Week Twelve · June 14, 2026
The Exalted Christ — Ascension, Session, and Eternal Reign
Mark 16:19–20 · Luke 24:50–53 · Acts 1:9–14 · Psalm 110:1–4 · Daniel 7:13–14 · Philippians 2:9–11 · Hebrews 1:1–4
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, on the fortieth day you received your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, into the glory of your presence. He ascended far above all heavens, yet He did not depart from us; rather, He fills all things with His gracious rule. He sits at your right hand, not in idle majesty, but actively working through His Church, confirming the preached Word, and interceding for us as our eternal High Priest. Open our eyes to behold in these Holy Scriptures the full scope of His exaltation, that we may confess with joy that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. You who live and reign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
How This Session Works
This session examines the ascension and exaltation of Jesus Christ as the triumphant conclusion of His earthly ministry and the dynamic beginning of His ongoing heavenly reign. Together, these texts reveal that Easter and the Ascension form a single theological reality: the humiliated Servant has been vindicated, enthroned at the right hand of the Father, and now actively rules the cosmos while interceding for His Church.
- Layer 1: Mark 16:19–20 and Luke 24:50–53 — Mark uniquely unites the Ascension with Christ's session at the right hand of God and His ongoing cooperation with the Church's mission. Luke concludes his Gospel in the Jerusalem temple, casting Jesus as the new High Priest who blesses His disciples as He departs.
- Layer 2: Acts 1:9–14 — Luke's second volume provides the only detailed narrative of the Ascension event, including the cloud of glory, the angelic promise of Christ's return, and the gathered prayer of the nascent Church in the upper room.
- Layer 3: Psalm 110:1–4 and Daniel 7:13–14 — These Old Testament texts supply the prophetic foundation for everything the New Testament proclaims about Christ's enthronement, His eternal priesthood, and His universal dominion over all nations.
- Layer 4: Philippians 2:9–11 and Hebrews 1:1–4 — Paul and the writer of Hebrews compress Easter and the Ascension into the single reality of exaltation, revealing the cosmic scope of Christ's authority, His sustaining word, and His inheritance of the divine Name.
Your leader will guide you through each layer. Write your observations as you go.
The Ascension and the High Priestly Blessing
Mark 16:19–20 · Luke 24:50–53
Mark's Gospel concludes with a sweeping summary: Jesus is taken up into heaven, sits at God's right hand, and the disciples preach everywhere while the Lord works alongside them, confirming the message with accompanying signs.
Read aloud: Mark 16:19–20
The Session at the Right Hand (16:19)
Key Greek Terms — Mark 16:19–20
- 1. Mark states that Jesus "sat down at the right hand of God" (ekathisen ek dexion tou theou). In ancient Near Eastern courts, to sit at the king's right hand designated the supreme vice-regent. What does this language declare about Christ's present activity and authority?
- 2. Mark describes the ascended Lord as "working with them" (synergountos) and "confirming the message by accompanying signs" (epakolouthountōn). How does this verse demonstrate that the Ascension results not in Christ's absence, but in a new mode of active presence with His Church?
- 3. Mark compresses the entire post-Ascension apostolic mission into the single word "everywhere" (pantachou). How does this sweeping summary connect the Ascension to the universal reach of the Gospel?
Summary — Mark 16:19–20
| Element | Mark's Emphasis |
|---|---|
| Session at the Right Hand | ekathisen ek dexion tou theou: not a localized seat, but the full exercise of divine majesty and omnipresence |
| Working With Them | synergountos: the ascended Christ labors actively alongside His preachers on earth |
| Accompanying Signs | epakolouthountōn: miraculous confirmation validating the apostolic Word during the foundational era |
| Universal Preaching | pantachou: decades of salvation history compressed into a single triumphant sentence |
Luke is the only Gospel writer to record the Ascension at the close of his Gospel. He paints it in deeply liturgical colors, casting Jesus as the new High Priest who blesses His disciples as He departs and whose followers return to the temple with great joy.
Read aloud: Luke 24:50–53
The High Priestly Blessing (24:50–51)
Key Greek Terms — Luke 24:50–53
- 4. As Jesus departs, He lifts up His hands and blesses the disciples (eulogeo). Old Testament priests concluded their sacrificial service by raising their hands to pronounce the Aaronic blessing over the people (Num. 6:22–27). What does this liturgical gesture communicate about the nature of Jesus' departure?
