15. Chapter Two
Chapter Two E xploring first what evidence for our justification Christ's ascension into heaven provides to our faith, based on the initial consideration of him being a Surety for us.
1. First, let's examine what triumph his ascension into heaven brings to our faith in terms of non-condemnation.
(1.) In this context, it's important to consider what he did just before his ascension, his final act before rising to heaven. He "blessed his disciples," leaving a blessing on earth with them for all his chosen ones, until the end of time. The true purpose and intention of this blessing was that he was about to execute the eternal office of his priesthood in heaven, (of which God had sworn, "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.")
Just as Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and through him all the faithful as in his lineage, Christ began this new phase of his priesthood by blessing the apostles, and through them all the chosen ones until the end of time. This
was the last thing Christ did on earth, indeed, he did this while ascending, "he was taken up while he was blessing them." This act signifies that the curse was lifted, sin was eradicated, and it's as if Christ himself declared,
"My brothers (as he referred to his disciples after his resurrection), I have died and became a curse for you; now that curse is fully removed, and my
Father has acquitted both me and you; now I can confidently bless you, and declare all your sins forgiven, and you justified." This is the true meaning of blessing. "Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven," and therefore that was the true intention of his blessing them; which he reserved as his last act, to show how by his death he had redeemed them from the curse of the law, and now going to heaven, was able to bless them with all the spiritual blessings that are there, and which heaven can provide, for they are heavenly blessings as referred to in Ephesians 1:3.
Just as all the faithful were blessed in Abraham, so in these apostles all the chosen ones to come are blessed. As when God blessed Adam and Eve at the first creation, he blessed all that were to come from them; so Christ in blessing them, blessed us, and all "that will believe through their word," until the end of time. And that they were then to be considered as representatives, receiving this blessing for us all, is evident by Christ's words then spoken, "I am with you to the end of the age" (i.e., with you and all your successors, both ministers and other believers), Matthew 28:20.
And Christ followed the example of God. When God had finished his work of creation, he "looked at everything he had made, and it was very good, and he blessed it." Similarly, Jesus Christ, having by that "one sacrifice made perfect forever those who are being sanctified," he comfortably viewed and pronounced it perfect and them blessed, and so ascended to heaven to keep and enjoy the eternal rest there.
(2.) Now secondly, let's observe his ascension, and see what comfort that also provides our faith, towards the assurance of justification. The apostles stood gazing at him; and so should you lift up your hearts to gaze at him by faith, and view him in that act, as he is ascending into heaven, leading sin, hell, death, and the devil in triumph, at his chariot-wheels. And in that let your faith triumph, in a further evidence of justification. Thus Ephesians
4:8, quoting Psalm 68:18, the apostle says, "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train" (to which the Latin phrase, vincere victoria, to win a victory, corresponds); then he led captive all our spiritual enemies, that would have enslaved us, they being now enslaved. Now leading of captives always follows a complete victory. And therefore, whereas at his death he had conquered them, at his resurrection scattered them, now at his ascension he leads them captive. And so that Psalm begins, Psalm 68:1,
"May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him;" so at his resurrection they did. And then he ascends in triumph (as here) in token of victory, "he has ascended on high," Psalm 68:18. He ascends, as David after his victory, up to Mount Zion (for the celebration of which that Psalm seems to have been composed by David), of which this was the intended type.
And two triumphant acts are mentioned here:[1.] Leading the captives bound to his chariot-wheels, as was the custom of the Roman triumph when the conqueror ascended to the Capitol; and other heathens in David's time, as Achilles led Hector captive, who tied his feet to his chariot-wheels, and dragged him dead around the walls of Troy. Now thus did Christ then deal with our sins and all other enemies.
[2.] The second act is distributing gifts, "He gave gifts to men." It was the custom at their triumphs to distribute new coins (missilia) among the
crowd, so does Christ distribute the greatest gifts for the benefit of men that were ever given. Therefore, "who will bring any charge against those whom
God has chosen?" Sins and devils are not only dead, but triumphed over.
