Беседа на слова: Зрящим им взятся. И се мужа два стаста пред ними во одежди беле, иже и рекоста..: сей Иисус вознесыйся от вас на небо, такожде приидет (Деян. 1:9,11). Святого Иоанна Златоустого, архиепископа Константинопольского

To those who behold them (the apostles), says (the writer of the book of the Acts of the Apostles), “the Lord will be taken away.” The apostles did not see when the Lord rose, but they saw when He was taken, since here too not everything could be done by sight. They saw the resurrection, but did not see the beginning, and the ascension, they saw the beginning, but did not see the end. It was unnecessary to see the beginning of the resurrection when He who announced it was present, and when the tomb showed that He was not there; and what followed the ascension had to be learned from the word. Since the eyes could not penetrate into the heights and show whether He ascended exactly into heaven, or only “as if” into heaven: then look what is happening. That it was, precisely, Jesus, they knew from the fact that He spoke to them (since with their eyesight, due to the distance, they could no longer recognize Him); and that He is being taken up to heaven - this was already explained to them by the Angels themselves. See how it is arranged, so that not everything is known from the Spirit, but (something) also from sight. Why did the cloud lift Him up? And this serves as a sign that He ascended to heaven. Not fire, not a chariot of fire, as was the case with Elijah, but His cloud was lifted up; and this was a symbol of heaven. So the Prophet says: count the clouds for Your ascension (Ps. 103:3), although this is said about the Father. Therefore, the expression: “on the cloud” means: on the symbol of Divine power, since no other force is represented anywhere on the cloud. Listen again to what the other Prophet says: The Lord sits on a light cloud (Ps. 19:1). This happened when the discussion was about an important subject, when the students were very attentive to what was said - when they were excited and did not doze off. Christ did not just say: “I am leaving,” so that the disciples would not complain again; but at the same time he said: “I send the Spirit.” And they saw with their own eyes that He was leaving for heaven. Oh, what a vision they were awarded! And when, - it is said, - I looked up to heaven, I walked towards Him, and behold, two hundred men stood before them in white clothing, like the men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? this Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven (Acts 1:10, 11). Certain Angels, having clothed themselves in the form of men, suddenly appeared. By the very fact that they said: men of Galilee, they already seemed to the disciples worthy of faith (and if this were not their goal, then why would they need to point to their fatherland?), and by their very appearance they attracted the disciples to themselves and showed that they were from heaven. Why doesn’t Christ Himself say this to the disciples, but (say) the Angels? – He Himself told them everything before, so through the Angels He only reminds them of what they have already heard. And the (Angels) did not say: “Whom you saw ascended,” but: “Whom you saw going into heaven,” to show that His ascension is an ascension; and it is natural for the flesh to be exalted. Therefore they say: He who ascends from you will come in the same way - he will not be sent, but he will come. The words: He will come in the same way mean that He will come with a body (as they wanted to hear) - and that He will come again to judgment in the same way - on a cloud. And behold, it is said, there are two hundred husbands. Why is it said: husband? - because (the Angels) took on the perfect image of men, so that (the disciples) would not be afraid. Like you and rekosta: why are you standing there, looking at the sky? With such words they (the angels) caress them (the apostles) and do not allow them to immediately expect His return. They talk about what is more important, but they keep silent about what is less important. That He will come again, and that He should be expected from heaven, they say; and when he comes, they are silent about it. Thus, they distracted the disciples from that spectacle and turned them to their words, so that the disciples, no longer able to see Christ, would not think that He had not ascended, but would dwell on their speech. It is said: behold, there are two men before them. And so it should be: for at the hearing of two witnesses every word will become (2 Cor. 13:1). In clothes, it is said, white. As before at the tomb (the wives) they saw an Angel in shining robes (Luke 24:4), who announced to them what they were thinking about: so the Angel is a witness to the Ascension of Christ. Angels are messengers everywhere: for example, at the Nativity of Christ, at the (Annunciation) of Mary, at the Resurrection: so exactly - at the Ascension (and at the Second Coming Angels will appear as forerunners). Since they said: this Jesus, who was lifted up from you, so as not to lead the disciples into bewilderment, they added: likewise he will come. The disciples calmed down somewhat when they heard that He would come again, and would come in the same way, and would not be unavailable. It is not without reason that the word is from you: it shows the love of Christ for the disciples, their election and the fact that He will not abandon those whom He has chosen. Thus, Christ Himself testified to the resurrection, since after Christmas, or better, and before Christmas, the most amazing thing was that He resurrected Himself: Destroy, He said, this church, and in three days I will raise it up (John 2:19); and the Angels testify about the future coming, saying: he will come in the same way. So, if anyone whoever grieves because he has not seen Him wants to see Christ: he, hearing about His future coming, let him show a perfect life - and then he will certainly see Him and will not be deceived in his hope. He will come with greater glory, but also on a cloud, so with a body; and it is much more wonderful to see Him descending from heaven than ascending from the earth. The Angels said that He would come; but - why, this was not added. This serves as confirmation of the resurrection: for if He ascended with a body, much more was He resurrected with a body... Where are those who do not believe in the resurrection? Who are they? Pagans or Christians? These are those who do not believe in the very creation of creation. It is their business not to admit that God creates anything out of nothing, and not to admit that He will raise the buried. But they are ashamed not to recognize the power of God, and therefore, in order to avoid this reproach, they say: “not because we say this, but because there is no need for the body.” It is truly said: the holy fool will speak (Isa. 32:6). Aren't you ashamed when you don't admit that God creates out of nothing? If He creates from something existing, then how does He differ from people? Therefore, it is timely to say: the criminals told me mockery (Ps. 119:85)... But let us not listen to them; on the contrary, let us block our hearing from them. There is, truly, there is a resurrection of the dead... The Apostles spoke with Him (about Christ), poisoning and punching (Acts 10:41). Let us believe in the resurrection and act worthy of it, so that we may be worthy of future blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen 76. Abbreviated as 2nd demon. on Acts Apostle See St. John Chrysostom on Discourses on the Acts of the Apostles, ed. 1856 St. Petersburg, part I, pp. 31–38. You might be interested in: