Contributor: Hortensius F. Mandaru, SSL.
Editor: Vince Ellysabeth
The Feast of the Ascension has traditionally been envisaged as a magnificent and dramatic event. The image most firmly rooted in the Christian imagination stems from the traditions of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles: Jesus is taken up into heaven, a cloud envelops Him, the disciples gaze up at the sky in awe, whilst an angel explains the significance of the event. Such visualisations are deeply ingrained in ecclesiastical memory, whether through liturgy, drama, church decorations, illustrations in children’s storybooks, and devotional films. The Ascension of the Lord is understood as a cosmic and glorious moment: Christ ascended into heaven to be crowned as King and to sit at the right hand of God.
However, the Gospel of John presents a very different perspective. John does not depict Jesus ‘ascending’ to heaven in a spectacular and apocalyptic setting. In John 14, Jesus simply says that He “is going to the Father’s house”. The language used is so simple, even domestic and familial, as if a child were returning to his father’s home. There are no clouds, angels, crowns, or heavenly thrones. This description appears “simpler” than the tradition of the Ascension commonly known in the Church. Yet it is precisely in this simplicity that John reveals the very heart of the Christian faith: the relationship between Jesus, the Father, and the disciples.
The Ascension of the Lord in the Synoptic Gospel Tradition
The general tradition concerning the Ascension of the Lord is primarily shaped by the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. In Luke 24, Jesus is depicted being taken up into heaven whilst blessing his disciples. This scene is recounted in Acts 1 with a more dramatic tone: Jesus was taken up in a cloud, the disciples looked up into the sky, and then two angels appeared to explain that Jesus would return in the same way.
This tradition employs cosmic and apocalyptic language. Jesus is depicted as moving from earth to heaven, from the human realm to the divine realm. Phrases such as ‘seated at the right hand of God’ or ‘glorified in heaven’ are also heavily influenced by Psalm 110 concerning the coronation of a king: ‘Sit at my right hand.’ Consequently, the Ascension in the Synoptic and ecclesiastical traditions is often understood as the event of Christ’s enthronement as the heavenly King.
Such language is lofty and majestic. They present Christ as the (cosmic) Lord who reigns over the world. It is not surprising, then, that church liturgy often emphasises these dimensions of victory and glory.
The Fundamental Distinctions of the Gospel of John
Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of John takes a distinctive theological perspective on the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. In Mark, Matthew and Luke, the cross is viewed as the tragic end to Jesus’ life. Consequently, the resurrection becomes an act of God that vindicates Jesus and glorifies Him.
However, in John, the cross is in fact already a moment of glory. As Jesus was dying, He said, “It is finished”, τ·ε·τ·λ·ε·σ·τ·α·ι (tetelestai). This expression signifies that His missionhas been fulfilled. The cross is not merely suffering, but the moment when Jesus was ‘exalted’. Therefore, in John, Jesus’s glory does not await the resurrection or the ascension. From the cross onwards, Jesus has been glorified.
It is within this framework that John understands Jesus’ “departure” of Jesus to the Father. John had no need for a dramatic narrative of the Ascension, for to him, the whole journey of Jesus—the cross, the resurrection, and the return to the Father—constituted a single, unified movement of glorification.
Going to the Father’s House: John’s Domestic Language
The text of John 14:1–12 is set in the context of the Last Supper, as part of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples. In ancient tradition, a farewell discourse was a literary form used by great figures to leave a final message to their followers. Jesus used this opportunity to strengthen the disciples’ hearts before His departure. Interestingly, John does not use the term “ascend to heaven.&” Jesus simply said, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places… I am going to prepare a place for you.”
The language used is very simple and familiar. Jesus is portrayed like a child returning to his father’s house. John uses the language of the household, not that of the royal court. There is no hint of a palace, a throne, or cosmic grandeur. There is only the Father’s house with many dwelling places. The word ‘dwell’ is a key term in the Gospel of John. In Greek, the term μένειν (menein) which means to dwell, to settle, to reside, or to remain in a relationship. Thus, the Father’s house is not primarily a depiction of a heavenly location, but rather a symbol of a permanent and intimate relationship with God.