Compare with this that other place in Colossians 2:15, "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." So I read it, and the Greek allows it, and so it is in the margin varied. It is a clear allusion to the manner of triumphs after victories among the Romans, even to two of the most notable parts thereof: the first, of spoiling the enemy on the battlefield, before they left the field; and this was done by Christ on the cross. "Having disarmed them" first, as Colossians 2:14 has it. He speaks it of the devils, our enemies and accusers; they had all God's threats in his law, and the ceremonial law (the bond for our debt to the moral law) to show for it. In these lay the power of the devil over us, that he could boldly come to God and accuse us, and sue our bond. And therefore in Hebrews 2:14, he is said to have "the power of death." Now Christ first took away all his power and disarmed him of all his ensigns, weapons, and colors, which he did on the battlefield, namely, on the cross; and "nailed our bond" thereto, and having paid the debt, left the bond cancelled, before he left the cross.
But then, having thus disarmed these enemies on the cross, he further makes a public triumphal spectacle of them in his own person, which is a second act, as was the custom of the Roman emperors in their great triumphs, to ride through the city in the greatest state, and have all the spoils carried before them, and the kings and nobles whom they had captured they tied to their chariots, and led them as captives. And this did
Christ at his ascension (for of his triumphing at his ascension I take this triumph in this epistle to the Colossians to be understood, and so to be
interpreted by that previously cited in Ephesians 4), he plainly demonstrating by this public open spectacle of them at his ascension that he had disarmed and fully subdued them on the cross. That which has diverted interpreters from thinking this of Colossians 2 to have been the triumph of his ascension has been this, that the triumph is said to have been made ἐν ἀυτῷ, which they interpret "in it," as if it referred to the cross (mentioned
Colossians 2:14), as the place of it. When as it may as well be translated "in himself," i.e., "in his own power and strength," noting how he alone did this, which other conquerors do not: they do not conquer in themselves, and by themselves, which Christ did. And yet it was the law, that if the Roman emperors or generals themselves captured anything in war, they had a special honor to dedicate it in triumph more specifically. Now Christ conquered in himself, and therefore triumphed in himself, and himself alone. And thus it became our Redeemer (like another Samson) not only to break sin's bars and fling off hell-gates, and come out of that prison he was in; but as in sign of a trophy, to take them on his back and carry them up the hill, as Samson (the type of him) did the gates of the city to a high hill, himself triumphantly carrying them on his own shoulders.Now did Christ then, who was your Surety, thus triumph? Then let your faith triumph likewise; for this was not only done by your Surety, but in your place, seeing this for us here is to be added to each thing mentioned. The apostle calls for this at our hands here. "We are more than conquerors," says he in Romans 8:37.
(3.) Then, thirdly, observe him entering into heaven: when he first arrives at the heavenly court after this great undertaking, how does God regard him? Is God satisfied with what he has done? As you know, when a general returns home, there is usually great anticipation about how the king will
receive his service, as performed according to commission. Christ as a Surety undertook for sinners to fully conquer all our enemies and God instructed him to ensure he did it perfectly, or never see his face again,
Hebrews 5:8-9. He was to be "made perfect through sufferings," and those sufferings to be such as "to perfect" us also, Hebrews 10:14. Now, behold, your Surety has entered heaven like a conqueror: let that convince you that he has satisfied the debt, and performed his commission to the letter. God would never have allowed him to come there otherwise; but as soon as ever his head had peered into heaven, he would have sent him down again to perform the rest. But God allows him to enter in and he comes boldly and confidently, and God allows him to stay there. Therefore be convinced that he has given God full satisfaction.
Christ himself uses this argument, as the strongest that could be brought to "convince the world" that this righteousness (which he had in his doctrine taught them) was the righteousness by which men were only to be saved, the true righteousness of God indeed. John 16:9-10, He "will convict the world of righteousness," that is, work faith in the hearts of men, to believe and lay hold on my righteousness, as the true righteousness that God has ordained; and this "because (says he) I am going to the Father, and you will see me no longer." That is, by this argument and evidence it is and will be proven, that I who undertook to satisfy for sin, and to procure a perfect righteousness, have perfectly performed it; and that it is a righteousness which God's justice accepts, to save sinners by; in that I, after my death, and finishing this work, will ascend to my Father, into heaven, and maintain my standing there, and you will see me no more. Whereas, if I had not fulfilled all righteousness and perfectly satisfied God, you can be sure there would be no going to heaven for me, nor remaining there. God would send me
down again, to do the rest, and you would certainly see me with shame sent back again. But he said, "I am going to the Father, and you will see me no longer."