Of the session of christ
at the right hand of god
John Gill
This follows upon the Resurrection
and Ascension of Christ to heaven; it is in this order things stand according
to the scriptures; Christ was first raised from the dead;
then he went to heaven, and was received up into it; and then sat down at the
right hand of God, #Eph 1:20 1Pe 3:22 Mr 16:19. I shall treat this article much
in the same manner as the former.
1. First, Show that it was
foretold in prophecy that Christ should sit at the right hand
of God; hence it may be thought, that in prophetic language, and by
anticipation, he is called "the man of God's right hand", #Ps 80:17
not only because beloved of God, and dear to him as a man's right hand is to
him; so Jacob called his youngest son Benjamin, the son of the right hand,
because of his great affection to him; nor because Christ would be held and
sustained by the right hand of God in the discharge of his
mediatorial office, #Isa 42:1 but because when he had done his work on earth,
he should be received to heaven, and placed at the right hand of God; of which
there is a plain promise and prophecy in #Ps 110:1. "The Lord said unto my
Lord, Sit thou at my right hand"; which words are spoken, not of Abraham
by Melchizedek, nor by Eliezer the servant of Abraham; not by Melchizedek,
for he was greater than Abraham, #Heb 7:6,7 and therefore would not call him
his Lord; and though he might be so called by Eliezer, yet he could not say of
him, that he was a priest after Melchizedek's order, #Heb 7:4 nor are they said
of David; for, as the apostle Peter argues, "David is not ascended into
the heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my
right hand", &c. nor indeed could they be said to,
or of any man; not of the saints, for though they sit down together with
Christ, their head and representative; and will sit on the same throne with
him, and be glorified with him; yet are never said to sit at the right hand of
God; nor indeed are they spoken to or of angels, for "to which of the
angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand?" &c. #Heb 1:13 but
on the contrary, angels, authorities, and powers, are
subject to him who sits at the right hand of God, #1Pe 3:22 and who is the
Messiah, Christ, the Son of God, of whom the text in the Psalms is spoken, and
was so understood by the ancient Jews, and even by the Jews in Christ's time,
as is clear from #Mt 22:42-45 where Christ puts a question to which they could
give no answer, but were nonplussed and confounded; but could they have given, or had they known any other sense of the words,
they could easily have made answer by denying they belonged to the Messiah, but
to some other person, and so have freed themselves from the embarrassment they
were in; but they knew that this was the universal and acknowledged sense of
their nation. The words were spoken by Jehovah the Father, to his Son, in the
everlasting council and covenant of grace; even to him who
was David's Adon, or Lord: Christ himself also foretold, that he should sit
down at the right hand of God; "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man
sitting on the right hand of Power", #Mt 26:64.
2. Secondly, It is fact;
Christ is set down at the right hand of God, and the above prophecies
are fulfilled; the evidences of this fact are,
2a. The effusion of the Spirit
on the day of Pentecost, after Christ had ascended and took his place at the
right hand of God. The Spirit was not given until he was glorified in heaven,
by his session there at God's right hand; upon which, "having received of the Father, the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath
shed forth this which ye now see and hear", says the apostle, #Ac 2:33.
And again, "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the
Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him", on his exaltation
at the right hand of God, #Ac 5:31,32.
2b.
Stephen, the proto-martyr, while he was suffering, was an eyewitness of this;
he saw Christ at the right hand of God; and declared to the Jews that stoned
him, that he did see him; only with this difference, in all other places Christ
is spoken of as sitting; but Stephen saw him standing, at the right hand of
God; having risen up, as it were, from his seat, to show his resentment at the
usage of his servant; but this circumstance makes no
difference, nor creates any objection to the thing itself, which is, Christ's
being exalted in human nature, at the right hand of God, #Ac 7:55,56. I shall
next,
3. Thirdly, Endeavour to
explain this article, and show what is meant by it; what by the
right hand of God; and what by sitting at it; how long Christ will sit there;
and what the use and benefits of his session there are to his people.
3a. First, What is meant by
the right hand of God, at which Christ is said to sit. This is variously
expressed; sometimes by the right hand of the throne of God; sometimes by the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
and elsewhere, by the right hand of the Majesty on high, #Heb 12:2 8:1 1:3. By
"Majesty", as it is in some of these places, is meant God himself; as
is clear from others, to whom majesty, grandeur, and glory belong; with whom is
terrible majesty; it is not only before him, but he is clothed with it. By his
throne, heaven is sometimes meant, where he more especially
displays his majesty and glory; and may be put for him that sits upon it; and
he, and that, are said to be on high, in the heavens, in heavenly places; for
though God is everywhere, yet, as now observed, his majesty and glory are most
conspicuous in heaven; and here the human nature of Christ is; who in it, is at
God's right hand, being in a certain place, where he is, and will continue till
his second coming, and from whence he is expected: and the
right hand of God is not to be taken in a literal sense, but figuratively, and
signifies the power of God, and the exertion of that, #Ps 89:13 #Ps 118:16 and
is such a glorious perfection of God, that it is sometimes put for God himself;
and even when this article of Christ's session at his right hand is expressed,
#Mt 26:64.
