Why did Jesus say that no man hath ascended unto heaven? Though Elijah did?

Question

Jesus said in John 3:13 that no man hath ascended unto heaven.
But in 2 Kings 2:11 it says that Elijah went up into heaven on a whirlwind.

Also it says elsewhere that God took Enoch into heaven.

Did Jesus just forget maybe? No big deal, I'm only asking.

You people sure offer a lot of different explanations on this -- can't anyone just admit that maybe Jesus forgot?
What's the big deal?

Answer 1

He doesnt exsist so it doesnt matter.

Answer 2

While all scripture is good for interpretation, all scriptures do not stand alone. This scripture must be read in conjunction with the chapter it is in. The chapter teaches about being born again. In verse five we learn that a man must be born of water and of the spirit to enter into the kingdom of God. The coming of the kingdom of God began to be taught with Jesus (Mark 1:14). Before Jesus, John taught the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4). In the Old Testament with the prophets atonement for sins was taught.

Jesus does not, however, state that Elijah didn't ascend into heaven, but that he was first in heaven, before ascending. A careful reading of the verse states that no man ascended into heaven, but he that had came from heaven, even meaning including the Son of man.

Answer 3

Well that is a very good question. Let me share this with you. Enoch and Elijah did in fact assend to heaven. Now think, All of this place BEFORE Jesus was born. Jesus se new covenants for us to follow. Try to understand the difference between the Old Testaments and the New Testaments. Jesus Never forgets nor does He change. His promises are forever and His Words are truth.

Answer 4

What is meant by Jesus when he says 'no man has ascended to heaven' is far from understandable. The phrase has to be seen in the light of Romans 10:6; ' ... but the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “... do not say in your heart, `who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ...'
In addition there appears to be more than one heaven; ' ... I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago - whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows - such a man was caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians12:2). So you cannot say that Jesus 'forgot' anything.

Answer 5

It actually says "No man hath ascended unto heaven that didn't descend from heaven first ". What it is saying is that to even qualify for getting into heaven you must first be born of woman. And Elijah certainly was. In other words to get into heaven "Ye must be born again". Anything else is false doctrine. The word "air" is also translated as Pnuma / puff or breath of life. So just like in 1st Thes. when Christ comes back we are all transfigured into our spiritual bodies and given the "air" (first breath of life in our spiritual bodies. That is what happened to Elijah, He was transfigured into a spiritual body and and given the breath of life (air) and then was taken up into " heaven". Which is also translated in the Strong's concordance as " the abode of God". FATHER K may be right about where Elijah went. Only because Christ went to the other side of the gulf to preach His gospel to those who died before having a chance to hear Christ's gospel of salvation.

Answer 6

It is really important to keep things in context. Jesus is talking with a Jewish leader, Nicodemus, who came with questions. To what should have been a rather elementary statement, Nicodemus shows ignorance. Jesus comment is that Nicodemus is unable to understand earthly concepts, and can not be expected to understand heavenly ones. Barnes' Notes On the NT helps clarify the meaning of the statement in 3:13: "And no man hath ascended into heaven." No man, therefore, is qualified to speak of heavenly things, John 3:12. To speak of those things requires intimate acquaintance with them-demands that we have seen them; and as no one has ascended into heaven and returned, so no one is qualified to speak of them but He who came down from heaven. This does not mean that no one had gone to heaven or had been saved, for Enoch and Elijah had been borne there (Genesis 5:24; comp. Hebrews 11:5, 2 Kings 2:11), and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and others were there; but it means that no one had ascended and returned, so as to be qualified to speak of the things there. —Barnes' Notes on the New Testament

Answer 7

The translation for heaven in 2 Kings 2:1 means the sky not the actual place where God is. He went to paradise.

Answer 8

That's assuming he went to heaven, but there is no indication he actually went into the spirit realm. Later he was heard from writing a condemnatory letter to the king of Judah in 2 Chronicles

21:12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

Answer 9

There are several different Hebrew words and several different Greek words that are translated to heaven-
This is why words studies are important for truly understanding the word of God.
The word heaven can refer to 'the dwelling place of God' or as in the scriptures about Elijah and Enoch can mean the sky, the clouds

Answer 10

No.

Joh 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.

Though Enoch and Elias had, yet not by their own power, nor in the sense our Lord designs; whose meaning is, that no man had, or could go up to heaven, to bring from thence the knowledge of divine and heavenly things; in which sense the phrase is used in Deu_30:12, and which may be illustrated by Joh_1:18; wherefore inasmuch as Nicodemus had acknowledged Christ to he a teacher come from God, our Lord, would have him know, that he was the only teacher of heavenly things, as being the only person that had been in heaven, and in the bosom of the Father; and therefore, if he, and the rest of the Jews, did not receive instructions from him, they must for ever remain ignorant; for there never had been, nor was, nor could be, any mere man that could go up to heaven, and learn the mysteries of God, and of the kingdom of heaven, and return and instruct men in them:

Answer 11

Elijah did not go to heaven, God transported Elijah somewhere else, the sky around us is also referred to as the heavens because birds are said to fly in the heavens. Enoch as well did not go to heaven but God transferred Enoch so as not to see death, God took Enoch's life spirit so he would not feel the pangs of death because God loved him so.