Did Early Christians Teach Jesus Ascended?
Yes. Early Christian writings teach that Jesus was taken up into heaven after his resurrection and sits at the right hand of God. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Hippolytus, Novatian, and the Apostolic Constitutions all repeat this belief. The clearest Bible passages are Acts 1:9-11, Luke 24:51, Mark 16:19, Ephesians 4:10, and 1 Peter 3:22.
154 early-church witnesses · 218 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the ascension?
Early Christian writings clearly teach that Jesus really ascended into heaven after his resurrection and now sits at the Father's right hand. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, Hippolytus, Novatian, and the Apostolic Constitutions all repeat this basic belief, and they often connect it to Christ's future return. The strongest wording comes from passages that say he was taken up into heaven, went to the right hand of God, and will come back in the same way.
A few cards are only loose word matches for 'ascension' in astronomy or other unrelated uses, so they are excluded from the main view. Bible passages in Acts 1:9-11, Luke 24:51, Mark 16:19, Ephesians 4:10, and 1 Peter 3:22 match the same teaching and give the clearest scriptural base. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians taught that Jesus truly ascended into heaven after rising from the dead.
- They also taught that he sits at the right hand of God and will return in the same way.
- Acts 1, Luke 24, Mark 16, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 3 are the main Bible passages tied to this belief.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians teach that Jesus really ascended into heaven?
The clearest sources say Jesus was taken up, received up, or ascended into heaven after his resurrection. They present the ascension as a real event in Christian proclamation, not just a figure of speech.
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching
But when He had made arrangements with His disciples for the preaching of the Gospel and His name, a cloud suddenly surrounded Him, and carried Him up into heaven, on the fortieth day after His passion, as Daniel had shown that it would be, saying: Daniel 7:13 And, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days.
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Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Direct teaching
And in the same manner as He ascended as man into heaven, so as God He had first descended thence.
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching
But our Jesus Christ, being crucified and dead, rose again, and having ascended to heaven, reigned;
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness
...ayer to the gods of my country. But, as they did not respond, I called upon those among us known as Christians. Upon investigation, I found a great number and multitude of them and initially acted against them, which was quite inappropriate, as I later understood their power. They began the battle, not with weapons, armor, or bugles, as such preparations are detestable to them because of the God they carry in their conscience. Therefore, it appears that those we think are atheists have God as their guiding force entrenched in their conscience. Throwing themselves on the ground, they prayed not only for me but for the entire army, that we might be saved from the current thirst and hunger. We had been without water for five days because there was none, being deep in Germany, in enemy territory. Simultaneously as they threw themselves on the ground and prayed to God (a God unknown to me), water poured from the sky, refreshingly cool upon us but as withering hail upon Rome's enemies. Immediately we acknowledged the presence of God following their prayer—a God unconquerable and indestructible. Based on this, let us pardon such individuals who are Christians, lest they pray for and ac
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Alexander of Alexandria, Epistles on the Arian Heresy Direct teaching
John 16:33 After this we know of the resurrection of the dead, the first-fruits of which was our Lord Jesus Christ, who in very deed, and not in appearance merely, carried a body, of Mary Mother of God, who in the end of the world came to the human race to put away sin, was crucified and died, and yet did He not thus perceive any detriment to His divinity, being raised from the dead, taken up into heaven, seated at the right hand of majesty.
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Luke 24:51 Direct teaching
And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
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Ephesians 4:10 Direct teaching
He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
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John 3:13 Direct teaching
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
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Acts 1:2 Direct teaching
until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
Did early Christians connect the ascension with Jesus sitting at God’s right hand?
Several sources pair the ascension with Jesus sitting at the Father’s right hand and reigning in heaven. The emphasis is on exaltation, royal authority, and Christ’s ongoing heavenly rule.
