Session
Session
SESSION.In the exaltation of Jesus Christ which followed His death upon the Cross, three distinct stages are indicated, viz. the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the Session, which means the sitting or the state of being seated. Harnack indeed thinks that in some of the oldest accounts the resurrection and the sitting at the right hand of God are taken as parts of the same act, without mention of any ascension. But take one of these accounts: in Rom 8:34 St. Paul writes: , , . Here, writes Swete (Apostles Creed, p. 67 f.), are four well-marked links in a chain of factsour Lords Death, Resurrection, Session, Intercession. It is difficult to see why the second and the third, the Resurrection and the Session, should be taken as parts of the same act, when the first is clearly distinct. If the Ascension is not mentioned, it is implied in the Session, for it is contrary to the usage of the NT to interpret of any exaltation beyond the mere recall from death. In other passages the ellipsis is equally easy to supply. Thus St. Peters words in Act 2:32 ( ) are interpreted by 1Pe 3:21-22 ( , , ). It would go against the whole tenor of the NT to regard them as merely different names for the same event; the Session is the glorified state into which the Ascension was the solemn entrance.
The Session is related as a fact of history only in Mar 16:19 : He sat down at the right hand of God, which belongs at latest to the earlier sub-Apostolic age. Yet this is not so remarkable when we remember that St. Matthew and St. John do not carry their accounts beyond the Resurrection. Its truth, however, is amply established by the fact that it was expressly foretold by Christ Himself (Mat 19:28; Mat 25:31; Mat 26:64 ||). It was the fulfilment of prophecy; cf. Psa 110:1, to which reference was made by the Lord (Mat 22:42 f.), which was quoted by St. Peter (Act 2:34) and the author of Hebrews (Heb 1:13), and enlarged upon in Eph 1:20 f.; cf. also Psa 2:6; Psa 45:6, Isa 16:5, Luk 1:32. And it found a prominent place in the doctrinal system of the NT writers (Eph 1:20, Col 3:1, Heb 1:3; Heb 1:13; Heb 8:1; Heb 10:12, Rom 8:34, 2Co 5:10 ( ), 1Pe 3:22, Rev 3:21).
That Psa 110:1 was taken in the Messianic sense by the Jews of the time of our Lord is evident from Mat 22:42 f., where His opponents did not deny that the writer was speaking of the Christ; and in many of their older exegetical writings this interpretation was adopted. Jennings and Lowe (The Psalms) quote the following passage which occurs in the Midrash Tillim on Psa 18:36 : R. Yoden said in the name of R. Chama, In the time to come the Holy One, Blessed be He, causes the King Messiah to sit at His right hand, according as it is said, The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, and Abraham on His left. And the face of Abraham grows pale, and he says, The son of my son sits on the right hand, but I on the left; and the Holy One, Blessed be He, appeases him, and says, The son of thy son is at My right hand, but I am at thy right hand: and this is implied by (), Jehovah upon thy right hand. Later Jewish writers seek to explain the words as referring to Abraham (Rashi), David (Aben Ezra, Mendelssohn), Hezekiah, or Zerubbabel, with regard to which interpretations see Jennings and Lowe, op. cit.; Pearson, On the Creed, Art. vi.; and Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, ii. 405. Kautzsch in his art. Religion of Israel (Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible , Extra Vol. p. 727), thinks the primary reference was to a Maccabaean priest-prince, possibly Simon, who in the year 141 b.c. became by a popular resolution hereditary high priest and prince of the people. Delitzsch considers this Psalm the only one which is directly Messianic, in the sense that it contains prophecy immediately pointing to the person of a coming; Anointed One, who was fully to set up Gods Kingdom on earth. On the whole question of interpretation consult Davisons art. Psalms in Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible , vol. iv. p. 160.
Accordingly the Session forms a distinct article (ascendit in clos, sedet ad dexteram Patris) in the old Roman Creed as represented in the Greek confession of Marcellus and in the Latin of Rufinus, of which Harnack writes: We may regard it as an assured result of research that the old Roman Creed came into existence about or shortly before the middle of of the second century. It is found also in a form of creed given by Tertullian (de Prser. Hret. c. 13), in clos ereptum sedisse ad dexteram Patris, and in another (de Virg. Vel. 1), receptum in clis sedentem nune ad dexteram Patris. Its importance is equally marked in the formulae; of the Eastern Church, (early Creed of Jerusalem collected from Cyril), (Creed of the Apostolic Constitutions, vii. 41), (Creed of Constantinople).
