Mary Magdalene And The Risen Lord
(The Lord's Hidden Ascent)by
Donald G. Hayter
MARY Magdalene ranks among the most favored of women who were followers of the Lord during His days on earth, for it was to her that the Lord first appeared after His resurrection. She it was who saw Him before He had made His first ascent to His Father, which occurred very soon after He rose from the dead. This first ascension, at the beginning of the forty days, is recorded in the Scriptures for all to see, but it is somewhat concealed, almost as if its blessed import is not to be boldly proclaimed. However it is a truth plainly taught.
The Lord appeared to Mary on at least two separate occasions. The first occurred on one of the sabbath days, while it was still dark. She was alone, and on peering into the open tomb saw two messengers, one seated at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid. On the other occasion she was with the other Mary and they saw but a single messenger who showed them where the Lord had been laid, and told them that He had been roused.
In the first instance Mary Magdalene saw Jesus, but failed to recognize Him, presuming Him to be the gardener. But when the Lord uttered her name in the Hebrew tongue, "Miriam!" she responded with recognition, "Rabboni!" also speaking in Hebrew this title of respect and honor meaning Teacher. The Lord at once said, "Do not touch Me, for not as yet have I ascended to My Father..." In the other appearance to the two women as they were going to report to the disciples Jesus meets them and greets them with "Rejoice!" They approach Him and hold His feet and worship Him. There was no forbidding word, "Do not touch Me!"
The two appearings have a marked difference; in the first, Mary was not permitted to touch the Lord, in the second she, with the other Mary, held His feet. Later Thomas was invited by the Lord to handle Him, so that he would be satisfied that it was indeed the Lord. The Lord Himself gave the reason why Mary was not allowed to touch Him--He had not as yet ascended to His Father. The clear implication from these differing episodes is that between the two appearings the Lord had indeed ascended to His Father, and presented Himself in the divine presence, then to return to the earth and spend forty days during which He was handled by many (Luke 24:39, John 20:27, Matt.28:9).
So then there were two ascendings into heaven, the first immediately following His resurrection and the second forty days later (Mark 16:19, Acts 1:9) when He was lifted up and a cloud took Him up from the eyes of the apostles gathered with Him on Mount Olivet.
The second ascending into heaven is significant for the apostles observing it, for they were promised that, "This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven, shall come {thus, in the manner} in which you gaze at Him going into heaven." And thus, indeed, will He come for Israel. He will descend in clouds, coming to the same mount from which He departed. It will be public and apparent to all the earth. He will come with power and much glory, at the end of this eon, and after the terrible judgments foretold in the book of the Unveiling. We shall be with Him but shall have been assembled in His presence some time before this.
But the Lord's first ascent into heaven has a precious relevance for us, His celestial saints. He went up into heaven then unobserved and alone. Thus He will come for us. He the recently slain sacrifice ascended living into the holy places above dedicating this first ascent to us who will follow with Him a similar way into the heights when He comes for us. When He went up from Olivet He was lifted up and a cloud took Him up (Acts 1:9) but in His first going up He ascended, the powerful One, passing through the heavens in His own great power. Thus is the power that will be ours when He summons us above. We shall not be lifted up by messengers or taken up by clouds, but through the power that will be in us shall leap upwards with the speed of thought into the presence of the Lord, thus to be always with Him. Let us cherish this first ascent of the Lord and appearance before His God and Father. No one was permitted to touch Him before this for He must keep Himself wholly for His Father on this solemn occasion of His first presentation in the divine presence after His death.
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