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching
And while he blessed them, he was separated from them, and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
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Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
.... And it is spoken of almost as though He did not have it because of His humanity, and as though He received by grace the name that is above every name, according to the words of the blessed Paul in Philippians 2:7-9. But in truth, this was not a giving to Him for the first time of something that He did not have by nature. Far from it. Rather, we must understand it as a return and restoration to what existed in Him from the beginning, essentially and inseparably. And for this reason, when He had taken on, by divine arrangement, the humble condition of humanity, He said, "Father, glorify me with the glory that I had," John 17:5, and so on. For He who existed together with His Father before all time, and before the foundation of the world, always had the glory that belongs to Godhead. He also may rightly be understood as the youngest son. For He appeared in the last times, after the glorious and honorable company of the holy prophets, and only once, after all those who, before the time of His dwelling among us, were counted among the sons because of their excellence. However, the statement that Immanuel was an object of envy is somewhat doubtful. Yet He is an object of envy, or of
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness
...ining in Him, and was glorified by the Father. As He Himself declared, “Father, glorify Me with the glory I had with You before the world began.” He didn’t require our service when He asked us to follow Him; instead, He granted us salvation. Following the Savior is sharing in salvation, and following the light is receiving light. Those who are in the light do not illuminate the light themselves, but are illuminated and revealed by it, contributing nothing to it, but benefiting by being illuminated. Similarly, serving God does not benefit God, nor does God need human obedience; but He grants life, incorruption, and eternal glory to those who follow and serve Him, benefiting them because they serve and follow Him, but He doesn’t gain anything from them: for He is rich, perfect, and needs nothing. God requires service from people so that, as a good and merciful being, He can benefit those who continue serving Him. As God needs nothing, man needs fellowship with God. This is the glory of man: to continue and remain permanently in God’s service. Therefore, the Lord said to His disciples, “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you,” showing that they did not glorify Him by followi
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1 Peter 3:22 Direct teaching
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
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Acts 7:55 Supporting witness
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
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Colossians 3:1 Supporting witness
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Did early Christians believe Jesus would come back after ascending?
The sources repeatedly link the ascension with the promise of Christ’s return. Acts 1:11 is the clearest Bible passage, and several early writers echo the same expectation.
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Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching
but when our Christ rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, the rulers in heaven, under appointment of God, are commanded to open the gates of heaven, that He who is King of glory may enter in, and having ascended, may sit on the right hand of the Father until He make the enemies His footstool, as has been made manifest by another Psalm.
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Tertullian, On Baptism Supporting witness
wherein, too, the resurrection of the Lord was repeatedly proved among the disciples, and the hope of the advent of the Lord indirectly pointed to, in that, at that time, when He had been received back into the heavens, the angels told the apostles that He would so come, as He had withal ascended into the heavens;
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Gregory Thaumaturgus, Twelve Topics on the Faith Direct teaching
and that He was taken up to heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead, as it is written;
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
who was taken up into the heavens by the power of His God and Father in our sight, who ate and drank with Him for forty days after He arose from the dead;
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Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. Mark Supporting witness
...ten as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show my death and acknowledge my resurrection and ascension until I come. O Sovereign and Almighty Lord, King of heaven, as we show the death of Your only begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, and acknowledge His blessed resurrection from the dead on the third day, we also openly declare His ascension into heaven and His sitting at Your right hand, O God and Father, and we await His second terrible and dreadful coming. In it He will come to judge the living and the dead righteously, and to render to each man according to his works.
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Acts 1:11 Direct teaching
and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
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Acts 1:9 Supporting witness
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
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Mark 16:19 Supporting witness
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Common Questions
Did the early Christians believe Jesus ascended into heaven?
Yes. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and other early writers say Jesus was taken up into heaven after his resurrection.
What Bible passages were used for the ascension?
The main passages are Acts 1:9-11, Luke 24:51, Mark 16:19, Ephesians 4:10, and 1 Peter 3:22.
Did they connect the ascension with Jesus' return?
Yes. Several early Christian writings say he will come back in the same way he went up.
Source Index for the ascension
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 144 ranked source links from 218 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 144 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 154
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 64 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.