AN EXEGESIS ON “JESUS – THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD”

 

AN EXEGESIS ON “JESUS – THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD”

QUESTION: Plz I need clarity on Jesus seated at the right hand of the father.

MY REPLY: First of all, we know that the prophecy concerning Jesus was written or spoken about in the Old Testament, so if we are to explain what the Bible meant by Jesus being at the Right Hand of God, then we should see it from the Old Testament.

Don't forget that the new testament preachers preached and taught from old testament, teachers like Jesus, Paul, Peter and other Apostles.

So let's see just one or two prophecy about it from Psalms 16

8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

This is a prophecy, is it about David himself or about Jesus?

It was Jesus, Because Peter quoted this very place in his first teaching in Acts 2:25,29-33

[25] For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

[29] Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. [30] Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; [31] He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. [32] This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. [33] Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

U see that David was prophesying about Jesus.

One more place in Psalms

Psalms 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Peter quoted this place again as confirmation that Christ was who David was talking about.

Acts 2

34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

So it means David prophesied accurately about Jesus but there is specificity in his prophecy as concerning Jesus.

Is it about the life ministry of Jesus?

Is it about the healing he did or d miracles he performed?

Is it even about his teachings?

Let's see how Jesus used the word "right hand" for himself while he was on Earth.

Luke 22

66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, 67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. 69 HEREAFTER shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the POWER OF GOD.

He said HEREAFTER.

That means later on, or after this has Happened, something will happen later.

That's to say when Jesus was talking before resurrection; he is not yet at the right hand of God.

When Jesus was alive before his death, he was not yet at God's right hand of power!

But see after his resurrection, Mark stated in Mark 16:19

So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Post resurrection!

What was Peter preaching about when he quoted David in his preaching in Acts 2?

See Acts 2:29-32

Peter was speaking of his resurrection!

David died, was buried and his tomb is still there with them until now but Jesus was raised up to fulfilled that prophesy that says "He shall not leave his soul in hell, nor let his flesh suffer or see corruption"

So it was his resurrection that birthed Jesus being at God's right hand

Do you get that???

There is no such thing as right hand of God until the resurrection of Jesus.

That canceled the fact that it is not literal. It is not a visible part of God.

It is not a side of God, like all these Hollywood and Nollywood movies that show God sitting on a throne and Jesus sitting at his right hand, so who is at the left hand then?

It's not literal, rather it is figurative.

It means something else

Right hand of God is a consequence tied solely to the resurrection of Jesus.

It is not literal because the resurrection of Jesus didn't positioned Jesus physically in any particular place.

I hope u get my point to this stage?

What Jesus said about the right hand of God, is the same thing Mark wrote about, it is the same thing Peter preached about and it is the same thing that David prophesied about.

The fact that Mark said he went to heaven and sat at God's right hand does not mean he literally saw Jesus sitting down physically at God's right hand.

No no no!

Another place looked physical and literal too in Luke's account about Stephen but it's not literal either.

See Acts 7

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

He looked into heaven will mean he looked into the sky

He saw heaven opened cannot mean sky opened itself and they saw Jesus in heaven.

No no no!

It's a vision, and it means based on resurrection that Jesus had accomplished for us, Stephen as a saint is already ready to die.

Is that clear sir?

It is not literal, it is not physical.

IT IS FIGURATIVE!

So, what is it figurative of?

In a secular setting, if we say there is a ruler and the ruler has someone beside him as his right hand, does that mean the person always sit at the ruler's right hand side?

No no no!

It means a place of authority.

A right hand man is referring to giving someone the same authority as the main man.

That means once you are looking for a ruler and you meet or see his right hand man, then it's as good as seeing him.

The authority of the ruler is d same as the one committed to the right hand man.

Whatever decision the right hand man makes is as good as what the ruler himself decided.

The authority of the ruler is already with the right hand man.

Now apply this to Christ.

So what does it mean that Jesus is at God's right hand?

Then it means the same authority of God is now with Christ.

Whatever Jesus judged on is exactly the judgement of God.

God is represented by Jesus Christ in the place of authority over the world.

Hear what Jesus said after his resurrection in Matt. 28:18-19

18 AMP: Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All AUTHORITY (all power of rule) in HEAVEN and on EARTH has been GIVEN TO ME. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Jesus said ALL AUTHORITY IS GIVEN TO HIM.

That means d decision or judgment of who will be in heaven or hell is decided by Jesus

See what Jesus said about that in his teachings.

John 5:21-22, 24, 26-27

[21] For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

[22] For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

[24] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

[26] For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; [27] And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Did u see what Jesus said in vs 22, FOR THE FATHER JUDGES NO MAN?

What of God's judgement on men at the flood, Sodom & Gomorrah, Uzzar, Hamman, Mariam and Aaron and many other people in the Old Testament?

Did u see why we said God does not kill!

That's another topic for another day.

So God places judgement of men on the Son.

See Paul's word on this as well

Romans 2:2

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to TRUTH against them which commit such things.

And we know that Jesus is the truth of God.

So God judging According to the truth is God judging based on or according to Jesus.

Hence, the right hand of God is Jesus giving judgement as authorized by God.

Jesus is the authority of God on mankind!

He got d authority in his resurrection!

You can't talk about God's right hand without talking about Christ's resurrection

That's what Isaiah prophesied about in Isaiah 9:6 a popular verse

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

A son is given is talking about being given for sacrifice, that's what Jesus meant in John 3:16 when he said "For God so loved the world, that He GAVE his only begotten son that whosoever believes should not perish, but have eternal life.”

The giving of son is being delivered up as sacrifice for sin.

So Jesus got the authority as God when he was delivered up unto death and resurrected for mankind!

It is because Jesus died and resurrected is why we can call him the everlasting Father.

See what Peter said in Acts 2:36

God made the same Jesus whom they crucified BOTH LORD AND CHRIST!

Look at Paul also in Phil. 2

9 AMP: Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, 10 That at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

That’s the authority of Jesus in HIS resurrection!

The right hand is an office of God which refers to what God did as Christ.

His glorification is in His resurrection.

God glorified himself when Jesus resurrected!

So right hand of God suggests every kind of authority and power that makes God God is in Christ Jesus.

See how amplified version put that verse 6

AMP: Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,

It's a very great explanation: Jesus has all the fullness of the attributes that made God God.

1Pet. 3:22

Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

A place of authority!

Angels and authorities and powers are under it.

Because of what Jesus had achieved in his resurrection, men should be sufficient to see God only in Christ because that resurrection birthed authority and power to Jesus.

The authority of God has been assumed in Christ, the glory of God is Christ at the right hand of God.

Heb. 1:3

He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high,

Heb. 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

He's the glory of God and the glory of God is in his resurrection.

We saw that earlier right?

U could see now that it's a process of God saving man in Christ.

God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself but later after d resurrection it is now God AS Christ.

God did it in Christ but God became Christ after resurrection and that is His glorification.

So the right hand of God is the authority of God and that's God Himself, and now He is in His glorified body as Man which is Christ.

Do you now see why we say Christ is God?

When we get to heaven we will see Christ because He is our God.

He achieved that in his resurrection.

Eph. 1

AMP: Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places], 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

This explains it as well: Through resurrection, right hand of God was actualized which connotes the authority of God which is now evident and confirmed in Christ.

I hope it's cleared enough!

I call you blessed!

AWOTIKU AKINLAYO DAVID

© January 2021