The Temple Inclusio (24:52–53)
- 5. Luke's Gospel opens with the priest Zechariah in the temple, unable to pronounce the priestly blessing (1:22), and closes with the disciples in the temple "continually blessing God." What does this narrative bookend reveal about where God's presence now dwells?
Worship and Great Joy (24:52)
- 6. The disciples' reaction to Jesus' physical departure is counter-intuitive: they worship Him and return with "great joy." Earlier in the Gospel, they responded to His death with grief and to His appearances with terror. What epistemological shift has occurred that transforms a farewell into a cause for worship?
Summary — Luke 24:50–53
| Element | Luke's Emphasis |
|---|---|
| High Priestly Blessing | eulogeo: Jesus departs as the new High Priest, completing His atoning service with a blessing |
| Temple Inclusio | Gospel opens and closes in the temple: God's presence has shifted from the building to the person of Christ |
| Worship and Joy | The Ascension is not tragic separation but triumphant coronation; opened minds produce worship |
| Open Ending | Joyful waiting in the temple sets the stage for Pentecost, tying the Gospel to Acts |
Record Your Observations on Mark 16:19–20 and Luke 24:50–53: How does Mark's active, mission-oriented account differ from Luke's liturgical, temple-focused conclusion? What do both share about the nature of Christ's departure?
The Detailed Ascension Narrative
Acts 1:9–14
Luke's second volume provides the only detailed narrative of the Ascension in the New Testament. It describes the cloud of glory, the angelic redirection from sky-gazing to mission, and the earliest corporate activity of the post-Ascension Church.
Read aloud: Acts 1:9–14
The Cloud of Glory (1:9)
Key Greek Terms — Acts 1:9–14
- 7. A cloud "received him out of their sight." The cloud in the Old Testament signified the Shekinah glory of God's presence: the pillar of cloud in the wilderness, the cloud filling the tabernacle, the cloud at the Transfiguration. What does the cloud communicate about the nature of Christ's departure?
The Angelic Promise (1:10–11)
- 8. At the empty tomb, "two men" in dazzling apparel rebuked the women for seeking the living among the dead (Luke 24:4–5). Now, "two men" in white robes rebuke the disciples for staring into the sky and promise that "this Jesus" will return "in the same way." What does this parallel reveal about the proper posture of the Church between the Ascension and the Second Coming?
The Upper Room and the Posture of the Nascent Church (1:12–14)
- 9. The disciples return to Jerusalem in obedience to Jesus' command and devote themselves to prayer "with one mind" (homothymadon). Luke uses a periphrastic construction (ēsan proskarterountes, "they were persevering") to emphasize continuous, ongoing prayer. What does this portrait establish as the defining characteristics of the Church before any preaching or miracles occur?
Summary — Acts 1:9–14
| Element | Acts' Emphasis |
|---|---|
| Cloud of Glory | The Shekinah receives Christ into the divine presence; exaltation, not mere departure |
| Angelic Promise | "This Jesus" will return in the same way: bodily, visible, on the clouds |
| Upper Room | Obedient gathering in Jerusalem: the incubator of the nascent Church |
| United Prayer | homothymadon + proskarterountes: Spirit-wrought unity and persistent prayer as the Church's first act |
Record Your Observations on Acts 1:9–14: What does the cloud of Shekinah glory add to Luke's briefer Gospel account? What does the upper room scene establish as the Church's foundational posture?
The Old Testament Foundation
Psalm 110:1–4 · Daniel 7:13–14
Psalm 110 is the most frequently cited Old Testament passage in the New Testament. It supplies the prophetic foundation for the Church's confession that the risen Christ sits at the Father's right hand as both King and eternal Priest.
Read aloud: Psalm 110:1–4
The Double Kyrios and the Christological Paradox (110:1)
Key Terms — Psalm 110 and Daniel 7
- 10. In the Hebrew text, "The LORD said to my Lord" juxtaposes the divine name Yahweh with the title l'adoni ("my lord"). The Septuagint translates both terms with the same Greek word: Kyrios. Jesus used this paradox to challenge His contemporaries (Matt. 22:41–46): how could David call his own descendant "my Lord"? What does this tension reveal about the Messiah's identity?
The Active Session and the Subjugation of Enemies (110:1)
- 11. The command "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet" uses the image of hypopodion ("footstool"), evoking ancient kings placing their feet on the necks of conquered foes. In 1 Corinthians 15:25–28, Paul identifies the "last enemy" to be destroyed as death itself. What does this "already/not yet" tension mean for the Church's present experience?
