Psal. cx. 1. whom the throne is still reserved, in whom the original autho- pretypified. The same was also expressly foretold, not only in the sense, but in the phrase. The Lord said unto my Lord (saith the prophet David), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Jews have endeavoured to avoid this prophecy, but with no success: some make the person to whom 276 God speaks to be Ezechias1, some Abraham, some Zorobabel, others David, others the people of Israel: and because the prophecy cannot belong to him who made the Psalm, therefore they which attribute the prediction to Abraham, tell us the Psalm was penned by his steward Eliezer3: they which expound it of David, say that one of his musicians was author of it. But first, it is most certain that David was the penman of this Psalm; the title speaks as much, which is, 'A Psalm of David";' from whence it followeth that the prediction did 1 This Justin Martyr testifieth of the Jews in his age: Καὶ τοῦτον τὸν ψαλμὸν ὅτι εἰς τὸν Εξεκίαν τὸν βασιλέα εἰρῆσθαι ἐξηγεῖσθαι τολμᾶτε, οὐκ ἀγνοῶ, Eneinov. Dialog. cum Tryph. [c. 33. p. 250.] And out of him Tertullian citing this Psalm: 'Sed necesse est, ad meam sententiam pertinere defendam eas Scripturas, quas et Judæi nobis avocare conantur. Dicunt denique hunc Psalmum in Ezechiam cecinisse, quia is sederit ad dexteram templi, et hostes ejus averterit Deus, et absumpserit.' Adv. Marcion. 1. v. c. 9. 2 So St Chrysostom, speaking of the Jews : Τίνα οὖν φασι τὸν λέγοντα; τὸν Θεόν· τὸν δὲ ἀκούοντα; τὸν ̓Αβραάμ' ἕτεροι δὲ τὸν Ζοροβάβελ, καὶ ἄλλοι ETEрov. Ad locum. [Vol. v. p. 249 d.] So Catena Græca, [Vol. III. p. 238]: Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι, τὸ γελοιότερον, εἰς τὸν ̓Αβραὰμ [εἰρῆσθαι λέγουσι·] καθῆσθαι ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. And this exposition is now followed by Solomon Jarchi and Lipmannus; Jarchi acknowledging it to be ancient, 17 דרשוהו באברהם אבינו ואני אפרשנו כדבריהם נאם יי"לאברהם : 3 This is the exposition of the later Rabbins, as of Aben Ezra and David Kimchi, who attribute the subject of the Psalm to David. And not only 4 Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἕτερά τινα λέγουσι To which purpose saith St Chrysostom, concerning the Jews of his time: Τί γάρ φασιν ἄλλοι πάλιν ; ὅτι ὁ παῖς τοῦ ̓Αβραὰμ ταῦτα λέγει περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ. Ibid. [p. 250 4.] 6 As for that objection which is made by Aben Ezra, that it is not the Psalm of David, but penned for and in the honour of David, because the title is 75 as if it were a Psalm for David, not of David: it is by no means to be admitted, because it may not only very well signify a Psalm made by David, but if it do not, there is no title which shews any Psalm to be his, and some of them we are sure are his: Luke xx. 42. 42--46. not belong to him, because it was spoken to his Lord. Nor could it indeed belong to any of the rest which the Jews imagine, because neither Abraham, nor Ezechias, nor Zorobabel', could be the Lord of David, much less the people of Israel (to whom some of the Jews referred it), who were not the lords but the subjects of that David. Besides, he which is said to sit at the right hand of God, is also said to be a Ps. cx. 4. priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek: but neither Heb. v. 6. Abraham, nor Ezechias, nor any which the Jews have mentioned, was ever any priest of God. Again, our Saviour urged this Scripture against the Pharisees, saying, What Matt. xxii. think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? and no man was able to answer him a word. From whence it is evident that the Jews of old, even the Pharisees, the most accurate and skilful amongst them, did interpret the Psalm of the Messias; for if they had conceived the prophecy belonged either to Abraham, or David, or any of the rest since mentioned by the Jews, they might very well, and questionless would, have answered our Saviour, that this belonged not to the Son of David. It was therefore the general opinion of the Church of the Jews before our Saviour, and of divers Rabbins since his death", that this prediction did concern 1 Τί οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, Ζοροβάβελ κύριος τοῦ Δαβίδ; καὶ πῶς ἂν ἔχοι λόγον, ὃς καὶ αὐτὸς ἀντὶ μεγάλης τιμῆς Δαβὶδ KékλŋTμ. S. Chrysost. ibid. [p. 249 E.] 2 This is the argument which the Fathers used against the Jews; as Justin Martyr, in opposition to their pretence of Ezechias: 'Iepeùs dè ÖTL οὔτε γέγονεν Εζεκίας οὔτε ἐστὶν αἰώνιος Ἱερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐδὲ ὑμεῖς ἀντειπεῖν TOλunσETE. Dial. cum Tryph. [c. 33. p. 250.] and from him Tertullian : 'Quod et in ipso hic accedit, Tu es Sacerdos in ævum. Nec sacerdos autem Ezechias, nec in ævum, etsi fuisset. Secundum ordinem, inquit, Melchisedec. Quid Ezechias ad Melchisedec Altissimi sacerdotem, et * See Martini, Pugio Fidei, p. 476. Eph. i 20. the kingdom of Christ. And thus the session of the Messias at Secondly, We affirm that our Jesus, whom we worship as the true Messias, according unto that particular prediction, when he ascended up on high, did sit down at the right hand 277 of God. His ascension was the way to his session, and his session the end of his ascension; as the evangelist expresseth Mark xvi. 19. it, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God; or as the apostle, God raised Christ from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. There could be no such session without an ascension; Acts ii. 34 and David is not ascended into the heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, let all the blind and wilful Jews be convinced of this truth, that God hath not set at his own right hand, neither Abraham nor David, neither Ezechias nor Zorobabel, but hath made that same Jesus whom they have crucified both Lord and Christ. 