- The period of forty days between Easter and the ascension of Jesus into heaven is based on Acts 1:3, the only place in the New Testament that mentions a specific limited period of time during which Easter experiences occurred. That the author of Luke-Acts probably did not mean this literally is suggested by the fact that Luke 24:51 reports that Jesus ascended into heaven on the day of Easter itself, not forty days later. Either we need to suppose that the author did not notice this discrepancy in his own writing or that he did not see it as a contradiction. The latter seems more likely.
Borg, Marcus J.. The God We Never Knew: Beyond Dogmatic Religion To A More Authentic Contemporary Faith (p. 105). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
Luke 24:45-53 — 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. 50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Act 1:1-3 — 1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
