50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple [a]praising and blessing God. [b]Amen.
Luke 24:50-53
The ascension. The book of Luke ends where it began, in the temple in Jerusalem. Starting with Zacharias (Luke 1:8), a priest, burning incense and praying to the Lord. At the right hand of the altar an angel appeared and blessed him with news that he would have a son who was great in the eyes of the Lord.
It ends with Jesus Christ, His work complete, blessing His disciples and ascending into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. By His sacrifice and intercession, we are worthy in the eyes of the Father. The disciples returned to Jerusalem from Bethany with great Joy, praising and blessing God in the temple, as they would soon bear witness to all they had seen.
