John 06:62 - Ascension or Resurrection?

The claim has been made that in John 6:62, Jesus is referring to his resurrection, not his ascention, and it is claimed that this is "clear" from the context. It is claimed that the Greek word "anabaino", usually rendered as "ascend", is a mistranslation, and that Jesus was not referring to his ascension as recorded in Acts 1:9, since Acts 1:9 does not use the same word. It is true that "anabaino" means simply "to go up" to a higher elevation, as in climbing a mountain (Matthew 5:1; 14:23), of Jesus' "coming up" from under the water at his baptism (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10), of plants that grow out of the ground (Matthew 13:7; Mark 4:7,8,32), etc. But does this mean that Christ was simply was simply asking if they would be offended if they saw him "come up" out of the ground, i.e., be resurrected, and be where he was before, i.e., alive and on the earth?

It has been claimed the context confirms that Jesus was speaking about being the bread from heaven and giving life via his resurrection. According to what has been claimed, verses such as 39, 40 & 44 confirm this: Jesus repeatedly said, "I will raise him [each believer] up at the last day." Christ was amazed that even some of his disciples were offended at his teaching. He had been speaking of the resurrection, and they were offended, so he asked them if they would be offended if they saw him resurrected, which has been unfortunately translated as "ascend" in verse 62.

Let us take a closer look at what Jesus said:

John 6:62
ean oun thewreete ton huion tou anthrwpou
IF EVER THEREFORE YOU MAY BEHOLD THE SON OF THE MAN
1437 3767 2334 3588 5207 3588 0444
anabainonta hopou een to proteron
ASCENDING WHERE HE WAS THE FORMER [TIME]?
0305 3699 1511_3 3588 4386 4387
Westcott & Hort Interlinear

The Greek word being referred to is Strong's #305, as shown above.

Note that Jesus does not say: "where is now", but he rather he speaks of "where he was the former time".

In the context, Jesus had earlier spoken of his coming from heaven.

John 6:38 - For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

Yes, Jesus had been speaking about his resurrection, but in John 6:62, realizing that some were stumbling over his speaking of the resurrection, he adds something even greater, his ascension to
heaven, where he was before.

Additionally, no human saw Jesus being resurrected, and I am sure that Jesus knew that no one would see him being raised from death. However, many did see him ascend into heaven, from where he came. -- John 3:13,31; 6:41,51.

While the Greek words used can refer to other things than his ascension, I have no doubt in my mind that Jesus was speaking of ascending to heaven, to where he was before.

Nevertheless, the Greek word "anabaino" is used of Jesus ascension into heaven. Jesus himself uses this word in:

John 20:17
legei autee ieesous mee mou haptou oupw gar
IS SAYING TO HER JESUS NOT OF ME BE TOUCHING, NOT YET FOR
3004 0846_6 2424 3361 1473_2 0680 0681 3768 1063
anabebeeka pros ton patera poreuou de pros
I HAVE ASCENDED TOWARD THE FATHER; BE GOING BUT TOWARD
0305 4314 3588 3962 4198 1161 4314
tous adelphous mou kai eipe autois anabainw
THE BROTHERS OF ME AND SAY TO THEM I AM ASCENDING
3588 0080 1473_2 2532 1511_7 0846_93 0305
pros ton patera mou kai patera humwn kai theon
TOWARD THE FATHER OF ME AND FATHER OF YOU AND GOD
4314 3588 3962 1473_2 2532 3962 4771_5 2532 2316
mou kai theon humwn
OF ME AND GOD OF YOU.
1473_2 2532 2316 4771_5
Westcott & Hort Interlinear

Peter also uses this word regarding Jesus' ascension, when speaks of David as not being the one who ascended to heaven.

Acts 2:34
ou gar daueid anebee eis tous ouranous legei
NOT FOR DAVID WENT UP INTO THE HEAVENS, HE IS SAYING
3756 1063 1160_5 0305 1519 3588 3772 3004
de autos eipen kurios tw kuriw mou kathou ek
BUT HE SAID LORD TO THE LORD OF ME BE SITTING OUT OF
1161 0846 1511_7 2962 3588 2962 1473_2 2521 1537
dexiwn mou
RIGHT [PARTS] OF ME
1188 1473_2
Westcott & Hort Interlinear

I will post some more on this later, Yahweh willing.

In Christian love,
Ronald