FAQ 3: The Right Hand of God

Doesn’t Jesus sitting at the right hand  of God prove that the Trinity is true?

This discussion originates from Psalm 110:1 “The lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (KJV). lord is the Hebrew Tetragrammaton for the personal name of God. Strong’s describes it as the “Jewish national name of God” (Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, 3068). It was transliterated Adonai to avoid sinning by mispronouncing God’s name (previously discussed). “Lord” is Strong’s OT 113 adon “from an unused root (mean. to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine): master, owner.”[1] This text documents King David, in his role as prophet envisioning Yehovah’, God Almighty, directing Jesus, the sovereign, controller to sit at his right hand until all enemies are defeated. “Out of all the verses in the Hebrew Bible, the most frequently quoted in the New Testament is Psalm 110:1.” [2]

Robert Sabin made the following statement about Psalm 110:1 while teaching on the right hand of God: “This Psalm is quoted five times in the New Testament. It is a key text in relation to our Lord’s mission here on this earth. It is also one of the stumbling blocks to those who would see more than one person in the Godhead.”

The five texts quoted are:

Mt 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? KJV

Mk 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. KJV

Lk 20:42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand. KJV

Ac 2:33-34 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand. KJV

Heb 1:13But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? KJV

How can Jesus be at the right hand of God, a God who is spirit and has no physical body, but also a God who declares “there is none beside me”? If God is alone, solitary, how can that be? Why would Jesus be at the right hand of God? What does “the right hand of God” mean? Where does this come from? These are all reasonable questions for any alert monotheist to ask.

I find it interesting when reading the Gospel references (Mt 22:43-45, Mk 12:35-37, and Lk 20:41-44) containing this subject that all three contain Jesus asking the same question twice in each Gospel, How can they say the Christ (Messiah) is the son of David? and, How then can he (Messiah) be his (David’s) son? Jesus makes no attempt to answer or teach abou his questions. Possibly even more interesting, is the fact that Jesus makes no attempt refute or endorse the misguided understanding of Trinitarians that the 1^st and 2^nd member of the Godhead were standing next to each other. Could it be because this verse does not, in any way, describe that positional event?

Old Testament verses referring to the right hand of the LORD/Yehovah’.

Ex 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. KJV

Ps 20:6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. KJV

Ps 98:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. KJV

Ps 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. KJV

Ps 118:15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. KJV

Ps 118:16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. KJV

Isa 62:8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: KJV

While these are not all the Old Testament verses referring to the right hand of Yehovah’, they represent the general use of the term in the OT. God’s right hand represented power and victory in battle, valor, and righteousness. Not only does the right hand of Yehovah’ have power, it has all power. These verses set the stage for how to perceive the right hand of God, but they do not include Jesus in the picture. What one may come away with from reading these texts is if and when Jesus would sit down at the right hand of God, he would be sitting at the most powerful position in creation.

Only Psalm 110:1 uses the term as a literal location. When God directs Jesus to sit at His right hand, he is giving him the highest position short of the throne itself, but only “until” God makes his enemies his footstool. Robert Sabin’s lesson back in the 80’s explains it better than I can:

“There is indicated in this right hand position a sense of imminent promotion. I do not believe that up in heaven there is one person of the Godhead with another person of the Godhead sitting at his right hand actually. The Bible says there is one God and one mediator between man and God, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus was a man and as a man he performed mediatorial tasks. The term right hand is a priesthood term. As a priest Jesus acted in a go-between role. A role in which he could take us to the throne.”

The following verses describe Jesus in his mediatorial role of intercessor, ransom, the high priest once for all offering himself as sacrifice for our sins. Jesus will be at this right hand position until all his enemies are subdued and defeated.

Ro 8:34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. KJV

1 Tim 2:5-6For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. KJV

He 4:14-15Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. KJV

He 7:24-25but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. NIV

These verses document the Gospels prophesying Jesus at the right hand place: Acts stating Stephen’s vision of Jesus at the right hand of God in real time, the epistles confirming that Jesus is at the right hand place, and John, the Revelator also having a vision but in the future.

