Today is Ascension Day, the church's celebration of Jesus' real absence from us because he is ruling all creation from his Father's right hand. It's also a public holiday in Vanuatu, Indonesia (!) , and the highly secularised European nations of: France, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands. Anyway, here is some gold from Calvin:
"Christ in whom the Father wills to be exalted and through whose hand he wills to reign, was received at God’s right hand. This is as if it were said that Christ was invested with Lordship over heaven and earth, and solemnly entered into possession of the government entrusted to him -and that he not only entered into possession once and for all, but continues in it, until he shall come down on judgment day… both heavenly and earthly creatures may look with admiration upon his majesty, be ruled by his hand, obey his nod, and submit to his power." - John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II Ch XVI 15
8 comments:
So here's a question: was the humility of Christ merely part of his pre-resurrection "veil", or does it continue as pantokratos? Can the risen Christ still say "Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light"?
Surely if the humility of Christ was existent pre-incarnation (the logos asarkos did not grasp at his place on the throne but humbled himself...), then absolutely.
So do you think that Calvin's portrayal of the ascended Christ is consistent with this?
Now governing from heaven, the weary come to His body on earth. That's us.
?What do you think Byron?
Yes, I agree with Mike's comment. So I take it that on this reading the ongoing gentleness of the risen Christ is (at least partially) expressed through the open welcome of the Christian community?
Byron - I'm going to get back to this in a day or two after I've checked out the context of the quote.
Sorry for the delay.
No problem.
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