Please tell me:?

Question

Are these verses contradictory? How do you interpret it and make it non-contradictory?

"No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, ... the Son of Man." (John 3:13 King James

And this verse:
"...And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." (2 Kings 2:11)

Answer 1

The only way to reconcile them is to say that Elijah is the Son of Man who came down from heaven.

Answer 2

Good question!

The short answer is that Elijah was not taken up into the heaven of God the Father (Jesus says no man has thus ascended). Taking the whole passage into account, we know that Elijah was spectacularly removed from office (to make way for Elisha, 2 Kings 2:3,5) by God. Where did he go? The term "heaven" can also mean the atmosphere or even the "heavens above" (meaning sun and stars, etc.) These examples are elsewhere throughout the Bible, too.

Several years later, King Jehoram receives a letter from Elijah. This is an indication that Elijah was removed to somewhere else on Earth. Also, there is a traditional location for Elijah's tomb, and Apostle Paul indicates that all of the prophets (which would include Elijah) died.

Here's a link to a more extensive answer:
http://www.keithhunt.com/Enochhea.html

Keep asking questions! God loves it when we're "discerning".

Answer 3

Seeing how 2 Kings 2:11 was written centuries before John 3:13 was, it stands to reason that either the original writer of John 3:13 was mistaken because he didn't know scripture or sometime during the past two thousand years it was rewritten by an idiot who didn't know scripture.

This is a true case of the NT contradicting the OT. And since the Old Testement has been preserved the same way with only very minor changes (that don't affect readibility) while the New Testement has been sloppily handled with many different versions being used (thus affecting readibility), I trust the Old before the New.

Answer 4

Hi DeepBlueuOcean. When we compare these two verses with the rest of the Bible we can understand what God is teaching us and we can be assured they are not contradictory. In John 3:13-15 Jesus tells us:

"No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

Jesus is telling us that God has sent Him from Heaven to bring eternal life, salvation to all those who believe on him.

It was Elijah's spiritual body that went up to Heaven in 2 Kings 2:11 not his human body. God will not allow a corrupt human body into incorrupt Heaven. First Corinthians 15:50 teaches this:

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption" A few verses later God tells us, "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:53)

Because of what these verses teach, Elijah had to receive his glorified body as he was assumed into Heaven in a whirlwind.

Answer 5

The Bible uses the word Heaven to describe the sky (atmosphere) as well as the literal place. The Bible even speaks of multiple Heavens (John's revelation) That is to assume that Elijah was taken to Heaven (the throne of God) in his physical form, which the Bible does not state. Scripture is very clear, however that Jesus was fully living when He ascended.

Be Blessed and Blessed Be

Answer 6

Elijah did come down from heaven. All mankind has come from heaven.
Christ is our example in all things, from being born and receiving a physical body, to baptism, to the way we should live our lives, and of resurrection.
Elijah was the only other living being besides Jesus Christ that was 'translated', or taken up to Heaven.

Answer 7

I never thought of that...but do you know why Elijah didn't die? Because he held the keys of sealing. He had to come back and give them to someone here on earth and he could only do that in the flesh...not in the spirit. There are some things that have to be done in the body. Once you die, you can't do it anymore. I just thought that was pretty cool. But to answer your question...don't we all come from heaven? I'll have to think on this...You are pretty smart. Most people just put stupid questions looking for a fight or something.

Answer 8

Well they could be both complimentary and contradictory. It all depends on the point of view. I tend to think them as contradictory.If it clearly states no one can go up , but yet says someone did then how can the first be true at the same time as the second? I however do tend to be very litteral.Legands are never ment to be taken in litteral form.

Answer 9

It's talking about the NOW or the PRESENT at that time. They were talking about the Kingdom of God(Jesus and Nicodemus) and Jesus was simply telling Nicodemus that neither him nor anyone else on earth at that time could give Him info about heaven since He's the only one on earth at that time who has actually been there. Elijah was taken up to heaven, as was everyone who died and was deemed worthy enough to go there before this event. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that to get to heaven he must be 'born again'. Nicodemus tells Jesus that this couldn't be. Jesus just says "don't tell me what could be and what could not be when it comes to heaven.....I've been there, you haven't".

Answer 10

Elijah was taken by wind into heaven. He didn't do it on his own - he was just physically moved. On the other hand, Christ died, his spirit went into heaven while his physical body remained, then He returned and was resurrected, and then He went back into heaven on his own accord and by his own power. He didn't need a wind blowing him back. Elijah was taken up as a gift from God. Christ was taken up in power and glory, having paid for our sins, and as a gift to us. Christ ascended in the spiritual sense, Elijah was physically lifted.