The Son's Ascension vs. The Spirit's Outpouring
Luke 24:51: "While He
blessed them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven."
Acts 1:9-11: "When He had said these things, as
they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud
took Him up from their sight... This Jesus, who was taken up from you into
heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven."
Acts 2:1-4: "When the day
of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly
there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing
wind... And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Eph. 1:20-23: "He raised
Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places...
And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to
the church."
Acts 1:8: "But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you... and you will be My
witnesses."
|
Analysis Items |
The Son's Ascension |
The Spirit's Outpouring |
|
Basic Definition |
Christ ascended
to heaven from the Mount of Olives forty days after resurrection, being
exalted by the Father to God's right hand |
Ten days after
Christ's ascension, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out
from heaven upon the disciples |
|
Time and Place |
• Time: Forty days after resurrection (Acts 1:3,9-11) • Place: Ascended from Mount of Olives to heaven (Luke
24:50-51, Acts 1:12) |
• Time: Ten days after ascension, on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) • Place: Upper room in Jerusalem (Acts 1:13, 2:1-4) |
|
Nature of Action |
Upward
movement, leaving the ground, visible ascension |
Downward
movement, descending from heaven, spiritual filling with outward
manifestation |
|
Essential Significance |
•
Christ's humanity brought into divinity, receiving glory (John 17:5,
Heb. 2:9) • Completing
redemptive work, entering the Holy of Holies (Heb. 9:12,24) •
Believers seated together in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 2:6) |
• The
Triune God entering believers as life (John 14:16-17, 20:22) • Redemptive
results applied to believers (Titus 3:5-6, Eph. 1:13-14) •
Indwelling life and sanctifying transformation (Rom. 8:10-11, 2 Cor.
3:18) |
|
Economical Significance |
•
Christ taking office to execute heavenly ministry, receiving authority
(Matt. 28:18, Phil. 2:9-11) • Head
over all things, sitting on the throne (Eph. 1:20-23, Heb. 1:3) • Receiving
ascended position and hope (Col. 3:1-4, Phil. 3:20-21) |
• Believers
receiving authority and power to execute God's economy (Acts 1:8, Luke
24:49) • Building
Christ's Body, manifesting God's glory (Eph. 2:22, 4:11-16) • Power
for witness and spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11) |
|
What Christ Obtained |
• Kingship,
lordship (Acts 2:36, 5:31) • Throne,
headship (Heb. 12:2, Eph. 1:22) • Glory
and honor (Heb. 2:9) • All
authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18) • Name
above every name (Phil. 2:9) |
• Becoming
the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b) • Becoming
another Comforter (John 14:16) • Becoming
the Spirit of truth (John 16:13) • Being
with believers until the end of the age (Matt. 28:20) • Pouring
Himself out (Acts 2:33) |
|
Main Distinctions |
• Direction: From earth to heaven (upward) • Participants: Primarily Christ individually • Duration: One-time historical event • Scope: Christ's personal glorification and installation • Goal: Completing personal redemptive work, obtaining position |
• Direction: From heaven to earth (downward) • Participants: Involving the community of believers • Duration: Continuous experience and work • Scope: Establishment and expansion of the universal church • Goal: Beginning corporate building work, dispensing life |
|
Old Testament Types |
• Aaron
entering the Holy of Holies (Lev. 16:15-17) •
Enoch taken by God (Gen. 5:24, Heb. 11:5) • Elijah's
ascension (2 Kings 2:11) |
• The
ark placed in the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11) • Anointing
with holy oil (Ex. 30:25, 1 Sam. 16:13) •
Ezekiel seeing God's glory filling the temple (Ezek. 43:1-5) |
|
New Testament Examples |
• Ascension
from Mount of Olives (Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:9-11) • Stephen
seeing Christ standing at God's right hand (Acts 7:55-56) • Paul
caught up to the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:2-4) |
• Holy
Spirit's descent on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) • Holy
Spirit falling on Gentiles at Cornelius' house (Acts 10:44-46) •
