It is framed by extended choral movements, Part I is concluded by the fourth stanza of Johann Rist's hymn "Du Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ" in a four-part setting.

The work is richly scored for the feast day, exactly like the Christmas Oratorio for four vocal parts, three trumpets, timpani, two flauti traversi, two oboes, strings and continuo.

The text for the Ascension Oratorio, a compilation of several biblical sources, free poetry and chorales, was presumably written by Picander who had been the librettist for the St Matthew Passion and other works by Bach.

[2][3] Part I, which tells of the Ascension, is concluded by the fourth stanza of Johann Rist's hymn "Du Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ" in a four-part setting.

[7] The title on the first page of the autograph reads: "J.J." is short for "Jesu juva" (Jesus, help), a formula which Bach and others often wrote at the beginning of a sacred piece.

The title in Latin translates to "Oratorio for the feast of the Ascension of Christ", and the scoring in a mixture of French and Italian names the parts and instruments[9] as four vocal parts, three trumpets (Tr), timpani, two flauti traversi (Ft), two oboes (Ob), two violins (Vn), viola (Va) and basso continuo (Bc) by Bach.

The Bach scholar Richard D. P. Jones compares the Christmas Oratorio and the Ascension Oratorio and arrives at similarities: the festive opening chorus with trumpets and drums, the Evangelist's secco recitatives, the intermediate four-part chorale, the meditative accompagnati, the semi-dramatic treatment of biblical characters (here the "two men in white") and the elaborate chorale-finale.

[1] The festive opening chorus expressing praise, "Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen", is believed to be based on a movement from the lost secular cantata Froher Tag, verlangte Stunden, BWV Anh.

[3] The first chorale, closing part 1, is the fourth stanza of "Du Lebensfürst, Herr Jesu Christ", written in 1641 by Johann Rist.

[11] The evangelist begins Part II, "Und da sie ihm nachsahen" (And as they watched),[3] telling of two men in white gowns addressing the disciples.

[2] The evangelist ends the narration, "Sie aber beteten ihn an" (They however prayed to Him),[3] telling of the disciples' return from the mountain which is named the Mount of Olives.

[2] The soprano aria, "Jesu, deine Gnadenblicke" (Jesus, Your merciful gaze),[3] is also based on the wedding cantata Auf, süß entzückende Gewalt.

Brian Robins notes "the lightly translucent texture reflecting the text's allusion to Christ leaving his body to ascend to Heaven".

[8] The closing chorale, "Wenn soll es doch geschehen" (When shall it happen"),[3] is the seventh stanza of "Gott fähret auf gen Himmel", written in 1697 by Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer.

[2] Set in the first person, it expresses the desire of the speaker for the "liebe Zeit" (dear time) when he sees the Saviour in his glory.

The musicologist Julian Mincham interprets the mode of the tune as "the human state of waiting and hoping", while the concerto represents the fulfillment.

[13] Mincham compares the writing to the opening chorale fantasias of the second cantata cycle of chorale cantatas, finding the composition for the lower voices "endlessly inventive, frequently related to the textual images" pointing out "the passionate and clinging representation of kissing the Saviour beneath the caressing flutes, in the penultimate phrase".

[14] Ensembles with period instruments in historically informed performance and choirs of one voice per part (OVPP) is marked by green background.