In NT the reference is sometimes to the act of taking a position; cf. Heb 1:3 sat down () on the right hand of the Majesty on high, which describes the solemn assumption of the seat of authority, which rightly belongs to One whose dignity is expressed in such unique terms as are used in the preceding clauses; and throughout the Epistle to the Hebrews (except Heb 1:13, from LXX Septuagint ) the reference is uniformly to the act of taking the royal seat (Westcott on Heb 10:12, cf. also Rev 3:21); in Rev 12:2 the Perfect (), found in the best Manuscripts , denotes the entrance on a permanent state. In Mat 19:28; Mat 25:31 the reference is to taking the throne of His glory for judgment. The verb is twice used transitively to describe the action of the Father in raising Christ from the dead and making Him to sit at His right hand (Eph 1:20 and Act 2:30 Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ). Elsewhere the Session is described rather as a state; cf. Mat 26:64, Luk 22:69 (Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 shall be seated, Vulgate erit sedens), Col 3:1 ( , where Christ is seated, Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ), and Rom 8:34, 1Pe 3:22 where has the same meaning; in Psa 110:1 (LXX Septuagint ) also marks continuous session as distinct from assumption of place.
The Session is spoken of as at the right hand of God (Mar 16:19, Col 3:1 et al.; cf. Eph 1:20 and Act 2:33 (Revised Version margin) ), elsewhere variously, at the right hand of power (Mat 26:64), of the power of God (Luk 22:69), of the Majesty on high (Heb 1:3), of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens (Heb 8:1), of the throne of God (Heb 12:2). The Greek is either , which is the uniform phrase in the Synoptics and in quotation of Psa 110:1 (Act 2:34, Heb 1:13), or , which is used in the Epistles (Rom 8:34, Eph 1:20 et al.; cf. Act 2:33 , at the right hand, (Revised Version margin) ). It is difficult to determine what is the exact force of the expression. God is Spirit, He has no body, and He is omnipresent, consequently the right hand of God is everywhere (dextera Dei unique est). Therefore its use as referring to the Father is to be taken as a necessary accommodation to our limited minds, which can think only in terms of time and space, and which can have no conception of pure spirit. Among men, to be set on one a right hand has a well-defined meaning: it signifies to be in the highest place of honour, to be recognized as a sharer in rule; cf. 1Ki 2:19, Psa 45:9, Mat 20:21; Josephus Ant. vi. xi. 9 ( , [1Sa 20:25] ). Thus Hiempsal dextra Adherbalem adsedit quod apud Numidas honori ducitur (Sallust, Jugurtha, xi. 3). See art. Symbol in Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible , Extra Vol. p. 172. This is the sense in which the Fathers interpret the words; as Westcott points out in his notes on Heb 8:1, they carefully avoided all puerile anthropomorphism in their treatment of the right hand of God,; for example, plenitudinem majestatis summamque gloriam beatitudinis et prosperitatis debemus per dexteram intelligere in qua filius sedet (Primas.); , (Theophylact).
As regards Jesus Christ, however, it is not so clear that the expression is entirely figurative. He ascended with His human body, which was indeed glorified and freed from many of its previous limitations; but it belongs to the very essence of the idea of a body that it should occupy a certain definite space. Since, then, His body cannot be ubiquitous, it seems necessary to think of it as raised at the Ascension to some distinct place. He went into the place of all places in the universe of things, in situation most eminent, in quality most holy, in dignity most excellent, in glory most illustrious, the inmost sanctuary of Gods temple above (Barrow, Sermon on the Ascension). Thus Stier holds fast the certain of heaven, yea, of the throne of God in it. And Meyer (on Mar 16:19, Eph 1:20) says the expression is not to be transferred into a vague conception of a status clestis, of a higher relation to the world and the like, but is to be left as a specification of place; for Christ is with His glorified body, as of the Father, on the seat where Divine Majesty is enthroned (cf. Mat 6:9), from which hereafter He will return to judgment; meantime He is patiently waiting at the centre of all worship and power (Heb 10:12-13): cf. also Ellicott on Eph 1:20. This view agrees with the tenor of the Holy Scriptures, which seem to imply that while God is everywhere, yet there is a place (described as , ) where He specially manifests Himself in peculiar glory to heavenly beings (cf. Isa 6:1; Isa 66:1, Psa 2:4; Psa 102:19, 1Ti 6:16), whence the Holy Spirit and the voice of God came (Mat 3:16-17, Joh 12:28). Yet, on the other hand, Milligan (The Ascension of Our Lord, Lect. I.) points out that heaven in the NT is contrasted with earth less as one place than as one state is contrasted with another, comparing Joh 3:13 No man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven [but BL [Note: L Bampton Lecture.] do not give ], and quoting Westcott (on Heb 1:3), all local association must be excluded, the reference being to dignity and honour, not locality; cf. also Joh 1:18, Eph 4:10. And Grimm-Thayer says that these expressions are to be understood in this figurative sense and not of a fixed and definite place in the highest heavens, will be questioned by no one who carefully considers Rev 3:21. See also Abbott, Ephesians (ad 1:20), in the ICC [Note: CC International Critical Commentary.] .
