s human nature, which is limited by place, and
can be the subject of motion. In this sense, then, we can say that
Christ ascended into heaven as man, but not as God.

But if the phrase "according to" denote the cause of the Ascension,
since Christ ascended into heaven in virtue of His Godhead, and not
in virtue of His human nature, then it must be said that Christ
ascended into heaven not as man, but as God. Hence Augustine says in
a sermon on the Ascension: "It was our doing that the Son of man hung
upon the cross; but it was His own doing that He ascended."

Reply Obj. 1: These utterances were spoken prophetically of God who
was one day to become incarnate. Still it can be said that although
to ascend does not belong to the Divine Nature properly, yet it can
metaphorically; as, for instance, it is said "to ascend in the heart
of man" (cf. Ps. 83:6), when his heart submits and humbles itself
before God: and in the same way God is said to ascend metaphorically
with regard to every creature, since He subjects it to Himself.

Reply Obj. 2: He who ascended is the same as He who descended. For
Augustine says (De Symb. iv): "Who is it that descends? The God-Man.
Who is it that ascends? The self-same God-Man." Nevertheless a
twofold descent is attributed to Christ; one, whereby He is said to
have descended from heaven, which is attributed to the God-Man
according as He is God: for He is not to be understood as having
descended by any local movement, but as having "emptied Himself,"
since "when He was in the form of God He took the form of a servant."
For just as He is said to be emptied, not by losing His fulness, but
because He took our littleness upon Himself, so likewise He is said
to have descended from heaven, not that He deserted heaven, but
because He assumed human nature in unity of person.

And there is another descent whereby He descended "into the lower
regions of the earth," as is written Eph. 4:9; and this is local
descent: hence this belongs to Christ according to the condition of
human nature.

Reply Obj. 3: Christ is said to ascend to the Father, inasmuch as He
ascends to sit on the right hand of the Father; and this is befitting
Christ in a measure according to His Divine Nature, and in a measure
according to His human nature, as will be said later (Q. 58, A. 3).
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THIRD ARTICLE [III, Q. 57, Art. 3]

Whether Christ Ascended by His Own Power?

Objection 1: It would seem that Ch