Doug
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Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Does this verse say that Christ, after his resurrection, led the old testament saints into heaven?
The first thing to examine is, what does it mean to lead captivity captive.
Judges 5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
This song commemorates Israel being freed, in Judges 4:14, from the captivity of Sisera.
Isaiah 14:2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
In the above verse, when it says "they shall take them captives, whose captives they were", it is saying, Israel shall take captive, those who held them in captivity.
It can therefore be concluded, that to lead captivity captive, is to take into captivity, those who beforehand oppressed.
Psalm 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Psalm 68 above says, "thou hast received gifts for men: yea, for the rebellious also": Israel was counted among the rebellious when, in Acts 2:23, they were accused of slaying Jesus, the Lord of glory.
Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Psalm 68:18 says that Jesus "hast received gifts for men", which can be evidenced in the verse above when the Holy Ghost was shed forth unto Israel (Luke 24:49 Acts 1:4).
Acts 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
If it is contended that the old testament saints were taken to heaven after the resurrection of Christ, it is not supported by the fact that David, an old testament saint for sure, has not ascended into heaven.
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
In fact, according to John, no man had yet ascended up to heaven.
John 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
John, in the above verse, sets the time frame of his epistle, as being after the resurrection of Christ, and eliminates the contention to place John 3:13 before the resurrection, which would favour saying that men ascended into heaven after the resurrection.
Ephesians 4:8 can be best understood in light of the following verses:
Colossains 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Christ spoiled principalities in heavenly places, that is the devil and his angels.
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
This verse asserts that Christ, through death, destroyed the devil.
The last verse to consider is:
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Paradise, as I understand it, is Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:19-31). In Luke 23:43, today is significant, in that, it specifies that Christ has yet to ascend into heaven according to John 20:17, and therefore, would not be taking one of the malefactors to heaven.
Does this verse say that Christ, after his resurrection, led the old testament saints into heaven?
The first thing to examine is, what does it mean to lead captivity captive.
Judges 5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
This song commemorates Israel being freed, in Judges 4:14, from the captivity of Sisera.
Isaiah 14:2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
In the above verse, when it says "they shall take them captives, whose captives they were", it is saying, Israel shall take captive, those who held them in captivity.
It can therefore be concluded, that to lead captivity captive, is to take into captivity, those who beforehand oppressed.
Psalm 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Psalm 68 above says, "thou hast received gifts for men: yea, for the rebellious also": Israel was counted among the rebellious when, in Acts 2:23, they were accused of slaying Jesus, the Lord of glory.
Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Psalm 68:18 says that Jesus "hast received gifts for men", which can be evidenced in the verse above when the Holy Ghost was shed forth unto Israel (Luke 24:49 Acts 1:4).
Acts 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
If it is contended that the old testament saints were taken to heaven after the resurrection of Christ, it is not supported by the fact that David, an old testament saint for sure, has not ascended into heaven.
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
In fact, according to John, no man had yet ascended up to heaven.
John 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
John, in the above verse, sets the time frame of his epistle, as being after the resurrection of Christ, and eliminates the contention to place John 3:13 before the resurrection, which would favour saying that men ascended into heaven after the resurrection.
Ephesians 4:8 can be best understood in light of the following verses:
Colossains 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Christ spoiled principalities in heavenly places, that is the devil and his angels.
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
This verse asserts that Christ, through death, destroyed the devil.
The last verse to consider is:
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Paradise, as I understand it, is Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:19-31). In Luke 23:43, today is significant, in that, it specifies that Christ has yet to ascend into heaven according to John 20:17, and therefore, would not be taking one of the malefactors to heaven.
