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FAQ # 178
QUESTION 178 : How
is it Jesus went to the right hand of God and be God “the father” at the
same time?
The term “at the right hand”
or “right hand of God” is usually misunderstood and is taken to mean literally
that Jesus is sitting (Col 3:1) or standing (Acts 7:55-56) at the right
hand of God. The Jewish understanding of this denotes a position of power
and authority. God’s power is shown through His right hand. Not that the
bible actually meant a literal right hand, but rather it’s a figure of
speech for our understanding. The usage in scripture will explain it better:
“Your
right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; your right hand, O LORD,
has dashed the enemy in pieces. You stretched out your right hand; the
earth swallowed them” (Ex 15:6,12).
“For
they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their
own arm save them; but it was your arm, and light of your countenance,
because you favored them” (Ps 44:3).
“Who
led them by the right hand of Moses, with his glorious arm, dividing the
water before them to make for himself an everlasting name” (Isa 63:12)
“Indeed
My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched
out the heavens” (Isa 48:13).
From the above verses, we
see that when God’s right hand is used, it denotes power. Therefore, when
Jesus was exalted to God’s right hand, it denotes God as Jesus in triumphant
power over the infamous death, hell and the grave for redeeming man.
So marvelous was it that satan
didn’t have a clue, because “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto
himself” (2 Cor 5:19).
It is not that God couldn’t
utterly destroy Satan and the spirit called death, but he being holy always
operate in the confines of his own words and mystery; doing all his pleasure
(Isa 46:10). In this case, redeeming man.
How did he redeem man?
By his Holy Spirit that was
first shed on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38). This unique power and
uncanny wisdom confounded the devil, freed man and reclaimed us back to
God.
Without the devil knowing
the plot, he said, “Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand
of the power of God” (Lk 22:69). On the day of Pentecost Peter understood
what that meant and said, “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of
God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33).
The “right hand of God” is not a physical position, but a show of
God’s power. As the scripture says, this demonstration of power will cease
when Jesus, as the Son, has accomplished all that he was created for and
he will have a new name (Rev 2:27,19:12).
Part 2
The following from M.W Basset will shed some light
on the matter, from the article, “The Right Hand Of God:”
The Greek term DEXIOS is used about 52 times in the
New Testament. It is in fact an indication of relationship, or orientation,
and is translated idiomatically into "right hand" almost universally
in the New Testament, although the term CHEIR (kheir, Strongs #5495) which
literally translates to "hand" does not appear in any of the
references to the "right hand of God" listed above, including
those of Revelation, though it is used when a literal reference to the
hand is required. Thayers has [DEXIOUS or "right hand"] "a
place of honour or authority". Strongs adds 'from the right (or feminine
hand), as that which usually takes.'
The Old Testament references cited above exclusively
derive from the Hebrew term "yamin" which, just like it's Greek
counterpart refers to the right side, the opposite of the left side. Again,
the respective Hebrew term for hand, or arm (yad) does not appear in conjunction
with "right" in the original language.
[So it is obvious that a literal right hand of a person
is never meant, in reference to term 'right hand of,' 'right hand of the
father' or 'right hand of God'.]
Notice that it is recorded that Stephen saw only one
identity or bodily presence in the phrase from Acts 7:55 - "the glory
of God and Jesus".
Nowhere is it indicated that "the glory of God"
is other that the very person of Jesus Christ. In Acts 7:56, we see Jesus
standing in the place of power. The word "standing" is translated
from the Greek "Isthmi" (histemi), which as in English is used
figuratively to indicate "established" or "appointed".
Thus there is no contradiction between Hebrews 8:1 and Acts 7:56, and
noting this we should also admit that neither verse provides any information
regarding a location of Jesus as a imagined separate Father God in heaven.
Often we have heard mentioned that the RIGHT represents
power and authority, describing Jesus as triumphing over sin, but further
evaluation shows that the authority of God stands to usher man into the
presence of an otherwise unapproachable God. Both hands (sides) of God
are visible in Jesus Christ. If the hand of God is extended towards man
then, it is a hand of acceptance and reception. There is salvation in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ [he is the one God of heaven].
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