We do not know a great deal about those forty days. We do know that Christ appeared to the disciples and it was a significant time. The risen, but not yet ascended, Christ would revisit all He had taught in His life, to prepare them for the coming of the Holy Spirit and the first fruit of the harvest when Christ would inaugurate His eternal rule.

In John 20:17 we read of Mary’s encounter with Jesus in the garden and His instruction not to hold on to Him because He had not returned to His Father. We do not understand fully the dynamics of what was happening there—Jesus had form, substance and could eat as we do. Some have suggested He may have inhabited a different dimension—the one where angels seem to “appear" from. We do not know, but it might explain why a solid body could "appear" inside a locked room among His disciples. He, perhaps, did not pass through walls but came from another place, the unseen realm in our midst.

This waiting time was vital because of the things He needed to share. In Acts 1:3–5 Luke tells us that during this time Jesus “appeared” many times to teach the disciples from Scripture, as He did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. We are also told in John 20:30 that many things Jesus did for the disciples were not recorded for us.

All He taught them while as man with them He could now demonstrate to them as the risen, soon to be enthroned king. Things they did not witness He could now tell them. The Lord fulfilled Scripture through His resurrection, strengthening them now to proclaim the kingdom in a new way. After forty days, Christ would return to His Father and claim His throne at the right hand of the Ancient of Days.

Acts 1:8–11 describes His ascension in clouds and the promise to return the same way. Jesus was not just risen. He was enthroned as eternal king as Daniel 7:13–14 foretold. His ascension in a cloud prepared for His future return to earth in clouds, when the bride of Christ has made herself ready through her righteous acts.

For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.
Revelation19:7–8
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people).

Ten days after His ascension, on the Feast of First Fruits we know as Pentecost, the Spirit of Jesus would baptize the disciples, making them new reborn creations, the first fruits of the new kingdom. They would be Christ’s witnesses, not just with teaching, but now with power from God to demonstrate there was a new king reigning over the earth.

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Chris Jones is the Global Outreach Director at New Hope Church. He longs for the unreached people of the world to experience the life-changing love of God and for people at New Hope Church to find fullness of joy by obeying the Great Commission.