What does “seated at God’s right hand” mean?

Question:

Hello Jeffrey,

What does the Scriptures mean when it says Christ is seated at God's right hand of the Father?

And are there any particularly good commentaries you can recommend in general for Bible study?

Answer:

For most people, the right hand is their dominant hand. It is stronger and more dexterous. Most people used their right hand to fight with a sword. However, if you are battling an enemy, fighting with your right hand exposes your right side to attacks from another person. Thus, a fighter tries to have his most skillful and trusted friend on his right side. Your right-hand man becomes an idiom that refers to the person you trust most to help you.

When Jesus returned to heaven, he sat at God's right hand. "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1). The seat to the right of a king was a place of honor reserved for the most trusted person. Jesus was put a place of great honor, seated at the right hand of the Supreme Ruler of all creation. "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:8-11).

Regarding commentaries, see Can you recommend a good commentary and study Bible?

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