3b. Secondly, What is meant by
Christ's sitting at God's right hand.
3b1. It is
expressive of great honour and dignity; the allusion
is to kings
and great personages, who, to their favourites,
and
to whom they would do an honour, when they come into
their
presence, place them at their right hand; so
Bathsheba,
the mother of Solomon, when she came with a
petition to
him, he caused her to sit on a seat on his right
hand, #1Ki
2:19 in allusion to which, the queen, the church,
is
said to stand on the right hand of Christ, #Ps 45:9 see
also #Mt 20:21.
This supposes such a person, next in honour
and dignity
to the king; as Christ, under this consideration,
is to the
Majesty on high, on whose right hand he sits; and
therefore is
not to be understood with respect to his divine
nature,
abstractly considered, or as a divine Person; for as
such he is
Jehovah's fellow, who thought it no robbery to be
equal with
God: nor with respect to his human nature merely,
and of any
communication of the divine perfections to it; for
though the
fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in him, yet
this
is not communicated to, or transfused into his human
nature, as to
make that omnipotent, omniscient, and
omnipresent,
or equal to God, or give it a right to sit on
his right
hand; but this is to be understood of him as
Mediator,
with respect to both natures; who, in that office
capacity,
is inferior to his Father, and his Father greater
than he;
since the power in heaven and in earth he has, is
given to him
by him, and received from him; and he is made
subject to
him, that put all things under him, by placing him
at his right
hand; where he is next unto him, in his office
3b2. It is
expressive of his government and dominion over all;
for this
phrase of sitting at the right hand of God is
explained by
reigning or ruling; for it follows, in the
original
text, as explanative of it; "Rule thou in the midst
of thine
enemies", #Ps 110:2 and so the apostle interprets
it, in #1Co
15:25. Now this government and dominion is not
to be understood
of what is natural to Christ, and common to
him, with the
other two divine Persons; the kingdom of
nature
and providence equally belongs to him, as to his
divine
Father, of whom he says, "My Father worketh hitherto,
and I
work"; jointly with him, having the same power,
operation,
and influence in all things, he has, #Joh 5:17
#Ps 22:28 but
of his mediatorial kingdom and government;
which
dominion, glory, and kingdom, were given to him, and
received from
the Ancient of days; a delegated kingdom, for
the
administration of which he is accountable to his Father,
and will
deliver it up to him, when completed; in respect of
which he may
be said to sit at the right hand of God, and to
be
next unto him in power and authority, #Da 7:14 Lu 19:12
#1Co 15:28
and yet superior to all created beings, of the
highest form,
and of the greatest name, which are all
subject to
him, #Eph 1:20,21 Php 2:9,10 1Pe 3:22.
3b3.
Sitting at the right hand of God, supposes Christ has done
his work, and
that to satisfaction, and with acceptance: as
the work of
redemption, which was given him, and he
undertook,
and came to work out, and has finished; upon
which he
"entered in once into the holy place"; that is,
into
heaven, #Heb 9:12 and the work of making atonement for
sin,
reconciliation for iniquity, and full satisfaction for
it; which was
cut out in council and covenant for him, and
he agreed to
do; and having done it, "sat down on the right
hand of
God", #Heb 1:3 10:12. And also the work of bringing
in
an everlasting righteousness, for the justification of
his people:
this he engaged to do, and for this end came
into the
world, and is become the end of the law for
righteousness,
to everyone that believes; and being raised
from the dead
for our justification, and gone to heaven, "is
at
the right hand of God"; which the apostle observes for
the
strengthening of his own faith, and the faith of others,
with respect
to their full acquittance, and complete
justification
before God, #Ro 4:25 8:33,34. All which, and
more, he has
done with acceptance: God is well pleased with
his
righteousness, because the law is by it magnified, and
made
honourable: his sacrifice is of a sweet smelling savour
to God: and
all being done he agreed to do, to entire
satisfaction,
he was received up into heaven with a welcome;
and, as a
token of it, placed at God's right hand.
3b4. Sitting
at God's right hand, supposes ease and rest from
labour; for
Christ, upon his resurrection, and ascension to
heaven, came
into the presence of God; in whose presence is
fulness of
joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for
evermore;
and when he was made glad with the light of his
countenance;
and when having entered into his rest, he
ceased from
his own works, as God did from his at creation,
#Ps 16:11 Heb
4:10. Not that Christ ceased to act for his
people in
heaven, when set down at the right hand of God;
for
he passed into the heavens for them, for their service
and good; he
entered as the forerunner for them, and appears
in the
presence of God for them; and, as their high priest,
transacts all
affairs for them, and ever lives to make
intercession
for them: but he ceases now from his toilsome
and
laborious work; for though it was his Father's business,
and which he
voluntarily engaged in, and it was his meat and
drink to do;
yet it was very fatiguing, not merely in going
about
continually to do good to the bodies and souls of men;
but in the
labour and travail of his soul, when he bore the
wrath
of God, and endured the curse of the law, in his
sufferings
and death: and now, being freed and eased from
all this, he
sits down, and looks with pleasure on all that
he has done;
as God, when he had finished the works of
creation,
took a survey of them, and saw they were all very
good,
and then rested from his works; so Christ, with
pleasure,
sits and sees the travail of his soul, the
blessings of
grace, through his blood, applied to his
people; and a
continued succession of a seed to serve him,
who, ere
long, will be all with him where he is, and behold
his
glory; which is the joy that was set before him when he
suffered for
them.