Sitting at the right hand of God is the compendious description of the present life of Christ in glory. It is evident from those passages which speak of it as a continuous state, that the expression cannot be taken literally, otherwise they would convey the idea that the attitude of sitting is perpetual. Besides, we find simply is at the right hand in Rom 8:34, 1Pe 3:22; in other places He is represented in a different attitude, as standing (Act 7:56), walking (Rev 2:1; Rev 3:4; Rev 14:4); and John (Rev 1:13) saw Him girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle (which was worn in this manner by priests when they were engaged in active service [Milligan]).
In the vision of St. Stephen a beautiful explanation of the standing has long been given, viz. that he saw Jesus as risen from His throne and in the act of coming to help His suffering servant and faithful martyr. So Meyer, Trench, Conybeare and Howson, et al., following Chrysostom, , ; , and Gregory the Great, Stephanus in labore certaminis positus stantem vidit quern adjutorem habuit. See the Collect for St. Stephens Day, and Alfords note on Act 7:55, where he inclines to a different interpretation.
The Session of Christ is connected with His work as King, Priest, Intercessor, and Judge. (1) It expresses His sovereignty and majesty; thereby He entered on the full and permanent participation in the Divine glory, not merely resuming the glory which He had resigned at the Incarnation (Joh 17:5), but receiving the added glory won by His obedience even unto the death of the Cross (Php 2:8 f., Heb 2:9); thereby the promises made to David concerning his son were fulfilled (cf. Psa 2:6; Psa 24:9, 1Co 15:25, Eph 1:20 f.). All power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth (Mat 28:18), God hath put all things in subjection under his feet (1Co 15:27). (2) It betokens an accomplished work (Heb 10:12 f.); His earthly life completed, the suffering and the humiliation ended; yet not inactivity, for Joh 5:17 still holds true of the exalted Christ; such perfect rest as answers to the being of God who worketh hitherto without effort and without failure (Westcott, The Historic Faith, Art. vi.), and is consistent with His readiness to sympathize with His people on earth, and to help them in time of need; cf. Heb 2:18; Heb 4:15 f. (3) It signifies His unique dignity and honour. In Gods presence the angels stand, or fall on their faces (Isa 6:2, 1Ki 22:19); the priests stood in the Temple when ministering (Heb 10:11). He alone is said to sit on Gods right hand. , , and (Chrys.). . (Theophylact). (4) It expresses His dignity as Priest-King. Westcott remarks (Add. Note on Heb 8:1) that in this Epistle to the Hebrews His Session is always (except in 1:13) connected with the fulfilment of priestly work, of which it marks two different aspects. Before He sat down He fulfilled the type of Aaron, offering the sacrifice of Himself and passing into heaven, into the presence of God. Since that time He fulfils the royal priesthood of Melchizedek; He intercedes for men as their representative (Rom 8:34, Heb 7:25, 1Jn 2:1), presenting their petitions and praises (Heb 13:15, Rom 16:27, 1Pe 2:5), securing access for His people now to the holy place where He Himself is, by His blood (Heb 4:16; Heb 10:19 f.), and acting as a minister () of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle (Heb 8:2 where see Westcotts note); He also rules and guides His Church, being with His people always, even unto the end of the world (Mat 28:20), and in the midst where two or three are gathered together in His name (Mat 18:20). (5) It implies His work as Judge, which is the aspect chiefly presented in the Gospels (Mat 19:28; Mat 25:31, Mar 14:62; cf. Isa 16:5 and 2Co 5:10 the judgment-seat of Christ). Thus we are to understand by the Session that Christ, having accomplished on earth the work of redemption, now occupies the place of highest honour, most exalted majesty, and perfect bliss, and that God has conferred upon Him all pre-eminence of dignity, power, favour, and felicity. With regard to the particular form in which this is expressed, Sanday (in his art. Jesus Christ in Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible ii. p. 642b) well says: We speak of these things ; or rather, we are content to echo in regard to them the language of the Apostles and of the first Christians, who themselves spoke . The reality lies behind the veil. See also art. Ascension.
Literature.Denney, art. Ascension in Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible , vol. i.; Sanday, Jesus Christ, ib. vol. ii. p. 642; Swete, The Apostles Creed; Westcott, The Historic Faith and Epistle to Hebrews; Milligan, The Ascension of Our Lord; Trench, Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, ch. vi.; Pearson, Exposition of the Creed, Art. vl. The relation of the Session of Christ to His presence among His people and to the Lutheran doctrine of His ubiquity is discussed at length in Martensens Christian Dogmatics, 174180.
W. H. Dundas.