What Are You Looking For? Part 1: The Nicene Creed

And Is Seated At the Right Hand of the Father

And Is Seated At the Right Hand of the Father

            I admit this one was a little tough.  Not because it’s difficult to believe, but because it’s difficult to explain.  There are lots of Scriptures describing Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father, but what, exactly, does that mean for us?  I went to the Catechism, and found only one paragraph on the subject.  Which I could quote here, but that would be…boring for all of us.  So I did what any 21st century person would do and I went online.  And I found a lot more on the subject, courtesy of St. Thomas Aquinas and his Summa Theologica.  (If you’ve never read any of “the Summa”, I highly recommend it.  It’s a fun read.  Or I’m really weird to think so.  Probably the latter.)

            According to St. Thomas, to be seated at the right hand of the Father means three things.  The first is the glory of His Godhead.  Jesus is the Son of God.  In his Divinity, he is co-equal in every way.  Yet he is not the Father, but begotten of the Father.  Therefore, in his Divinity, he sits at the right hand of the Father.  “Christ’s humanity according to the conditions of His nature has not the glory or honor of the Godhead, which it has nevertheless by reason of the Person with whom it is united…. [As St. John] Damascene adds…’In which’, that is, in the glory of the Godhead, ‘the Son of God existing before ages, as God and consubstantial with the Father, sits in His conglorified flesh; for, under one adoration the one hypostasis, (fully human, fully divine) together with His flesh, is adored by every creature.’” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica Third Part, Question 58)

            The second meaning refers to the beatitude of God.  This is the bliss of God.    Throughout Scripture the place of bliss is stated to be at the right hand of God.  “The Lord says to my lord: ‘sit at my right hand while I make your enemies your footstool.’”  (Psalm 110:1 NABRE)  To “sit” here means to abide or to stay.  In his humanity, Jesus possessed the Divine gifts more than anyone else in all of human history.  Therefore it is his right to enjoy the place of greatest bliss. 

            The third refers to his judiciary power.  This was given to Jesus by the Father.  In the Gospels Jesus speaks of the Son of Man coming to judge many times.  It is his right to judge, not just because the Father said so, but because of his obedience, “even unto death”.  He knows what it is to be human.  And he “got it right”, so to speak.  And he left us detailed instructions to help us to know what to do.  He sent the Holy Spirit to help us do it.

            So why is all of this important?  What does it mean for us today that he sits at the right hand of the Father?  And what is he doing there while we are waiting for his return?  According to Hebrews 7:25, “Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.”  That’s what he’s doing.  In his glory as Son of God, in his glorified humanity, as Son of Man, he is forever interceding for us.  He is saving us.