Part One Section Two Chapter Two Article 6
Overview
Paragraphs 659-664 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church provide a robust, orthodox Christological exposition of the Ascension of Jesus Christ. The text synthesizes Gospel narratives, Pauline epistles, the Book of Hebrews, and Old Testament prophecy (Daniel) to explain the transition of Christ from His earthly, post-resurrection ministry to His exalted state at the right hand of the Father. It emphasizes that during the forty days prior to the Ascension, Christ's glory was veiled, but the Ascension marks the irreversible entry of His human nature into divine glory. Crucially, the text asserts that humanity, left to its own natural powers, is entirely incapable of accessing heaven or God's life; it is only through Christ's descent (Incarnation) and subsequent ascent that the way is opened for believers, who are members of His body. Furthermore, the text highlights Christ's current, active role as the sole High Priest of the new and eternal Covenant, perpetually interceding for believers in the heavenly sanctuary and reigning over an everlasting kingdom. This section is highly congruent with historical Protestant and Evangelical theology, focusing entirely on the objective, victorious work of Christ rather than human merit.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The incarnate Son of God, the sole High Priest, and the eternal King who descended to earth and ascended to heaven to open the way for humanity.
- God the Father: The first person of the Trinity, to whose 'right hand' (signifying divine glory and honor) Christ ascends.
- Mary Magdalene: The disciple to whom the risen Christ spoke, indicating the transition phase before His final ascension.
- Paul: The apostle who received a wholly exceptional and unique post-ascension apparition of Christ.
- Daniel: The Old Testament prophet whose vision of the Son of Man receiving an everlasting dominion is fulfilled in Christ's Ascension.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Bodily Ascension and Glorification
Assertion
Christ's physical body, which was glorified at the Resurrection, irreversibly entered into divine glory at the Ascension.
Evidence from Text
Jesus' final apparition ends with the irreversible entry of his humanity into divine glory, symbolized by the cloud and by heaven, where he is seated from that time forward at God's right hand.
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism are in total agreement regarding the bodily Ascension of Jesus Christ. Both traditions reject Gnostic or purely spiritualized interpretations of the Resurrection and Ascension. The affirmation that Christ's humanity entered into divine glory ensures that a glorified human being currently sits at the right hand of the Father, serving as the perfect mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).
Total Human Inability
Assertion
Humanity cannot achieve salvation or access heaven by its own natural power or merit.
Evidence from Text
Left to its own natural powers humanity does not have access to the 'Father's house', to God's life and happiness. Only Christ can open to man such access...
Evangelical Comparison
This doctrine strongly resonates with the Evangelical understanding of human depravity and spiritual inability. By explicitly stating that humanity, left to its 'own natural powers,' cannot access God's life, the text affirms that salvation must be entirely a work of divine grace. This provides a strong bridge to the Evangelical Gospel, which teaches that we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) and rely entirely on Christ's finished work for access to the Father.
Christ as Sole High Priest
Assertion
Jesus Christ is the one priest of the new covenant who permanently intercedes for believers in heaven.
Evidence from Text
Jesus Christ, the one priest of the new and eternal Covenant, 'entered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands. . . but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.'
Evangelical Comparison
The text's reliance on the Book of Hebrews to declare Christ as the 'one priest' who 'always lives to make intercession' is a cornerstone of Evangelical theology. Evangelicals view this as proof that no earthly mediating priesthood is necessary, as Christ's intercession is sufficient and perfect. While the text itself is perfectly orthodox, the broader Catholic system connects this heavenly liturgy to the earthly sacrifice of the Mass, which Evangelicals reject as a violation of Christ's 'once for all' sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10).
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
There is no significant theological gap in this specific excerpt. Both traditions affirm the bodily Ascension, Christ's unique High Priesthood, and His eternal kingdom.
Theological Gap (Explained)
In the realm of Christology and Theology Proper, this excerpt demonstrates the deep shared heritage between Roman Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism, rooted in the Nicene and Chalcedonian creeds. The text's assertion of Christ's bodily ascension, His ongoing intercessory work as the sole High Priest (drawing heavily from Hebrews 7-9), and the total inability of humanity to access the Father by 'natural powers' resonates perfectly with Evangelical tenets of Sola Gratia and Solus Christus. The text focuses entirely on the objective, finished work of Christ and His current heavenly reign. The only latent divergence lies not in the text itself, but in how the broader Catholic system applies Christ's role as 'principal actor of the liturgy' to the earthly sacrifice of the Mass, whereas Evangelicals view His heavenly intercession as precluding any ongoing earthly sacrificial priesthood.
For All Ages
Evangelical Christians and Catholics actually agree completely on what this specific passage says! Both believe that Jesus rose from the dead with a real physical body, went up to heaven, and sits next to God the Father. Both believe Jesus is our great High Priest who prays for us, and that we can't get to heaven on our own without Him. It's a beautiful area where both groups share the exact same belief about who Jesus is and what He did.
Friction Points
Universal Priesthood / Solus Christus
While the text beautifully affirms Christ as the 'one priest', the Catholic use of the term 'liturgy' here connects to the broader Catholic doctrine of the Mass as a participation in this heavenly liturgy, which requires an earthly mediating priesthood.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Liturgy"
In This Text
The heavenly worship and intercession centered on Christ as High Priest honoring the Father.
In Evangelicalism
Evangelicals generally use 'liturgy' to mean an order of earthly worship, while understanding Christ's heavenly work strictly as intercession rather than a perpetual ritual sacrifice.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Access to the 'Father's house', to God's life and happiness, and entry into divine glory.
How Attained: Through Christ alone, who opens access for humanity, as humanity is incapable by its 'own natural powers'.
Basis of Assurance: Confidence that we, as His members, shall go where He, our Head and Source, has preceded us.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text strongly supports the foundational basis of Sola Fide—that salvation is entirely dependent on Christ's work and intercession, explicitly denying human natural ability. While it does not address the specific instrument of faith vs. works directly, its Christocentric focus is highly compatible with Evangelical soteriology (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Mandates & Requirements
Implicit Obligations
- Acknowledge Jesus Christ as the sole mediator and High Priest.
- Trust entirely in Christ's intercession rather than natural human powers for access to heaven.
- Submit to the eternal dominion and kingship of Jesus Christ.
Ritual Requirements
- Participation in the liturgy that honors the Father (implied by Christ being the 'principal actor of the liturgy').
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When the Catechism says humanity cannot access heaven by its 'own natural powers,' how does that shape your view of trying to be a 'good person' to get to heaven?
- Hebrews says Jesus 'always lives to make intercession' for us. How does knowing Jesus is personally praying for you impact your daily spiritual life?
- Since Jesus is the 'one priest of the new and eternal Covenant,' how do you view the role of earthly priests in comparison to Him?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The Head and the Members
This beautiful analogy perfectly illustrates the believer's union with Christ. Because the Head (Jesus) has been glorified and accepted by the Father, the body (believers) is guaranteed the exact same acceptance. Our standing is based on His position, not our performance.