Growing up I remember seeing a painting of the Ascension of Jesus with a multitude of saints around him. Is he coming or going I thought, the scripture associated with the painting was Acts 1:9-11,
"After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!"
According to Matthew 27:50-53, at the moment of Jesus' death, an earthquake occurred, splitting rocks and opening the graves of many "holy people" (saints) who had died. These individuals were raised to life, came out of their tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection, appeared to many in Jerusalem, signifying Christ's victory over death.
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
Key Details of the Event (Matthew 27:50–53), The Resurrected Saints:
- Timing: The tombs broke open at the moment of Jesus' death, but the saints were raised after his resurrection.
- The Scene: This occurred in Jerusalem, specifically around Calvary, as part of a series of miraculous events.
- The Saints: These were faithful people who had died prior to Christ’s resurrection.
- Significance: The incident serves as a "token" or "first fruits" of the resurrection, demonstrating the power of Christ’s sacrifice.
- Outcome: Matthew is silent on what happened to them afterward, leading to debates on whether they were permanently resurrected or temporarily raised to die again, similar to Lazarus.
This event is exclusively recorded in the Gospel of Matthew and was intended to show that Jesus' death had a significant impact, validating his identity as the Son of God to the residents of Jerusalem.
According to GotQuestions.org, Matthew 27:50-53 describes miraculous events—an earthquake, torn temple veil, and raised saints—occurring at Jesus’ death and resurrection to signify His power over death. The resurrected saints testified to the new life Jesus gives. The Ascension signifies the successful completion of His earthly ministry and his exaltation.
The Ascension of Christ (Acts 1:9-11)
Significance: The Ascension marks the end of Jesus' earthly ministry and his return to heavenly glory, demonstrating his exaltation by God the Father.
Purposes:
- It signifies the success of His work on earth.
- It allows Him to begin His work as High Priest and Mediator.
- It prepares a place for believers in heaven (John 14-17)
- Return: The Ascension set the pattern for His second coming, which will be literal, bodily, and visible.
Connection Between Events
- Both events emphasize Jesus’ authority. The resurrection (and the accompanying saints) validates His claim to divinity and victory over death, while the ascension proves He has taken His place of power in heaven.
- The resurrected saints are often interpreted as a sign of the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God, which is fully realized when Jesus ascends to sit at the right hand of the Father.
The Messiah Coming from Heaven with His Holy Ones
This is one of the most theologically rich threads in all of Scripture, the parousia as a unified event anticipated across both Testaments. Here's a systematic look.
Acts 1:9–11 as the Interpretive Anchor
The angelic declaration establishes four markers for the return:
- Visible — "this same Jesus"
- Bodily — taken up physically
- From heaven — coming back the same direction
- In like manner — clouds, glory
Old Testament Passages That Match This Pattern
Daniel 7:13–14
The foundational text. The Son of Man comes with the clouds of heaven and approaches the Ancient of Days to receive dominion over all nations. This is the direct antecedent Jesus cites in Matthew 26:64. The "coming" is cosmic, visible, and triumphant.
Zechariah 14:1–5
The most precise fulfillment match: the LORD comes, his feet stand on the Mount of Olives (the same mountain of Acts 1), and "all the holy ones with him" (v.5). This is the clearest OT picture of Acts 1:11 fulfilled. The geography (Olivet), the company (holy ones), and the cosmic disruption all align.
Isaiah 63:1–6
The warrior-Messiah comes from Edom, garments stained, treading the winepress of wrath alone. This matches Revelation 19 explicitly. The question "Who is this coming from Edom?" frames a dramatic entrance from outside Israel, a heavenly warrior arriving for judgment.
Psalm 68:17
"The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary." The vast heavenly army accompanies the LORD's triumphant procession, a template for the Messiah's retinue.
Zechariah 9:14
"The LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning." This is a military theophany, the LORD visibly appearing in power on behalf of his people.
Enoch Quoted in Jude 14–15
"The Lord is coming with tens of thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on all." This ancient prophecy (pre-flood tradition preserved in Jude) is arguably the most explicit OT-era statement matching Acts 1:11, vast company, judgment purpose, visible arrival.
