I had to type this up for another site and thought some few of you may enjoy it. I probably should know better but I just got the fuzzies while copying it. Praise God!!
Numerous passages in the New Testament tell us that Jesus sits on the right hand of God. Peter used this expression in Acts 2:34, quoting Psalm 110:1. According to Acts 7:55, Stephen looked up into heaven while being stoned to death and "saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God." What does this phrase mean? Does this mean that there are two physical manifestations of God in heaven, God and Jesus, with the latter perpetually stationed on the right hand of the former? Is this what Stephen saw?
A physical interpretation of "the right hand of God" is incorrect. First, no one has seen God at any time, nor can a human see Him (John 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12). God is a Spirit and as such He is invisible (1 Timothy 1:17). He does not have a physical right hand unless He chooses to manifest Himself in a human form. We know Stephen did not literally see God apart from Jesus. If he saw two persons, why would he ignore one of them, praying only to Jesus? (Acts 7:59-60). If he saw separate physical manifestations of the Father and the Son, why did he not see the Holy Ghost as a third person?
A careful reading of Acts 7:55 will support the statement that Stephen did not see God apart from Jesus. Verse 55 does not say Stephen saw the Spirit of God but tells us he saw "the glory of God" and Jesus. In verse 56 Stephen said, "Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God". The only visual image or person Stephen actually saw was Jesus Christ.
Other problems arise if we take "the right hand of God" in a physical sense. Is Jesus sitting on the right hand of God as recorded in Acts 2:34, or is Jesus standing on the right hand of God as recorded in Acts 7:55-56? Is Jesus sitting on top of God"s outstretched right hand or is Jesus sitting next to God"s right hand? Is Jesus in the Father"s bosom? (John 1:18). What about Revelation 4:2, which describes one throne in heaven and One who sits on the throne? Does the Father sit on the one throne and does Jesus sit beside it? What about the fact that Jesus is the One seated on the throne? (Compare Revelations 4:2, 8 with Revelation 1:8, 18.)
Obviously then, the description of Jesus on the right hand of God must be figurative or symbolic. Indeed, this is evident from the numerous references throughout the Bible to the right hand of God. In Psalm 16:8, David wrote, "I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." Does this mean that the Lord was always bodily present at Davids right hand? Psalm 77:10 says, "I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High". Did the Psalmist promise to remember the number of years God had a right hand? Psalm 98:1 declares of the Lord, "His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten him the victory." Does this mean God defeated His enemies by holding back His left hand and crushing them with a physical right hand? Psalm 109:31 states that the Lord "shall stand at the right hand of the poor" Does He physically station Himself next to poor people all the time? The Lord declared in Isaiah 48:13, "My right hand hath spanned the heavens," and in Isaiah 62:8 the Lord swore by His right hand. Did God reach out a giant right hand and literally cover the sky, or did God put His left hand on His right hand and swear by it? Jesus casts out devils by the finger of God (Luke 11:20). Did He pull out a giant finger from heaven and punch demons out of people?
Of course the answer to all of these questions is "no". Therefore, we must understand "right hand of God" in a figurative, symbolic, or poetic sense. This being so, what does the phrase signify?
In the Bible, the right hand signifies strength, power, importance, and preeminence just as it does in the English phrases "He is my right hand man" and "I would give my right arm for this." Trinitarian scholar Bernard Ramm says, "God almightiness is spoken of in terms of a right arm because among men the right arm is the symbol of strength and power. Preeminence is spoken of as sitting at Gods right hand because in human social affairs the right hand position with reference to the host was the place of greatest honor.
Some biblical examples to show this association of the right hand with power are interesting and instructive. Exodus 15:6 proclaims, :Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power. Psalm 98:1 and Psalm 110:1 associate the right hand of God with victory over enemies. When the Bible speaks of Jesus sitting at the right hand of God, it means Jesus has allthe power and authority of God. Jesus Himself made this clear in Mathew 26:64: "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (See also Mrk 14:62; Luke 22:69). Jesus thus claimed to have all the power of God; by this implication He declared Himself to be God. The Jews understood these claims, and because of them the high priest accused Jesus of blasphemy (Mathew 26:65). Apparently, the high priest knew the symbolic meaning of the right hand in the Old Testament, and he therefore realized that Jesus was claiming to have God"s power and to be God. 1Peter 3:22 further demonstrates that "right hand" means Jesus has all power and authority: "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him." Similarily, Ephesians 1;20-22 uses this phrase to say Jesus has preeminence over all principalities, powers, dominions, and names. This passage also li8nks the right hand with the exaltation of Christ. In this connection, Acts 5:31 states, "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgivness of sins." (See also Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:33-34).
Acts 5:31 indicates that the right hand of God or the arm of God sometimes specifically refers to Gods power in salvation. Many other verses of Scripture speak of the right hand of God as representing the deliverance and victory God gives to His people (Exodus 15:6; Psalm 44:3; Psalm 98:1) Isaiah 59:16 says, "His arm brought salvation." It appears therefore, that the description of Jesus on the right hand of God connotes that Jesus is the expression of God"s saving power. This concept harmonizes with the association of the position of Jesus on the right hand of God with His mediatorial role, particularily His work as our intercessor and high priest (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 8:1)
With this understanding of the right hand of God, we still may wonder why the Bible sometimes says Jesus "sat down" on the right hand of God (as in Hebrews 10:12) instead of simply saying He is at the right hand of God (as in Romans 8:34). It is probable that this particular phrasing indicates that Jesus received complete glorification, power , and authority at a certain point in time. This exaltation began with His resurrection and was completed at His ascension. At that time He freed Himself from all human limitations and physical restraints. This is the opposite of the self limitation to which Jesus submitted in the Incarnation as described in Philippians 2: 6-8. He completed His role as a human walking on this earth.
No longer does Jesus submit Himself to human frailty and weakness. No longer is He the suffering servant. No longer are His glory, majesty, and other divine attributes hidden from the casual onlooker. He now exercises His power as God thru a glorified human body. He now displays and will display Himself as Lord of all, the righteous Judge, and the King of the whole earth. That is why Stephen did not see Jesus Christ as the ordinary man He had appeared to be while here on earth, but he saw Him with the Glory of God, and the power of God. Similarly, John saw Jesus revealed as God in all His glory and power (Revelation 1). This exaltation, glorification, and unveiling of Christ culminated at His ascension. Mark 16:19 says, "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God."
The phrase "sat down" indicates that the sacrificial work of Christ is not continuing but is complete. "When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3). "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes . . .But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool" (Hebrews 10:11-13)
In summary, we would encounter many inconsistencies if we were to interpret the description of Jesus on the right hand of God to mean a physical positioning between two Gods with separate bodies. If we understood it as symbolic of the power, strength, authority, preeminence, victory, exaltation, and saving ability of Jesus as manifested in flesh, then we eliminate the conflicting concepts. Furthermore, this interpretation is consistant with theuse of the phrase "right hand of God" throughout the Bible. The "right hand" reveals the omnipotence and absolute deity of Jesus and vindicates the message of one God in Christ.
Returning to our original question, what did Stephen actually see? It is apparent that he saw Jesus. Isaiah 40:5 says with reference to the coming of the Messiah, "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." Jesus is the revealed glory of God. Stephen saw the glory of God when he saw Jesus. He saw Jesus radiating the glory that He possessed as God and with all the power and authority of God. In short, he saw the exalted Christ. He saw Jesus as not merely a man but as God Himself, with all glory, power, and authority. That is why he called on God by saying "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59)
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
The Right Hand Of God