3b5. Sitting
denotes continuance; Christ sits as a priest upon
his throne,
and abides continually: the priests under the
law
did not abide continually, by reason of death; but
Christ lives
for ever, and has an unchangeable priesthood;
they stood
daily offering the same sacrifices, because sin
was not
effectually put away by them; but Christ, by one
offering, has
made full and perfect expiation for sin; and
therefore
is set down, and continues to do the other part of
his priestly
office as an intercessor; and to see the
efficacy of
his sacrifice take place: he also sits King for
ever; his throne
is for ever and ever; and his kingdom an
everlasting
kingdom, of which, and the peace thereof, there
3c. Thirdly, To observe how
long Christ will sit at the right hand of God; namely, "until all enemies
are put under his feet, and made his footstool". It began at his ascension
to heaven, and not before; the Word and Son of God was with God in the beginning from all eternity; and was co-eternal with him, and
hid a glory with him before the world was; but he is never said to sit at the
right hand of God till after his incarnation, death, resurrection from the
dead, and ascension to heaven; then, and not before, be took his place at the
right hand of God, where he will continue till his second coming, when all
enemies shall be subdued under him. Some are subdued already;
as sin, which is made an end of; the devil, who is destroyed; and the world,
which is overcome by him: others remain to be destroyed; all, as yet, are not
put under him, as the man of sin, and son of perdition, who will be destroyed
with the breath of his mouth; the antichristian kings, who will be gathered to
the battle at Armageddon and slain; the beast, and the false prophet, who will
be cast into the burning lake: now Christ sits and reigns
till all these are vanquished, and the last enemy destroyed, which is death.
3d. Fourthly, The use of
Christ's session at the right hand of God to his people, and the benefits and
blessings arising from thence to them, are,
3d1.
Protection from all their enemies. Being raised, and set
down at the
right hand of God, he has a name, power, and
authority,
over all principalities and powers, might and
dominion in
this world and that to come; all things are put
under
his feet, and he is given to be an head over all
things to the
church; all are put into his hands, to
subserve his
own interest, and the interest of his people;
he has all
power in heaven and in earth given him, and which
he uses for
their good, and for the protection of them from
all
evil, #Eph 1:20,21,22 Mt 28:18.
3d2. In
consequence of this is, freedom from fear of all enemies;
some are
destroyed already; those that remain will be; so
that there is
nothing to be feared from them by those that
believe
in Jesus, #1Co 15:25-27.
3d3. The
perpetual and prevalent intercession of Christ, on the
behalf of his
chosen ones, is another benefit arising from
his session
at the right hand of God; there he sits as their
high
priest; and being made higher than the heavens, ever
lives to make
intercession for them, by representing their
persons,
presenting their petitions, and pleading their
cause; though
Satan sometimes stands at their right hand to
resist and
accuse them; Christ sits at the right hand of God
as
their advocate with the Father, to rebuke him, and answer
to, and
remove his charges; in a view of which, every saint
may say with
the apostle; "Who shall lay anything to the
charge of
God's elect?" #Ro 8:33,34.
3d4.
Hence great encouragement to come with boldness and freedom
to the throne
of grace; since we have such an high priest
who is passed
into the heavens for us, is our forerunner for
us entered,
appears in the presence of God for us, is on the
throne of
glory, and at the right hand of God, to speak a
good
word for us; and this serves to draw up our hearts
heavenwards,
to seek things above, where Christ sitteth at
the right
hand of God; and to set our affections on things
in heaven,
and not on things on earth, #Heb 4:14,16
#Col 3:1,2.
3d5. This
raises the expectation of the saints, with respect to
Christ's
second coming, and gives them assurance of it;
Christ sits
at the right hand of God, expecting till his
enemies be
made his footstool; and they look for and expect
him
from heaven, who is gone thither to prepare a place for
them; and has
assured them, that he will come again, and
take them to
himself, that where he is they may be also, and
sit upon the
same throne, and be for ever with him,
#Heb 10:12,13
Php 3:20 Joh 14:2,3 Re 3:21 1Th 4:16,18.
Another
branch of Christ's exaltation lies in his second coming
to judgment,
when he will come in great glory. But that I shall
reserve to
treat of in a more proper place.