THE LORD’S SUPPER

2004-2005

LESSON TEN

I. Chapter XII B

The arguments from the article of Christ’s ascension to heaven, His session at the right hand of God, and His return to judgment.

A. The rule is certain: When the absurdity of the literal sense clearly touches on the articles of faith, then the literal sense must not be retained, but with the aid of figures of speech another interpretation must be sought which is in keeping with the articles of faith.

B. Adversaries contend natural meanings of words of institution conflict with:

1. “He ascended into heaven”.

2. “[He] sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty”.

3. “[A]nd from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”

C. Summary of their argument.

1. Scripture describes great distance by speaking of something being exalted from earth to heaven (e.g. Is 55:9).

2. If He is “returning” on Last Day, it follows He is not here before then.

D. Remember that various and specious contradictions (Greek: antilogiai; Heb 7:7), contraventions of the Law (Greek: antinomiai; not in N.T.) and antitheses (Greek: antitheseis; 1Ti 6:20) can be dreamed up right out of Scripture.

E. Therefore must carefully examine these articles of faith.

1. The Ascension.

a. Must be taken in its simple sense.

b. He was taken up on high in a visible way which was perceivable to the senses.

(1) Ac 1:10 and 1Pe 3:22: use “to go” (Greek: poreuesthai)

(2) Lk 24:51: uses “He was carried (T.R.: Greek: anephereto) (some manuscripts omit).

(3) Ac 1:9: uses “He was taken up” (Greek:eperthe).

c. He did not suddenly disappear, but in the circumscribed form and the localization of His body He ascended:

(1) The cloud received (Greek:hupelaben) Him out of the sight of the Apostles (Ac 1:9).

(2) In such a way that He continually ascended farther and farther away from their sight by a visible interval of space (Ac 1:10; Lk 24:51; Mk 16:19)

(3) “He was taken up in heaven” on high where angels ascend, where Elijah was taken, where the elect will be received.

(4) The words of the account of His Ascension retain their proper, simple, and natural meaning.

d. But, does it necessarily follow that He is not truly present in the Supper?

(1) That is not a necessary consequence!

(2) In His “local” mode.

(a) He will also descend on Last Day (Ac 1:11; 1Th 4:16)

(b) He now appears to His saints in heaven (Rv 14:4)

(3) But that does not mean that He neither knows nor has another mode of presence, although unknown and incomprehensible to us.

(a) Where he is not only truly present in heaven.

(b) But also in His Supper celebrated on earth.

e. Adversaries’ point not even consistent with events portrayed before the Day of Judgment.

(1) Ac 23:11: clearest example.

(2) Not just some specter since Paul uses such appearances as the basis for proof of the resurrection of the flesh of Christ in 1Co 15.

f. Heaven

(1) Not portrayed in Scripture as to its whereabouts or its nature.

(2) In fact, just the opposite: 1Co 2:9.

(3) Paul carried into third heaven (2Co 12:2), but says so little about the physical aspects that he confesses lack of sureness whether there in body or outside the body. (2Co 12:3,4)

(4) Scripture asserts that the nature of the third heaven cannot be comprehended by our thoughts or explained with our words.

(5) Augustine: “It is very odd and most unnecessary to inquire where and in what condition the body of the Lord is in heaven; it is our duty only to believe that it is in heaven. For it is not the task of our fragile mind to discover the secrets of the heavens, but it is the duty of our faith to know the sublime honor and dignity of the body of the Lord.” (quoted, p. 213)

g. We do not use the “incomprehensible” to alter the clear, natural meaning of the words of the Supper.

h. Particularly since Paul given them after the Ascension:

(1) “Received into heaven” does not mean “kept in heaven”.

(2) He took possession of heaven or occupied it.

(3) Heaven did not “capture” Him.

2. The right hand of God.

a. Ac 3:21.

(1) The Father has adorned that Jesus who was crucified out of weakness (2Co 13:4) with the highest and most incomprehensible glory and power.

(2) Peter is showing that Christ received heaven itself.

(a) Showing consequences of denying the One they killed.

(b) Showing what believers can expect from the glory and power of Christ.

(c) Scripture expresses, with the picture of God inhabiting heaven, that He manifests Himself and His majesty and power more clearly and gloriously.

(d) In heaven, He is not to be known through means, but face to face, filling all things with His blessing.

(e) On earth, He is known only through means, only in part .

(3) Peter shows that it is necessary for Christ to receive heaven until the time of the restitution.

(a) as did David: Ps 110:1.

(b) and Paul: 1Co 15:25,26.

b. Adversaries argument would deny that God Himself can be present here on earth since:

(1) Dt 26:15.

(2) 1Ki 8:30.

(3) Jn 14:2.

(4) Ps 103:19.

(5) all call heaven God’s habitation or the like.

c. “Above all heavens”

(1) Eph 4:10.

(2) Heb 7:26.

(3) Refers to the highest exaltation, the highest glory, majesty and power.

(4) Ps 57:5.

(5) Ps 8:1.

(6) Ps 108:4

(7) Mk 16:19.

(8) 1Pe 3:22.

(9) Eph 1:20.

(10) Heb 1:3,4.

(11) Mt 16:27.

d. Even Calvin admitted “right hand of God” does not refer to a place.

e. It indicates the greatest and highest degree of glory, dignity, authority, power, blessedness, and happiness.

(1) Ex 15:6.

(2) Ps 118:16.

(3) Job 40:14.

(4) Php 2:9-11

(5) Lk 22:69

f. This is not a change of the humanity of Christ into the deity or an equation of the human with the divine nature.

g. The humanity of Christ is not the right of God, but it has been placed at the right hand, i.e. exalted to the highest majesty and power, after God and below God, as per Luther and Cyril.

3. “From thence He shall come…”

a. 1Co 11:26.

b. Ac 1:11

c. All eyes shall see Him.

(1) Mt 24:30.

(2) Ru 1:7.

(3) 2Th 1:7;2:8.

(4) 1Ti 6:14.

(5) 2Ti 4:1,8.

d. No conflict with words of the Supper.

(1) He shall “return” with a visible and glorious descent and advent.

(2) What is distributed in Supper is His body in another mode of presence, which is past our comprehension and known to God alone.

(3) Both concepts are the Word of God.