Jesus as God
Jesus Ascends to Heaven and Is Worshiped
Luke closes with Jesus' heavenly departure and the disciples' reverent response, completing a Gospel that began by identifying him as Lord.
How this passage contributes to the case:
The labels below identify the kinds of evidence for Jesus' divinity found in this passage.
Select a label for an explanation.
Divine Identity
Receiving Worship
Accepted Divine Testimony
Divine Glory
Receives Worship
Shares Divine Glory
Strength of evidence: Strong.
This passage provides substantial evidence relevant to Jesus' divine identity when read in its literary and historical context.
James Tissot
Rembrandt — Biblical Works
Tintoretto — Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Scripture
What Was Said or Done
Jesus blesses his disciples, is carried into heaven, and the disciples worship him before returning to Jerusalem with great joy.
Historical and Cultural Context
Biblical ascension and heavenly enthronement imagery is associated with divine presence and exalted rule; Psalm 110 is especially important to Luke-Acts.
Old Testament Background
Earlier Jesus quoted the command to worship the Lord God. At the Gospel's conclusion the disciples worship the risen and ascended Jesus, and the narrative offers no correction.
Exposition
Proskyneo can denote homage as well as divine worship, so context matters. Here resurrection, ascension, Luke's Lord language, and the Gospel's accumulated Christology make the worship highly significant.
Why This Points to His Divinity
The disciples worship Jesus and return to Jerusalem with great joy, continually blessing God.
Response of the Hearers
Luke places worship of Jesus and blessing of God together without presenting them as rivals.