The writer now passes at one step from the death of the Cross to the seating of the Saviour at the right hand of

the Majesty on high. He knew, and has clearly taught, that Christ not only died, but `was buried, and that He rose

again the third day according to the Scriptures' (1 Cor. 15:4). A little acquaintance with the Scriptures will reveal an

economy in the choice of subject at all times. Paul does not mention either the Cross, the shedding of blood or the

sufferings of Christ in 1 Corinthians 15, because his chief object was to answer those who said that there was no

resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:12). The apostle gives a most wonderful exposition of what is involved in the

Gospel as the power of God unto salvation in Romans 1 to 5, yet never does he mention the Cross, the reason being

that his theme was `justification by faith' which is linked with the `death' of Christ, and not the ignominy associated

with the Cross. When dealing with the same theme in Galatians, the Cross is introduced, largely because of the

`persecution' that is associated with it. The fact that the apostle overleaps so much of the redemptive work of

Christ, and links the purifying of sins with the sitting at the right hand of God, is, among other reasons, because he

has the High Priestly office of Christ so much in view.

It is seldom we find one type that is sufficient to set forth the great work of Christ. Often it needs a pair. For

example the passover lamb most blessedly sets forth redemption, but it takes the goat on the Day of Atonement to

complete the story, for He Who delivered His people out from Egypt, gave them access into the Divine Presence,

and it is this second aspect of the work of Christ that is uppermost in Hebrews. Abel needs Seth to complete the

typical foreshadowing of Christ, David needs Solomon to foreshadow Christ as King, for David was a man of war,

while Solomon was a prince of peace. The story of Joseph, which so miraculously sets forth the story of the

Redeemer's life and work, seems at first sight complete, needing no other to finish the story. Yet his mother gave

him the name `Joseph' saying `The Lord shall add (Heb. yasaph) to me another son' (Gen. 30:24), and that son was

named by the mother Ben-oni, `son of my sorrow', but the father called him Benjamin, `son of my right hand'. In

history Joseph goes through the suffering and eventually ascends the throne, but in the type Benjamin has a place,

and the type is incomplete without `The son of the right hand'. In the redemptive records of other epistles, we have

the Joseph aspect worked out in blessed reality, but in Hebrews, Christ is seen pre-eminently as the Benjamin of the

Father. Psalm 110 is quoted in the New Testament more than any other of the Psalms; it is the Psalm of the `Right

Hand', and awaits us in Hebrews 1:13. When the Saviour at His illegal trial was challenged by the high priest, He

claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God, by quoting the language of Daniel 7 as of Himself.

`Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven'"

(Matt. 26:64).

The glorious doctrine of the epistle to the Romans leads us steadily on from chapter to chapter until we are able

exultantly to answer the challenge `Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?' by replying:

`Who 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' (Rom. 8:34).

Neither Ephesians nor Colossians could have even commenced the revelation of the Mystery, if Christ had not

been revealed as seated at the right hand of God far above all. There are five references in Hebrews itself to the

seating of the Saviour at His right hand, and they are used to enforce certain aspects of truth that are of first

importance to the teaching of this epistle.

(1) The first occurrence is in Hebrews 1:3, where it is placed as the climax of the work of the Mediator, and by

its association with what follows in verse 4 it is used in the nature of a reward for the redemptive work now

(2) The second occurrence is in Hebrews 1:13, where it is used to set forth the essential contrast that exists

between `The Son' and `the angels'.

`But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy

(3) The third and central reference occurs in Hebrews 8:1,2. Paul `sums up' the teaching of the previous