Ephesian disciples receiving the Spirit (Acts 19:1-7) |
|
Prayer Application |
• Praying
in Christ's name (John 14:13-14) • Christ
interceding for us (Heb. 7:25, Rom. 8:34) •
Boldly entering the Holy of Holies (Heb. 4:16, 10:19-22) |
• The
Spirit helping us pray (Rom. 8:26-27) •
Praying in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18, Jude 20) •
The Spirit's groanings (Rom. 8:23) |
|
Witness and Service Application |
• Preaching
gospel with Christ's authority (Matt. 28:18-20) • Power
in Christ's name (Phil. 2:9-11) • Casting
out demons by Christ's authority (Mark 16:17) |
• Spirit
giving power for witness (Acts 1:8) •
Spirit guiding into all truth (John 16:13) • Spirit
distributing various gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11) |
|
Daily Life Application |
• Setting
mind on things above (Col. 3:1-2) • Waiting
for Christ's return (Phil. 3:20-21) •
Following Christ's example (1 Pet. 2:21) |
• Walking
by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16,25) • Fruit
of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) • Being
filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18) |
|
Father's Participation |
• Exalting
the Son to His right hand (Acts 2:33, Phil. 2:9) •
Giving glory to the Son (John 17:5) •
Giving authority to the Son (Matt. 28:18) |
• Sending
the Spirit (John 14:26, 15:26) •
Promising the Spirit's giving (Luke 24:49, Gal. 3:14) • The
Spirit proceeding from the Father (John 15:26) |
|
Son's Role |
• Ascending
into heaven (Heb. 4:14) • Sitting
at the Father's right hand (Mark 16:19, Heb. 1:3) • Receiving
the name above every name (Phil. 2:9) |
• Becoming
the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b) • Returning
to disciples in the Spirit's form (John 14:18) •
Pouring Himself out (Acts 2:33) |
|
Spirit's Work |
• Participating
in Christ's resurrection (Rom. 8:11) • Testifying
to Christ's ascension (John 15:26) |
•
Descending upon disciples (Acts 2:4) • Becoming
the ultimate consummation of the processed Triune God • Dispensing
the Triune God into believers |
|
Core Scripture |
Phil. 2:9-11: "Therefore God has highly exalted Him
and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name... every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Matt. 28:18: "All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to Me." Heb. 9:24: "Christ has entered, not into holy
places made with hands... but into heaven itself, now to appear in the
presence of God on our behalf." |
Acts 2:32-33: "This Jesus God raised up... Being
therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the
Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this that you
yourselves are seeing and hearing." John 7:37-39: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me
and drink... Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Now this He said
about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive." |
|
Overall Relationship |
Completion Stage: Completion of Christ's personal redemptive
work, obtaining position, authority, and glory, preparing conditions for the
Spirit's outpouring |
Application Stage: Dispensing and applying redemptive results,
the Triune God entering believers, building Christ's Body |
|
Ultimate Goal |
Both are for the
dispensing of the Divine Trinity: The ascension
enables Christ to obtain position and authority, while the outpouring enables the Triune God to enter into man.
The ultimate goal is to dispense God's Trinity into
believers, making them God's expression and completing God's economy |
|
This table clearly shows
that:
The ascension of the Son is the completion stage, Christ personally
obtains position and authority
The outpouring of the Spirit is the application stage, the Triune God is
dispensed into man
The two are closely
connected, and together they accomplish the ultimate goal of God dispensing His
Trinity into believers
Conclusion:
The Son's
ascension and the Spirit's outpouring are two inseparable stages of one
complete redemptive plan. The ascension
completed Christ's personal glorification and inauguration, while the outpouring began the Triune God's corporate dispensing
and building. Both contain the full
participation of the Triune God and represent the coordinated action of the
Divine Trinity in the economy, with the ultimate purpose of dispensing God's
Trinity into believers to make them God's expression.
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