36. Acts ii. 36. Heb. i. 13. This was an honour never given, never promised, to any man but the Messias: the glorious spirits stand about the throne of God, but never any of them sat down at the right hand of God. For to which of his angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? But Christ was so assured of this honour, that before the council of the chief priests and the elders of the people, when he foresaw his death contrived, and his cross prepared, even then he expressed the confidence of his exLuke xxii. 69. pectation, saying, Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. And thus our Jesus, whom 1 Pet. iii. 22. we worship as the true promised Messias, is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God. Which was our second consideration. Our next inquiry is, what may be the utmost importance quently as he hath no body, so in a proper sense can he have no hands at all': but because God is pleased to descend to our capacity, and not only to speak by the mouths of men; but also, after the manner of men, he expresseth that which is in him, by some analogy with that which belongs to us. The hands of man are those organical parts which are most active, and executive of our power; by those the strength of our body is expressed, and most of our natural and artificial actions are performed by them. From whence the power of God, and the exertion or execution of that power, is signified by the hand of God. Moreover being, by a general custom of the world, the right hand is more used than the left, and by that general use acquireth a greater firmitude and strength, therefore the right hand of God signifieth the exceeding great and infinite power of God. Again, because the most honourable place amongst men is the right hand, (as when Bathsheba went unto King Solomon, he sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for 1 Kings ii. 19, the king's mother, and she sat on his right hand,) therefore the right hand of God signifies the glorious majesty of God. Thirdly, because the gifts of men are given and received by the hands of men, and every perfect gift comes from the Father of lights, therefore the right hand of God is the place 278 of celestial happiness and perfect felicity; according to that of the Psalmist, In thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy Psal. xvi. 11. right hand pleasures for evermore. Now as to the first acception of the right hand of God, 1 'Credimus etiam quod sedet ad dexteram Patris. Nec ideo tamen quasi humana forma circumscriptum esse Deum Patrem arbitrandum est, ut de illo cogitantibus dexterum aut sinistrum latus animo occurrat.' S. August. de Fide et Symb. [§ 14. Vol. VI. p. 157 c.] 2 'Succedunt brachia et validi lacertorum tori, validæ ad operandum manus, et proceribus digitis habiles ad tenendum. Hinc aptior usus operandi, hinc scribendi elegantia, et ille calamus scribæ velociter scribentis, quo divinæ vocis exprimuntur oracula. Manus est quæ cibum ori ministrat: manus est quæ præclaris regard of that absolute power and dominion which he hath Matt.xxvi.64. obtained in heaven; from whence it is expressly said, HereLuke xxii. 69. after ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand Mark xiv. 62. of power. As to the second acception, Christ is said to sit on the right hand of God in regard of that honour, glory, and majesty, which he hath obtained there'; wherefore it is said, When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on Heb. viii. 1. the right hand of the Majesty on high: and again, We have an high-priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. Heb. i. 3. In reference to the third acception, Christ is said to sit on the right hand of God, because now after all the labours and sorrows of this world, after his stripes and buffetings, after a painful and shameful death, he resteth above in unspeakable joy and everlasting felicity3. As for the other part of the phrase, that is, his session, we must not look upon it as determining any posture of his body in the heavens, correspondent to the inclination and curvation of our limbs: for we read in the Scriptures a more general term, which signifies only his being in heaven, without any expression of the particular manner of his presence. Rom. vii. 84. So St Paul, who is even at the right hand of God: and St 1Pet. ii. 22. Peter, who is gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God. Beside, we find him expressed in another position than that of Acts vii. 55. session: for Stephen looking stedfastly into heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God: 1 'Secundum consuetudinem nostram illi consessus offertur, qui, aliquo opere perfecto adveniens, honoris gratia promeretur ut sedeat. Ita ergo et homo Jesus Christus passione sua diabolum superans, resurrectione sua inferna reserans, tanquam perfecto opero ad cælos victor adveniens, audit a Deo Patre, Sede ad dexteram meam.' Maxim. Taurin. Hom. 2. de Pentecost. [Hom. 62. p. 197.] 2 Ad dexteram intelligendum est sic dictum esse, in summa beatitudine, ubi justitia et pax et gaudium est.' S. August. de Fide et Symb. [c. 7. § 14. Vol. vi. p. 157 D.] 'Quid est Patris dextera, nisi æterna illa ineffabilisque felicitas, quo pervenit Filius hominis, etiam carnis immortalitate percepta?' Idem, contra Serm. Arian. [c. 12. Vol. VIII. p. 632 G.] Beatus est, et a beatitudine, quæ dextera Patris vocatur, ipsius beatitudinis nomen est, dextera Patris.' De Symb. ad Catech. 1. i. [c. 4. § 10. Vol. VI. p. 553 D.] 'Salus temporalis et carnalis in sinistra est, salus æterna cum angelis in dextera est. Ideo jam in ipsa immortalitate positus Christus dicitur sedere ad dexteram Dei. Non enim Deus habet in seipso dexteram aut sinistram; sed dextera Dei dicitur felicitas illa, quæ quoniam ostendi oculis non potest, tale nomen accepit.' S. August. in Psal. cxxxvii. [§ 14. Vol. iv. p. 1532 c.] |