Mt 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. KJV

Mk 14:62And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. KJV

Mk 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. KJV

Lk 22:69Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. KJV

Ac 7:55-56 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. KJV

Ro 8:34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. KJV

Col 3:1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. KJV

He 1:3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; KJV

He 8:1Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; KJV

He 10:12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; KJV

He 12:2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. KJV

1 Pe 3:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. KJV

Re 5:1And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. KJV

Re 5:7And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. KJV

It is my hope that by now, you have discovered that Jesus sitting at the right hand of God is figurative, not literal. That is not to say that Stephen’s vision in Acts 7 was inaccurate, I am sure it was real. But since “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and “a spirit does not have flesh or bone” (Luke 24:39) and “no one has ever seen God” (John 1:18, 1 John 4:12), it is difficult to believe that Stephen saw Jesus next to a physical body on the throne. Psalm 110:1 is not an example of God the Father, 1^st person of the Trinity sitting on the throne of heaven while God the Son, 2^nd person of the Trinity sits alongside Him. The issue that contradicts the general truth of the Bible has nothing to do with Jesus, the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One, the man) being next to God, who is spirit. It is about the presumption that Psalm 110:1 describes two members in the godhead.

 Jesus was born with two natures, God, and man. He repeatedly tried to communicate this to his followers and dissenters: I and the father are one (Jn 10:30), the Father is living in me doing the work (Jn 14:10). And John 8:16-18: “…I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me” (NIV). Let us not forget the function of a mediator according to Galatians 3:20, “A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one” (NIV).

In his resurrected, ascended, glorified state, Jesus the man, is at the highest-ranking position, while in possession of all the power of the mighty God of creation. And yet, he is in the role of mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), being the propitiation (Romans 3:25) for our sins. Look at 1 Timothy 2:5, “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” It is the human being named Jesus at the right hand of God. Christ is not his first or last name, it is his role, his title: Messiah, the Anointed One. But not forever. There will be a time when Jesus’ role as Messiah and mediator will no longer be necessary.

1 Corinthians 15:24-28

Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. NIV

Psalm 110:1 sets time constraints on how long Jesus will be at the right hand place—until, “until I make your enemies your footstool.” That is what is being described very explicitly in Corinthians 15 verses 24-26, almost quoting Psalm 110 verbatim. Paul clarifies that God will not be included in what becomes a footstool for Jesus. When “until” arrives, there will be no further need for Jesus to be a mediator, the propitiation, an intercessor, or high priest. The necessity for God to shroud himself in flesh will be gone and the sonship of Jesus will be placed under God. Then Jesus will assume his throne.

Re 3:21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. NIV

Notice how Jesus does not say he will sit on his Father’s throne; it is his throne. There is no military coop, no political takeover, no contention. God will be “all in all” (KJV and NIV), “utterly supreme over everything everywhere” (NLT), “all in all [be everything to everyone, supreme, the indwelling and controlling factor of life]” (AMP). The Lord will become the lord, Yehovah’.

Now, if the right hand of God demonstrates the 2^nd person of the Trinity sitting at the right hand of 1^st person of the Trinity it would destroy the tenet that God was alone in creation and there is none beside him and it would create theological problems for Trinitarians, one small and one huge. The small problem would be the destruction of the equality within the Godhead by the Eternal Son being lower in position to the Father. This would be easily resolved by utilizing the kenosis theory where Jesus willingly renounces his royal privileges to serve the Father. The second problem leaves the Trinitarians short one member of the Godhead since the son has been absorbed by the Father in 1 Cor 15. The son therefore cannot be eternal because he won’t exist.

Understanding this verse accurately places a glorified Jesus at the right hand of God, the highest position that exists acting a mediator between God and man.

For anyone interested in a more inspiring explanation of “the right hand of God,” I recommend visiting www.whoisjesus.com and find the article “Right Hand of God” by Robert Sabin.

[1] Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance

[2] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/psalm-110/