Acts 2:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But how did He sit upon the throne? By being King over the Jews. And if He is King over the Jews, then still more over those who crucified Him.

Having spoken of the gift of the Holy Spirit, he now speaks boldly also of Christ's Ascension into heaven. He does not do this simply, but again brings forward a witness.

He reminds them of that very person to whom Christ Himself had pointed. "For David did not ascend," he says, "into the heavens."

Here the Apostle speaks without restraint, animated by what he said above. He no longer says, "Let it be permitted"; Acts 2:29, or anything similar.

He speaks plainly: "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies the footstool of Your feet."

If He is David's Lord, then He is still more their Lord. "Sit at My right hand." In this he expressed everything.

If then, according to the voice of John, "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire," the Father gave Him the promise, now He has fulfilled the promise.

For He Himself says: "The Lord said to my Lord." Here Peter speaks without fear, since what was said above had encouraged him.

But what is the meaning of the words, "The Lord said to my Lord"? If David already calls Him, Jesus, Lord, then the Jews must all the more not deny this.

"Sit at My right hand." In the words, "Sit at My right hand," we understand the equal honor of the Father and the Son. The notion of right or left cannot be conceived in relation to the bodiless essence.

Who these enemies are, the Apostle explains when he cries: "When He abolishes every authority, the last enemy to be abolished is death"; 1 Cor 15:24-26.

We know that after the Resurrection from the dead and the Ascension into heaven, Christ sits at the right hand of the Father. This has already taken place. We did not see it, but we believed.

We read of it in the books, heard the predictions, and believed. Precisely because Christ was the son of David, He became David's Lord.

For the One born of David's seed was so honored that He also became David's Lord. You marvel at this, as though such a thing did not happen even in human affairs.

If it happened that the son of some simple father became king, would he not become his father's lord? Still more wondrous is what can happen beyond this.

Thus the words, "Sit at My right hand" (Ps 109:1), seem to be addressed to a man. For this was not said after His Ascension from earth to the One who eternally sits on the throne of glory as God the Word. It was said to Him who has now been exalted into heavenly glory as man. As the apostles say, "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand." This command, which gives beginning to the sitting, belongs to the human nature. Yet the dignity of sitting together with God is divine, for thousands of thousands minister to Him, and ten thousands of ten thousands stand before Him (Dan 7:10).

It was not the Godhead that was crucified, but the flesh. In any case, that which could undergo crucifixion could also undergo becoming.

Then the twelve Apostles come forward to the people. Peter, no longer the former Peter, timid and fearful, but courageous and undaunted, speaks to them.

He says that the extraordinary manifestation now accomplished upon them is the work of the Holy Spirit, whom God once promised to send upon His servants.

He says that Jesus Himself sent this Spirit down upon them, His disciples. This is the same Jesus whom the Jews had recently crucified here, and whom God raised from the dead, glorified, and seated at His right hand.

Therefore Jesus is the Christ. The recent instructions of the Risen One Himself had taught that Christ had to suffer, and only by this path enter into His glory.

The Lord Jesus once set these words before the Jews. He asked whose son, in their understanding, the Messiah had to be.

When the Jews said, "David's," the Lord added: how then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord? And how can the Lord, in Hebrew Jehovah, the divine name, be David's son?

The reasoning led to this: although the Messiah truly had to be David's son, this was only according to the flesh.

There must also be in Him another nature, according to which He is Lord, Jehovah, the Son of God.

"For David did not ascend into the heavens." Above, the Apostle established the truth of Christ's Resurrection on David's prophecy. This was especially important for his hearers, the Jews.

So also he establishes the truth of Christ's Ascension through a prophetic saying of David from Ps 109:1. The truth of the outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit upon believers is inwardly joined to the Ascension as consequence to foundation.

He establishes it by the same method as above. David, as is known, did not himself ascend or rise into heaven, as Elijah did, for example.

Yet David speaks of his Lord, saying that God, Jehovah, seated Him at His right hand. Therefore David says this not of himself, but of another person.

Precisely, he speaks of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, who ascended into heaven. The Lord Himself applied this prophetic saying to Himself; Mt 22:42 and following.

Cf. Ps 109:1.

Here, on the basis of a new prophecy, the Apostle proves that Christ's Ascension and His enthronement at the right hand of God's throne were also foretold.

Again this was foretold by the same great king and prophet David. The Apostle now dares to say of David that he did not ascend into heaven.

Earlier he did not say that David did not rise, which indeed he could not say, for David was brought out of Hades by Christ together with many others.

The Apostle does not unfold the mystical words of David's prophecy concerning Christ's Ascension and co-enthronement with the Father. Yet he did not pass over the fearful side of the prophecy, the overthrow of Christ's enemies.