According to Dunn, in Acts Luke separated resurrection and ascension to put a limit on the number of resurrection appearances, effectively excluding Paul's conversion experience from the bona fide resurrection appearances. Luke and Acts appear to describe the same event but present quite different chronologies, the gospel placing it on the same day as the resurrection and Acts forty days afterwards various proposals have been put forward to resolve the contradiction, but none have been found satisfactory.

Acts 1 ( Acts 1:1–9): Jesus tells the disciples to remain in Jerusalem and await the coming of the Holy Spirit he is then taken up from the disciples in their sight, a cloud hides him from view, and two men in white appear to tell them that he will return 'in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.'.

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.'

Luke 24:51: Jesus leads the eleven remaining disciples to Bethany, a village on the Mount of Olives, and instructs them to remain in Jerusalem until the coming of the Holy Spirit: 'And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.The ascension is detailed in both Luke and Acts, a pair of works ascribed to the same author, Luke the Evangelist: Various epistles ( Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:19–20, Colossians 3:1, Philippians 2:9–11, 1 Timothy 3:16, and 1 Peter 3:21–22) refer to an ascension without specifying details, seeming, like Luke–Acts and John, to equate it with the post-resurrection 'exaltation' of Jesus to the right hand of God. Other New Testament writings also imply resurrection and exaltation as a single event.

The Gospels do not picture resurrection and ascension as clearly separated in time. In the late first century, the exaltation had been separated from the resurrection, and moved to a final ascension into heaven after his appearances at earth. In the earliest Christianity, Jesus was exalted with his ascension to heaven and seated at the right hand of God with his resurrection. In the shorter ending of Mark, in Matthew, and in John, it is only implied or alluded to. Biblical accounts Events in theĪlthough the ascension is an important article of faith in Christianity, only Luke and Acts contain direct accounts of it. The Feast of the Ascension is celebrated on the 40th day of Easter, always a Thursday some Orthodox traditions have a different calendar up to a month later than in the Western tradition, and while the Anglican Communion continues to observe the feast, many Protestant churches have abandoned the observance.

In Christian art, the ascending Jesus is often shown blessing an earthly group below him, signifying the entire Church. The ascension is 'more assumed than described,' and only Luke and Acts contain direct accounts of it, but with different chronologies. The Gospels and other New Testament writings imply resurrection and exaltation as a single event. The doctrine is also found in Islam, where Jesus is believed not to have been crucified but to have ascended while still alive. The Ascension of Jesus ( anglicized from the Vulgate Latin: ascensio Iesu, lit.'ascent of Jesus') is the Christian belief, reflected in the major Christian creeds and confessional statements, that Jesus ascended to Heaven after his resurrection, where he was exalted as Lord and Christ, sitting at the right hand of God.

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