The Oath of the Eternal Priesthood (110:4)
- 12. "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." The Levitical priesthood was established by the Mosaic Law and interrupted by the death of each priest. Christ's priesthood rests on a direct divine oath and His "indestructible life" (Heb. 7:16). What does the permanence of Christ's priesthood guarantee for believers?
Summary — Psalm 110:1–4
| Element | Psalm 110's Emphasis |
|---|---|
| Double Kyrios | David calls his own descendant "my Lord": the Messiah is ontologically superior to David |
| Right Hand Session | The supreme vice-regent's throne: active eschatological reign, not passive waiting |
| Footstool | hypopodion: total subjugation of enemies, culminating in the defeat of death itself |
| Melchizedek Priesthood | Established by divine oath; permanent, uninterrupted intercession for God's people |
Daniel 7 provides the primary Old Testament apocalyptic framework for the title "Son of Man," depicting a heavenly-human figure who approaches the Ancient of Days to receive a universal, eternal kingdom.
Read aloud: Daniel 7:13–14
The Son of Man and the Ancient of Days (7:13)
- 13. The Aramaic phrase k'bar 'enash ("one like a Son of Man") uses the preposition "like," implying a figure who possesses true human nature yet is far greater than an ordinary mortal. In the original vision, the Son of Man comes to the Ancient of Days, describing an ascension rather than a descent. How does this direction of movement illuminate the meaning of Christ's Ascension?
The Blueprint for the Great Commission (7:14)
- 14. Daniel 7:14 states that "authority was given to him" and "all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him." In Matthew 28:18–19, the risen Jesus deliberately echoes this exact phrasing: "All authority has been given to me… make disciples of all nations." What does this verbal connection establish about the origin and scope of the Great Commission?
Summary — Daniel 7:13–14
| Element | Daniel 7's Emphasis |
|---|---|
| Son of Man | k'bar 'enash: true humanity united with heavenly authority; Jesus' preferred self-designation |
| Coming to the Ancient of Days | An ascension to receive a kingdom, not primarily a descent to earth |
| Everlasting Dominion | The kingdom given to the Son of Man cannot be destroyed, unlike the four beastly empires |
| All Nations | The Great Commission in Matt. 28:18–19 directly fulfills this prophetic grant of universal authority |
Record Your Observations on Psalm 110:1–4 and Daniel 7:13–14: How do these two Old Testament texts together supply the theological grammar for Christ's enthronement? What does the double Kyrios of Psalm 110 reveal that Daniel 7 does not?
The Apostolic Theology of Exaltation
Philippians 2:9–11 · Hebrews 1:1–4
Paul's Christ Hymn compresses the Resurrection and Ascension into the single theological concept of "exaltation." The Father's vindication of the obedient Son results in the bestowal of the divine Name and the cosmic confession of His Lordship.
Read aloud: Philippians 2:9–11
Exaltation as Vindication (2:9)
Key Greek Terms — Philippians 2:9–11
- 15. Paul writes that God "highly exalted" Jesus and bestowed on Him "the name that is above every name." The context of Philippians 2:6–8 establishes that this exaltation follows the deepest possible self-emptying: taking the form of a servant and dying on a cross. What does this sequence reveal about the relationship between humiliation and glory in God's economy?
The Universal Confession (2:10–11)
- 16. Paul states that "every knee should bow" and "every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (exomologeo). He draws this language from Isaiah 45:23, where Yahweh declares that every knee will bow to Him alone. What does Paul's application of this exclusive Yahweh-text to Jesus communicate about Christ's identity?
Summary — Philippians 2:9–11
| Element | Paul's Emphasis |
|---|---|
| Exaltation | Easter and Ascension compressed into one theological reality: vindication of the obedient Son |
| Name Above Every Name | The divine Name bestowed upon the exalted Christ: He shares the identity and authority of Yahweh |
| Universal Confession | exomologeo: Isaiah 45:23 applied to Jesus; every tongue in the cosmos will acknowledge His Lordship |
| To the Glory of the Father | Christ's exaltation does not compete with the Father's glory but completes it |
The writer of Hebrews presents the Son as the final, definitive revelation of God. He radiates the Father's glory, sustains the universe by His powerful word, accomplished purification for sins, and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Read aloud: Hebrews 1:1–4
The Exact Imprint of the Divine Essence (1:3a)
Key Greek Terms — Hebrews 1:1–4
- 17. Hebrews describes the Son as "the radiance of the glory of God" (apaugasma tēs doxēs) and "the exact imprint of his nature" (charakter tēs hypostaseōs). The term hypostasis refers to the underlying substance or essential reality of God. What do these terms declare about the Son's relationship to the Father?
