“…and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty…”

Christ humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even the shameful death of a cross, and God rewarded his faithful obedience by exalting him (Phil. 2:9). His exaltation was powerfully manifest for all the world to see in his resurrection, ascension, and placement at God’s right hand (Eph. 1:20; 22). Not even to the angels did God grant this unique privilege (Heb. 1:13). Jesus’ session at the right hand of God, therefore, is the culmination of his saving acts and the full restoration of his exaltation. At God’s right hand Jesus is invested with all of the authority and power of God. To put it as simply as possible: “Thus “to sit” means nothing else than to preside at the heavenly judgment seat” (Calvin). When asked by the high priest whether or not he was the Christ, Jesus responded by saying, “ I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mk. 14:62).

Jesus’ session at the right hand of God, therefore, is the culmination of his saving acts and the full restoration of his exaltation.

The New Testament writers seem to be consumed by this reality (cf. Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Pet. 3:22). Constantly they appeal to its truth and press its implications upon their hearers. Because Jesus is at God’s right hand we can be sure that God’s ear is attentive to his intercession on our behalf (Rom. 8:34). Because Jesus is at God’s right hand we are there too and our entire existence is reoriented (Col. 3:1; cf. Rev. 3:21).

The idea and imagery of Christ’s session is rooted and prefigured in the monarchy of the Old Testament and the promise that God would rule and reign in and through his righteous king (Ps. 110). In this way then, Jesus is fulfilling the promise of God when he takes his heavenly seat. Consequently, it is wrong to assume that by the phrase “and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty” the New Testament writers are trying to explain where Christ is. This is not a designation of location; but rather one of authority. Kingship is mostly foreign to us and so the full weight of the imagery can easily be lost on American Christians. However, those better accustomed to kings and monarchies know that “The comparison is drawn from kings who have assessors at their right side to whom they delegate the tasks of ruling and governing” (Calvin). And the purpose of this “sitting” is “that both heavenly and earthly creatures may look with admiration upon his majesty, be ruled by his hand, obey his nod, and submit to his power” (Calvin).