# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_December 1864_S366
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

366 Proposal and Specimen for the Preparation of a Bible Commentary etc.

Christ is not thought to have ascended into heaven and entered into the
kingdom of the Father as though he had not been in heaven before, or had
not reigned with his Father; for according to his divine nature both
belong to Christ from eternity, while according to his human nature he
was, from the very beginning of his incarnation, already in heaven and
in the kingdom of the Father. John 3:13. Br.

Applications. 1.) Because we see that Christ ascends up into heaven,
we can easily conclude from this that Christ wants to have nothing to do
with the world and its kingdom. This is meant to teach us to view and
recognize his kingdom rightly, that it is not a worldly kingdom, as the
disciples imagined, in which he would distribute to them money, goods,
and great dominions; but a spiritual and eternal kingdom, in which he
means to distribute spiritual gifts to those who are with him in that
kingdom. L. 13, 1309.

2. Therefore, although here on earth we must be occupied with
sustenance, with wife and child and household, with worldly government
and other such matters, and must attend to them, yet because we are also
Christians, and Christ does not carry on his kingdom here below on
earth, we should lift up our hearts and minds, strive chiefly after that
spiritual kingdom, and have a heartfelt longing and desire for it.
L. 13, 1312.

3.) From this we should also learn what sort of bodies we shall
receive after this death. Now our bodies are heavy, clumsy, slow; but
when we rise from the dead and receive new bodies, these will indeed be
true bodies of flesh and bone and all their members; but they will no
longer be so heavy and clumsy, but rather, just as we are now quickly
here and there with our thoughts, so we shall then be able to do with
the body as well. The glory that Christ's body has, we too should expect
for our own bodies after this life, along with this, that henceforth
they shall be immortal bodies, needing neither food nor drink, and never
again lacking in health. L. 13, 1308.

Verse 10.

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold,
two men stood by them in white apparel.

Note. This is the manner the angels always follow, that they appear
in the form of a young man or an old one; for, just as we do not always
wear one garment, but put on now this one, now another, and yet lose or
exchange nothing of our own body, so the angels remain the same spirits,
even though they do not always appear to men in one and the same form,
but as it were change along with their garment. L. 1, 1494.

Verse 11.

Who also said: You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward
heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.