expecting to get smaller and smaller, and then bumps into the wall. It's a poignant moment.]
There is a movie with a similar premise starring Antonio Banderas called “The Body.” Basically, a tomb is uncovered and potentially contains the bones of Jesus. Banderas plays a struggling scientist/priest. And the Vatican is of course involved in all sorts of evil shenanigans. I actually enjoy the movie quite a bit. And yes . . . (shame), I own it.
I didn’t know about that movie, John. Thanks for the tip. I wonder, has there been a thriller/mystery movie in which the Catholic hierarchy plays a good guy?
Bryan,
Great post. This is something I’ve grappled with as well. The whole idea of “ascension” is somewhat difficult for me, we have “looked up” quite a considerable distance and there is space, stars, planets, etc. The whole idea of “heaven is up” belongs to an ancient cosmology that is difficult to share. I belong with the laity on this one as well, but I do hope a theologian posts a reply.
Accommodating to our cosmologies, ancient and otherwise, is what Jesus does. What is Incarnation if not accommodation? Heaven as a place with a specific spatial orientation in relation to terrestrial existence might have been one of the few cognitive consolations for the disciples realizing, “Wait… now he’s really gone?” Jesus had to leave in a way that made sense to the disciples, insofar as that was possible.
If God can become human and take on a physical body, the infinite taking on the finite, it only makes sense that the he would again return to something more akin to his original state, the eternal Logos, albeit with a physical body. So, yeah, I’m going to opt for translation, however cool Space Jesus sounds.
However, I’m not sure we’re asking the right question. Asking about the mechanics of spiritual mysteries leads to shenanigans. Medieval debates about transubstantiation, for example, became concerned with what happens in the elements (Aquinas) as opposed to what happens in the hearts of believers (Bonaventure), culminating, some, in the Catholic/Protestant split.
The bottom line is not how did Jesus ascend but why: to allow his disciples, empowered by the Spirit, to become the Church; and to remind them that he would return.
That’s this historical theologian’s answer, at any rate.
Thanks for the helpful comment, George. I’m adding this to my quotes folder: “Asking about the mechanics of spiritual mysteries leads to shenanigans.” With regard to the mythological elements of the Hebrew Bible, I spend a lot of time trying to get students to ask why rather than how.