And this may be cleared by other instances. Solomon placed his mother when she came unto him on his right hand,—a token of exceeding honour; but he himself sat down on the throne of the kingdom, 1 Kings 11.19. The church is said to be at the right hand of Christ, Ps, xlv. 9; which, as it prefers her above all others,
VER. 3.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 119
so it takes not off her subjection unto Christ. Nero, in Suetonius, when Tiridates, king of Armenia, came to Rome, placed him for his honour on his right hand, himself sittmg on the throne of rule. And where three sit together, the middle seat is the place of chiefest honour. Hence Cato in Africa, when Juba would have placed him- self in the midst between him and Scipio, removed himself to the left hand of Scipio, that Juba might not have the place of pre-emi- nence above Roman magistrates.
Jt is not unlikely but that there may be an allusion in this ex- pression unto the Sanhedrin, the highest court of judicature among the Jews. He who presided in it was called ps as, or po n2 38, “The father of judgment,” or, “ Father of the house of judgment,” and sat at the right hand of the ‘w3, or “ prince” of the Sanhedrin, next unto him unto whom belonged the execution of the sentence of the court. Of this ab din mention is made in the Targum, Cant. vil. 4, 999 [NTT NIN NA aNy;—“ The father of the house of judg- ment, who judgeth thy judgments;” agreeable to that, “ The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.”
The whole expression, then, is plainly metaphorical, and taken from what is or was in use amongst men, and thence translated to signify the state and condition of Christ in heaven. And this is that which the apostle in general intimates in these words, that as the greatest honour that can be done unto any one among the sons of men is for the chief ruler to set him next himself on his right hand, so is the Son, as mediator, made partaker of the greatest glory that God hath to bestow in heaven. It is not, then, the essential, eternal glory of the Son of God, that he hath equally with the Father, ‘which in these words is expressed, and whereof the apostle had spoken before, but that glory and honour which is bestowed on him by the Father, after and upon the sacrifice of himself for the expia- tion of sin. So, then, the right hand of God is not here taken ab- solutely, as in other places, for the power and strength of God; but with the adjunct of sitting at it, it shadows out a place and eminency of glory, as he is considered on his throne of majesty; and therefore it is here termed “the right hand of majesty,” and not of omnipo- tency or power.
In particular, two things are intended in this expression :—
1. The secwrity of Christ from all his adversaries and all suf- ferings for the future. The Jews knew what he suffered from God and man. MHereof he lets them know what was the reason,—it was for the purging of our sins; and moreover declares that now he is everlastingly secured from all opposition, for where he is, thither
his adversaries cannot come, as John vii. 34. He is above their reach, beyond their power,—secure in the throne and presence of God. - Thus the fruit of the church, being secured from the rage and per-
120 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I.
secution of Satan, is said to be “caught up unto God, and to his throne,” Rev. xii. 5. Hence though men do and will continue their malice and wrath against the Lord Christ to the end of the world, as though they would crucify him afresh, yet he dies no more, being secure out of their reach at the right hand of God.
2. His majesty and glory inexpressible;—all that can be given of God in heaven. God on his throne is God in the full mani- festation of his own majesty and glory; on his right hand sits the Mediator, yea, so as that he also is “in the midst of the throne,” Rev. v. 6. How little can our weak understandings apprehend of this majesty! See Phil. i. 9; Matt. xx. 21; Rom. viii. 34; Col. ui. 1; Eph. i. 20.
These are the things which the apostle sets forth in this expres- sion. And they are plainly intimated in the context of the psalm from whence the words are taken, Ps. cx. So that it is not his rule and authority, but his safety, majesty, and glory, which accom- pany them, that are here intended.
Thirdly, We are to inquire what it was that the apostle had re- spect unto, in this ascription of glory and majesty unto Christ, in the old church-state of the Jews, and so what it is that he preferreth him above.
It is thought by many that the apostle in these words exalteth Christ above David, the chiefest king among the Jews. Of him it is said that God would make him his “ first-born, higher than the kings of the earth,” Ps. Ixxxix. 27. His throne was high on the earth, and his glory above that of all the kings about him; but for the Lord Christ, he is incomparably exalted above him also, in that he is sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. But, as was said, these words denote not the rule, power, or authority of Christ, typed by the kingdom of David, but his glory and majesty, represented by the magnificent throne of Solomon. Besides, he is not treating of the kingly power of Christ, but of his sacerdotal office, and the glory that ensued upon the discharge thereof.