"Seated at the Right Hand of the Father"

We confess in the Nicene Creed that the eternally begotten Son of God, who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven and became man, was crucified, suffered, died, and was buried, was raised on the third day and ascended into heaven, is now “seated at the right hand of the Father.”

We confess the session of Christ: that the man Jesus Christ, the incarnate, crucified, and risen Son of God, is seated at the right hand of the Father. His session signifies his royal priestly identity and ministry.

First, his session signifies his royal identity and ministry. He is the heir of all things and upholds all things by his powerful word (Hebrews 1:2-3). Seated at the right hand of the Father, he is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:21-23) He sits enthroned as King of kings and Lord of lords. All authority in heaven and hearth has been given to him, just as the prophets promised (Psalm 110:1; Dan 7:13-14). 

Second, his session signifies his priestly identity and ministry. Priestly ministry is a ministry of mediation and intercession. As a high priest, Aaron represented the people before God and he represented God before the people (Exodus 28). 

The priests in the Old Testament never sat, they always stood. Their ministry was a standing ministry, because their work was never finished and could never be finished. Their ministry of mediation and intercession could never atone for sin and they themselves needed atonement for sin (Heb 5:1-10; 7:23-28; 9:1-10). 

Christ sat down at the right hand of the Father, “after making purification for sins” (Heb 1:3), having “appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb 9:26). He has made atonement for sin. It is finished. His work is done. He sat down.

But he has an ongoing ministry of intercession on behalf of redeemed sinners, on our behalf. He sits at the right hand of the Father as our representative. In fact, Paul can say that even now, God has “seated us with him in the heavenly places” (Eph 2:6) and that “our life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). Christ is not simply our representative in heaven by name or office, but by union. 

We are members of his body. As our head, seated at the right hand of the Father, he intercedes for us to the Father. His session gives us the assurance of salvation: “he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb 7:24-25)

And so, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). Let us “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). Let us bend the knee and fall down and worship: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might for ever and ever!” (Rev 5:13).