where he sat down; and this was év def, “ at the right hand.” See the exposition hereof, chap. i. 3. [3.] This right hand is said to be rod Spdvov rhs meyarwobvys. There is frequent mention in the Scripture of the throne of God. A throne is “insigne regium,”’—an ensign of royal power. That intended by it is the manifestation of the glory and power of God, in his authority and sovereign rule over all.
[4.] This throne is here said to be 7s weyarwobyys, of “ Majesty,” or “ slorious greatness and power;” that is, of God himself, for his essential glory and power are intended. “The right hand of the throne of Majesty,” is the same with “the right hand of God;” only God is represented in all his glory,—as on histhrone. Christ is set down at the right hand of God, as considered in all his glorious power and rule. Higher expression there cannot be used to lead us into a holy adoration of the tremendous invisible glory which is intended. And this is the eternal stable condition of the Lord Christ, our high priest,—a state of inconceivable power and. glory. Herein he dischargeth the remaining duties of his mediation, according as the nature of his especial offices do require. In this state doth he take care to provide for the application of the bene- fits of his oblation or sacrifice unto believers; and that‘by interces- sion, whereof we have spoken.
[5.] Thus is he said to be é otpavors,—“in the heavens;” as in the other place é iqao%, “in the highest,’—that is, heavens. And by “the heavens” here, not these visible, aspectable heavens are intended,—for with respect unto them he is said to be “ exalted above all heavens,” and to have “ passed through them,’—but it is that which the Scripture calls “the heaven of heavens,” 1 Kings vili. 27, wherein is the especial residence and manifestation of the glorious. presence of God. With respect here- unto our Saviour hath taught us to call on “our Father which is in heaven.” And from the words we may observe, that,—
Obs. III. The principal glory of the priestly office of Christ de- pends on the glorious exaltation of his person.—To this end is it here pleaded by the apostle, and thereby he evinceth his glorious excellency above all the high priests under the law. To evidence
*
"Exabicey.
Ey deZid.
Too Spavov.
Ths weyarw- ovyns.
12
"Ey obpavois.
VER. 1.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. Tl
and make useful this observation, the things ensuing are to be observed :—
1. The divine nature of Christ is capable of no real exaltation by an addition of glory, but only by the way of manifestation. So God absolutely is often in the Scriptures said to be “ exalted ;’—that is, he ig so when he himself, by any acts of grace or providence, makes the eternal glory of his power, his holiness, or any other pro- perty of his nature, manifest and conspicuous; or when others ascribe unto him the glory and praise that are his due. So only may the Lord Christ be exalted, or made glorious, with respect unto his divine nature, wherein he is essentially “ over all, God blessed for ever.’ And there is in this way an exaltation or manifestation of glory peculiar and proper unto the person of Christ, as distinct from the persons of the Father and the Holy Spirit; for he did in a peculiar way and manner for a season forego and leave his glory, as to the manifestation of it. For “being” (essentially) “in the form of God, and counting it not robbery to be equal with God,” yet he “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,” Phil. ii.6, 7. In his incarnation, and his whole converse on the earth, he cast a veil over his eternal glory, so as that it appeared not in its own native lustre. Those, indeed, who believed on him, “ beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,’ John i. 14; but they saw it “darkly,” and “as in a glass,” during the time of his humiliation. But after his resurrection his glory was unveiled, and made conspi- cuous, even when he was “declared to be the Son of God with * power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead,” Rom. i. 4.
2. The person of Christ, as to his divine nature, was always on the throne, and is incapable of the exaltation here mentioned, of sitting down at the right hand of it. Although “he came down from heaven,” although “he descended into the lower parts of the earth,” although he was exposed unto all miseries, was “ obedient unto death, the death of the cross,” wherein “ God redeemed his ehurch with his own blood,” yet did he all this in the human nature
that he assumed. His divine person can no more really leave the throne of majesty than cease to be. So he saith of himself, “No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven,” John iii. 13. His ascension into heaven in this place, which preceded the actual ascension of his human nature, is nothing but his admission into the knowledge of heavenly things, of all the secrets of the counsel of God (see John i, 18, Matt. xi. 27); for it is of the knowledge of heavenly mysteries that he is there discoursing with Nicodemus. Tn his incarnation, he came down from heaven, assuming a nature