Purification and the Session (1:3b)
- 18. After "making purification for sins" (katharismon tōn hamartiōn), the Son "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (ekathisen). Old Testament priests remained standing during their continual, repetitive sacrifices. What does the act of sitting down communicate about the completeness of Christ's atoning work?
The Inherited Name (1:4)
- 19. The Son "became as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs." In ancient Judaism, angels were viewed as exalted heavenly mediators. What does this comparison establish about the Son's rank in the heavenly order?
Summary — Hebrews 1:1–4
| Element | Hebrews' Emphasis |
|---|---|
| Final Revelation | God has now spoken definitively in His Son, surpassing all prior prophetic revelation |
| Radiance and Imprint | apaugasma + charakter tēs hypostaseōs: the Son shares the identical substance and visible glory of God |
| Purification | katharismon tōn hamartiōn: the ultimate eschatological Day of Atonement, accomplished once for all |
| Session | ekathisen: the work is finished; the Son reigns from the throne as active vice-regent |
Comparison — The Exalted Christ Across Seven Witnesses
| Feature | Mark 16:19–20 | Luke 24:50–53 | Acts 1:9–14 | Ps. 110:1–4 | Dan. 7:13–14 | Phil. 2:9–11 | Heb. 1:1–4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Image | Session at right hand; working with apostles | High Priestly blessing; joyful return to temple | Cloud of glory; angelic promise of return | Royal enthronement; eternal priesthood | Son of Man receiving everlasting dominion | Name above every name; cosmic confession | Radiance of glory; purification and session |
| Christ's Activity | Actively confirming the preached Word everywhere | Blessing from heaven; beginning heavenly intercession | Entering divine glory; pouring out the Spirit | Reigning until enemies are subdued; interceding forever | Ruling all nations and languages eternally | Receiving the worship of the entire cosmos | Sustaining the universe; seated after purification |
| For the Church | The Lord works alongside every preacher of the Gospel | Worship and joy replace grief; the Church's liturgy bridges heaven and earth | United prayer and obedient waiting define the Church's posture | Believers share in Christ's victory and have permanent access to God | The Great Commission is backed by total cosmic authority | The confession "Jesus is Lord" is the Church's foundational creed | The preached Word of the Son surpasses all prior revelation |
Record Your Observations on Philippians 2:9–11 and Hebrews 1:1–4: How does Paul's humiliation-exaltation pattern complement the Hebrews portrait of the seated, reigning Son? What does each text contribute that the other leaves implicit?
Theological Synthesis
These texts assert that Christ's Ascension is not a departure into absence, but His transition into a new, omnipresent mode of ruling and feeding His Church. The exalted Christ is not an absentee Lord but reigns actively from the Father's right hand, working through His Church, interceding as eternal High Priest, and preparing to return on the clouds of glory.
The Fourfold Portrait
Using the observations you recorded at the end of each layer, write them together here:
Mark 16:19–20 / Luke 24:50–53
Acts 1:9–14
Psalm 110:1–4 / Daniel 7:13–14
Philippians 2:9–11 / Hebrews 1:1–4
Core Theological Questions
- 20. The Active Right Hand: Mark 16:20 describes the Lord "working with" His apostles on earth even after sitting down at God's right hand. The Formula of Concord (Solid Declaration VIII) uses this verse to argue that the "right hand of God" is not a geographical location, but the almighty power of God that fills heaven and earth. What does this teaching mean for Christ's presence in the Church today, particularly in the Lord's Supper?
- 21. The Eternal High Priest: Luke 24:50–51 depicts Jesus blessing His disciples with uplifted hands as He ascends. Psalm 110:4 declares Him "a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 1:3 confirms that after purifying sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty. How do these three texts together portray the relationship between Christ's completed sacrifice and His ongoing heavenly intercession?
- 22. The Humiliation-Exaltation Pattern: Philippians 2:6–11 traces a trajectory from divine equality, through self-emptying and death on a cross, to the bestowal of the Name above every name. How does this pattern shape the Church's understanding of power and authority?