New Testament Passages That Match
| Passage | Key Detail |
|---|---|
| Matthew 24:29–31 | Son of Man on clouds, angels sent to gather elect |
| Matthew 25:31 | "all the angels with him," seated on throne of glory |
| Mark 13:26–27 | Clouds, great power, angels gathering |
| Luke 21:27 | "Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" |
| 1 Thess 4:14–17 | Lord descends from heaven, shout, trumpet, dead rise first, then living caught up in clouds |
| 2 Thess 1:7–10 | "revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire" |
| Revelation 19:11–16 | Heaven opens, white horse, armies of heaven in white linen following |
| Colossians 3:4 | "When Christ appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" |
| 1 John 3:2 | "When he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" |
The "holy ones" / "saints" in these passages is a debated point worth noting for your teaching:
- Angels — most consistent with Matthew 25:31 and 2 Thess 1:7
- Resurrected believers — supported by 1 Thess 4:14 ("God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep"), Zechariah 14:5 LXX, and Colossians 3:4
- Both — the most likely answer; Revelation 19 shows the armies of heaven (v.14) in white linen, the same garments given to the saints in Revelation 19:8
Passages About the Messiah That Do NOT Match This Description
These are equally important because they reveal why first-century Jews largely missed the two-stage fulfillment.
First Coming / Incarnation Passages
| Passage | Description |
|---|---|
| Isaiah 7:14 | Messiah born of a virgin — hidden, quiet, not from clouds |
| Micah 5:2 | Born in Bethlehem — a specific geographic birthplace, not a heavenly descent |
| Isaiah 9:6–7 | "A child is born, a son is given" — incarnation, not parousia |
| Genesis 3:15 | Seed of the woman — implies human birth and suffering |
| Zechariah 9:9 | King comes "humble, riding on a donkey" — triumphal entry, but lowly, not glorious |
Suffering Servant Passages
| Passage | Description |
|---|---|
| Isaiah 52:13–53:12 | Despised, rejected, struck down, pierced — no armies, no clouds |
| Psalm 22 | "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" — abandonment, not triumph |
| Psalm 69:20–21 | Gall and vinegar, reproach — passion narrative |
| Zechariah 11:12–13 | Valued at 30 pieces of silver and thrown to the potter — betrayal |
| Zechariah 12:10 | "They will look on me, the one they have pierced" — mourning over crucifixion |
Priestly Messiah Passages
| Passage | Description |
|---|---|
| Psalm 110:4 | "A priest forever in the order of Melchizedek" — intercession, not conquest |
| Zechariah 6:12–13 | "He will be a priest on his throne" — reigning and priestly, but the manner of coming is unspecified |
| Malachi 3:1 | "The messenger of the covenant whom you desire will come to his temple" — often read as first coming (or as John the Baptist's preparation) |
New Covenant Inaugurator
- Jeremiah 31:31–34 — the Messiah inaugurates a new covenant written on hearts. This is fulfilled at the Last Supper (Luke 22:20) and ongoing through the Spirit — not a visible descent from clouds.
The Theological Key: Two Comings, One Messiah
The reason "other passages don't match" is not contradiction — it's progressive fulfillment across two advents.
First Coming → Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, Zechariah 9:9)
Priestly Mediator (Psalm 110:4, Malachi 3:1)
New Covenant Inaugurator (Jeremiah 31)
Second Coming → Warrior-King (Isaiah 63, Zechariah 14)
Son of Man on clouds (Daniel 7)
With holy ones (Jude 14, Zechariah 14:5)
→ Fulfills Acts 1:11
First-century Judaism largely collapsed these into one event, expecting a conquering king. The disciples themselves held this confusion (Acts 1:6 — "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"). The angelic answer in Acts 1:11 is essentially: Yes — but not yet. He will return. Same Jesus, same manner, clouds.
Zechariah 14:5 paired with Jude 14–15 is a particularly powerful cross-reference cluster for showing that the OT always envisioned the Messiah arriving with a retinue. The question of who those holy ones are (angels? saints? both?) opens rich discussion on the resurrection, glorification, and the corporate nature of the parousia. Revelation 19:8 and 19:14 together suggest the armies of heaven include the bride — which ties eschatology directly to ecclesiology.