Thus, John’s focus is not on a spatial change of location, but on relational unity. Jesus returns to the Father, and the disciples are called to enter into the same relationship.
Relationship as the Core of John’s Eschatology
The New Testament does indeed frequently employ imagery of ascending and descending, heaven and earth, or the heavenly realms. Yet the ultimate aim is not a geographical description of heaven, but an eternal relationship with God. This is also evident in Paul’s writings. In Philippians 1:23, Paul says that he desires to “be with Christ”. In Luke 23:43, Jesus says to the criminal on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” The main emphasis is not on Paradise as a place, but on “with Me.” Similarly, John 17 emphasises Jesus’ prayer, “Father, I want those whom you have given me to be with me where I am.”
Thus, &‘going to the Father’ in John is not merely a heavenly relocation, but the fullness of the loving relationship between the Son, the Father, and the disciples.
The ‘Budget Edition’ that Touches the Very Core
When compared with the cosmic imagery found in other texts, John does indeed seem to present a “simple version” or even a “modest version“” of the Lord’s ascension. There are no angels, clouds, trumpets, or heavenly coronations. John speaks only of going to and returning from the Father’s house.
Yet it is precisely this simplicity that reveals John’s theological focus. What matters most is not the grandeur of the event, but the significance of the relationship it creates. Jesus did not go for His own sake, but for the sake of His disciples: “I am going to prepare a place for you.” Jesus’ departure was relational and pastoral in nature. He went so that the disciples might have a place with God. Indeed, Jesus promised that He Himself would return to bring them into the Father’s house.
Thus, the Ascension in John is not a story of loss, but a guarantee of a new closeness.
Thomas: Walking with Jesus, but Not Knowing the Way!
In the dialogue with Thomas, the Gospel of John presents a deeply human irony: a disciple who has long walked with Jesus, yet still does not recognise the Way itself. Thomas is portrayed as a critical, rational disciple who craves certainty. When Jesus said that the disciples already knew the way to where He was going, Thomas replied, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. So how can we know the way?”
Thomas’s question actually reflects the anxiety of many believers. They have long lived within religious traditions, walking with Jesus through worship, teachings and the community of faith, yet have not truly come to know who Jesus is at His very core. Thomas thought of the ‘way’ as a direction or route leading to a place, whilst Jesus spoke of a relationship leading to the Father.
Therefore, Jesus’ answer becomes one of the most important revelations in the Gospel of John: “I am the way, the truth and the life”. This statement should be understood as a single, unified whole. Jesus is not merely a guide pointing the way to God, but the way itself. He is the true way, who is entirely trustworthy, for through Him God’s truth is perfectly revealed. And as the true way, He also leads humanity to life, that is, union with the Father.
In John’s perspective, eternal life is not primarily a matter of living without end, but of living in relationship with God. Therefore, following Jesus means entering into divine life itself. The path to the Father is not primarily a matter of intellectual knowledge, but of abiding in and being united with Christ.
Philip: Being with Jesus Does Not Necessarily Mean Knowing Him!
Another figure who appears in the dialogue in John 14 is Philip. If Thomas represents the disciple who is confused about the “way”, then Philip represents the disciple who has been with Jesus for a long time, but does not yet truly know who He is. Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.””
Philip’s request reflects a deeply fundamental human longing: the desire to see God directly, to experience a tangible sign, or to receive spectacular spiritual assurance. Yet it is precisely here that the irony presented by John lies. Philip had already lived with Jesus, heard His teachings, witnessedwitnessed His works, yet he still felt that God was distant and needed to be ‘shown’ in a special way.