- 23. Already and Not Yet: Psalm 110:1 says "until I make your enemies a footstool," and 1 Corinthians 15:25–28 identifies the last enemy as death. Acts 1:11 promises Christ's bodily return. The Church lives between the Ascension and the Second Coming. How do these texts shape the Church's expectation and mission during this in-between time?
- 24. The Son of Man and the Great Commission: Daniel 7:14 prophesied that "all peoples, nations, and languages" would serve the Son of Man. Matthew 28:18–19 deliberately echoes this language. What does this verbal connection reveal about the authority behind the Church's mission to the nations?
Liturgical Connection
- 25. The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds both confess that Christ "ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty." The hymn "The Infant Priest Was Holy Born" (LSB 624) celebrates Christ's Melchizedekian priesthood and His session at the Father's right hand. How does the weekly confession of the Creed connect the congregation to the theology of these texts?
- 26. The Responsory from Hebrews 1 is used in the Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer (LSB 230, 245), declaring that God has spoken to us by His Son. How does the liturgical placement of this text shape the Church's approach to hearing the Scriptures read aloud in worship?
Lectionary Usage
- Ascension of Our Lord, Series B: Mark 16:14–20 is the appointed Holy Gospel, also used for the Seventh Sunday of Easter across all three series.
- Ascension of Our Lord (all series): Luke 24:44–53 is appointed across Series A, B, and C, and as a Gospel option for a Mission Observance. Acts 1:1–11 is the universally appointed First Reading for the Feast of the Ascension across all three series.
- Seventh Sunday of Easter (all series): Acts 1:12–26 is appointed across Series A, B, and C.
- Ascension — Psalm of the Day: Psalm 110 is the appointed Psalm for the Feast of the Ascension in the One-Year Lectionary, and also for Christmas Eve and the Third Sunday after the Epiphany.
- Proper 29, Series B (Christ the King): Daniel 7:9–10, 13–14 is the appointed Old Testament reading. Daniel 7:9–14 is also appointed for the Feast of the Transfiguration in the historic One-Year Lectionary.
- Palm Sunday/Sunday of the Passion (all series): Philippians 2:5–11 is universally appointed as the Epistle across all three series and in the historic One-Year Lectionary.
- Christmas Day (all series): Hebrews 1:1–6 (7–12) is the appointed Epistle for Christmas Day in all three series; Hebrews 1:1–12 is used in the One-Year Lectionary.
The Creed and the Session
Every Sunday the congregation confesses that Christ "ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty." This is not merely biographical summary. Drawing on Psalm 110:1, Daniel 7:13–14, and Mark 16:19, the Creed asserts that the present tense matters: Christ sits, meaning He reigns now. The Formula of Concord grounds the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper precisely here: the right hand of God is not a location in space but the omnipotent power of God that fills all things. The Creed trains the Church to confess what the texts confirm.
Hymnody
See, the Lord Ascends in Triumph (LSB 494)
The narrative backbone for Ascension hymnody, drawing on Luke 24:50–53 and Acts 1:9–14. The hymn proclaims the triumphant departure of the risen Christ and His ongoing intercession from the Father's right hand.
At the Name of Jesus (LSB 512)
The direct scriptural basis is Philippians 2:9–11. Stanza 4 draws on Mark 16:19, and the hymn as a whole weaves together the humiliation-exaltation pattern of the Carmen Christi with the session at God's right hand.
The Infant Priest Was Holy Born (LSB 624)
Celebrates Christ's Melchizedekian priesthood drawn directly from Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 7. The hymn traces the arc from incarnation through sacrifice to eternal priestly intercession at the Father's right hand.
A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing (LSB 493)
Grounded in Acts 1:1–11. Acts 1:14 places Mary in the upper room praying with the apostles, a biblical detail that influenced the original Latin text of this hymn. The promise of Acts 1:8 — witnesses to the ends of the earth — frames its Pentecost stanzas.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you ascended to the right hand of the Father, not to leave us as orphans, but to fill all things with your gracious presence. You reign as King over all the cosmos, and you intercede as our eternal High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. You confirmed the apostolic Word with signs and wonders, and you continue to work through your Church wherever the Gospel is preached. We thank you that the Name above every name has been given to you, that every knee must bow before your throne, and that the dominion prophesied by Daniel now rests securely in your pierced hands. Sustain us in united prayer and joyful expectation until you return on the clouds of glory, as the angels promised. You who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.