686. Post of Honor
• 1 min. read • grade level: 8
It was evidently the intention of this ambitious mother to have positions of the greatest honor for her two sons. The right hand is usually considered the post of the highest honor. See 1 Kings 2:1919Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand. (1 Kings 2:19); Psalm 45:9; 80:179Kings' daughters were among thy honorable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. (Psalm 45:9)
17Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. (Psalm 80:17). For this reason Jesus is said to be at the right hand of God. See Psalm 110:11<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1); Mark 14:62; 16:1962And 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. (Mark 14:62)
19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19); Luke 20:42; 22:6942And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, (Luke 20:42)
69Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. (Luke 22:69); Acts 2:34; 7:55-5634For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, (Acts 2:34)
55But 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, 56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55‑56); Romans 8:3434Who 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. (Romans 8:34); Ephesians 1:2020Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20); Colossians 3:11If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1); Hebrews 1:3,13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:23Who 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; (Hebrews 1:3)
13But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? (Hebrews 1:13)
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; (Hebrews 8:1)
12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:12)
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. (Hebrews 12:2); 1 Pet 3:22. As an apparent exception to this usage, Sir John Chardin states that among the Persians the left hand of the king is esteemed the most honorable. See Coronation of Solyman III., p. 42. In the East generally, although the right hand may be esteemed more honorable than the left, yet a position on either hand near the king is considered a post of great honor. Josephus represents Saul at supper with Jonathan his son on his right hand, and Abner the captain of his host on his left (Antiquities, book 6, chap. 2; § 9). The same fact is intimated, though not expressed, in 1 Samuel 20:2525And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. (1 Samuel 20:25). In the Sanhedrin the vice president sat on the right band of the president, and the referee, who was the officer next in rank, sat on the left. See note on Matthew 26:5959Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; (Matthew 26:59) (#718).