Therefore, Jesus replied in a tone that was both sad and ironic: “I have been with you for so long, Philip, yet you do not know me?”. Jesus’ question shows that physical closeness does not necessarily mean true knowledge. Philip still saw Jesus merely as a teacher, a prophet, or a messenger of God, but had not yet understood that in Jesus, God Himself was revealing Himself. In John’s theology, to know Jesus is to know the Father, for the Father and the Son are in perfect unity. Therefore, Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
Through Philip, John also criticises the human tendency to constantly seek spectacular religious experiences: miracles, apparitions, divine signs, or extraordinary spiritual experiences, yet fail to recognise God’s presence, which is already evident in the person and work of Jesus. The irony of faith arises when someone feels close to God in a religious sense, yet does not truly know His heart and His revelation. Therefore, for John, true faith is not primarily about seeing extraordinary signs, but about recognising God who is present in Jesus Christ. To know Jesus is to enter into a relationship with the Father, for in Him, God is no longer distant and hidden, but is present and close amongst humanity.
The Legacy of the One Who Has Gone
One of the most important parts of John 14 is Jesus’ promise that the disciples would continue His work: “Whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; indeed, he will dogreater than these.”
Jesus’ departure was not, in fact, the end of God’s work in the world. On the contrary, it opened the way for the disciples to continue Christ’s work. For this reason, the Church is understood as the ‘image of Christ’. The Church presents the word and work of Jesus in the world insofar as it remains in relationship with Him. The Church continues Christ’s love, service, proclamation and witness in the midst of the world, even when faced with rejection, just as Jesus Himself experienced.
In a historical context, John likely observed the growth of the Church as it began to spread across various regions, transcending ethnic and geographical boundaries. With “returning to the Father,&” Jesus is no longer confined to the space and time of first-century Palestine. The glorious Christ is present wherever the Church proclaims the Gospel and manifests His love.
Christianity, which has now become a global religion, is proof that Jesus, who “has gone”, remains present through His works and His word within the Church.
Conclusion
The Gospel of John presents a very distinctive understanding of the Lord’s ascension. There are no grandiose cosmic visions or dramatic heavenly coronations. John simply speaks of a Son returning to His Father’s house. Yet it is precisely in this simplicity that John reveals the very heart of the Christian faith: relationship. Jesus did not go away to abandon his disciples, but to prepare a place for them. He went so that the relationship between God and humankind might be made perfect. He also went so that God’s work of love might be carried on through the Church.
Therefore, according to John, the Lord’s ascension is not a sad tale of parting. On the contrary, it is a message of hope: that the Father’s house is open to all who abide in Christ, and that Christ, though gone, remains present through the loving works of his people in the world.
Closing statement:
John 14 presents an understanding of the Lord’s ascension that differs from the common portrayal we are often familiar with. It presents a sort of “modest version”, not in the sense of being cheap, but rather without excessive triumphalist language or “grand” expressions. There is no grandeur of the event, no trappings of glory, no courtly language, nor-symbolism of the kingdom. What is emphasised, on the contrary, is very simple and unpretentious language—the language of home and family: going to the Father’s house, returning to the Father’s house, and ultimately leading us to the Father’s house.
This imagery conveys an important message for the celebration of the Ascension, namely that the church is called to be one family with Christ, who leads the faithful back to the Father. This language is more approachable and down-to-earth, whilst also counterbalancing the understanding of Christ’s Ascension as King, which is often interpreted in triumphalist terms, as ifit were leading to the idea of ‘reigning over the world’ in the sense of domination.
Historically, this tendency has not infrequently led the church into the temptation to pursue power, which can ultimately shift into corrupt and unjust behaviour. In contrast, John 14 presents a different picture: a faith that is simple, unpretentious, and centred on close and profound relationships—with God, with one’s neighbours, and with all of creation.
This article is adapted from Bincang Alkitab. Watch the full video version on the LAI YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/RpnRd7uBB20?si=rIr_HRKH45dk9Q3T
