SUMMARY
In the final scene of Luke’s Gospel, the resurrected JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. is taken up into heaven. His followers respond by worshiping him and In the final scene of Luke’s Gospel, the resurrected Jesus is taken up into heaven. His followers respond by worshiping him and returning to the Jerusalem Temple to worship God. to the Jerusalem templeThe Jerusalem temple, unlike the tabernacle, was a permanent structure, although (like the tabernacle) it was a place of worship and religious activity. On one occasion Jesus felt such activity was unacceptable and, as reported in all four Gospels, drove from the temple those engaged... to worship God.
ANALYSIS
Luke is the only Gospel that includes a description of Jesus’ ascension. The Acts of the Apostles begins by describing this same event, but its details are slightly different (see Acts 1:3-12). In Luke’s Gospel, the ascension is the last of several events recounted in LukeThe "beloved physician" and companion of Paul. 24 that all appear to occur on the same day. The other appearances of the resurrected Jesus described in this chapter leave his followers confused and excited, but at the ascension they finally offer the appropriate response of worship. In this concluding scene they acknowledge Jesus’ glory, thereby confirming the story of Jesus as the story of God’s own visitation.
