Question
Gramps,
I have been studying Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. I’m trying to find out when Jesus was sent up to heaven?
Christina
Answer
Dear Christina,
I’m assuming your question relates to when after the resurrection Christ ascended to his Father. If not, please forgive my misunderstanding. While we don’t have an exact date, we do have the following information.
First, we know that on the morning of the resurrection, there was a time when Christ had not yet ascended to heaven (see John 20:17):
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
From this scripture, it appears that Christ may have ascended to heaven for a time before returning to further teach his disciples. Next, in Luke 24:51, we read that Christ ascended to heaven after visiting with the apostles:
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
It’s unclear to me how soon after the resurrection this was, and whether it might be a summary of the same event as that described in Acts 1:11 (which happened about 40 days after the resurrection, and which appears to be the same event):
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Finally, from the institute manual for Luke 24, we read this:
Elder Bruce R. McConkie affirmed that Jesus Christ’s Ascension into heaven to dwell with His Father was literal: “Christ’s Ascension is literal in the fullest and most complete sense of the word. He was a resurrected man, a personage of tabernacle who, though immortal, walked and talked and ate with his earthly friends. … The resurrected Lord ascended from the earth and went to the place where his Father is. As our latter-day revelation expresses it: He ‘ascended into heaven, to sit down on the right hand of the Father, to reign with almighty power according to the will of the Father.’ (D. & C. 20:24.)” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 1:872).
Now this does not necessarily mean Christ had not been to heaven at any point prior to this and after the resurrection, and we know Christ has visited the earth since, but this is the event commonly referred to as “The Ascension” and can be considered the point at which Christ’s primary place was with his Father rather than on the earth with men.
This reply may also be of interest to you: What are the events after the crucifixion of Christ?
I hope this answers your question, and I encourage you to continue studying about the life and teachings of our Savior!
Gramps
