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The resurrection of Christ, Paul declared in his sermon at Antioch, fulfilled the
promise made unto the fathers, fulfilled the prophecy of kingship on Mount Zion of the
second Psalm, and also fulfilled the "sure mercies of David". By Him, the risen One,
justification was alone possible (Acts 13: 32-39).
As the revelation of God's purpose in grace was given, ever-increasing fulness was
found in the resurrection of the Lord. Romans 4: 24 makes it vital to the foundation
truth of justification by faith, as 10: 9 does regarding salvation; the quickening power for
those who "walk not after the flesh but after the spirit", even though they have "mortal
bodies", is found only in the risen Christ (Rom. 8: 11). To the Corinthians Paul
declared that if Christ be not raised from the dead, his preaching, and their faith was vain,
that they were yet in their sins, those who had fallen asleep in Christ had perished, and
the believer was of all men the most miserable (I Cor. 15:).
It is a great step from Acts 2: to Eph. 1: To know that Christ was raised to sit upon
the throne of David to be a Prince and a Saviour for Israel was blessed knowledge; to
realize the vital power of the gospel--Christ risen--was to pass from death unto life.
What must it be then to go still further and to know that when He was raised from the
dead, not only David's throne should have an undying occupant, but that the throne of
universal dominion was shared by the risen Son of God. No writer of either Old or New
Testament tells of Christ in such exaltation; the apostle can most certainly claim that he
had a knowledge of the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known
(Eph. 3: 4, 5). Once, and once only, does the word "sit" occur in the prison epistles, as
though the inspired writer would direct our attention to this singular revelation. Other
parts of Scripture testify to the fact that the Lord is at the right hand of God, but none
reveal with such fulness the glorious extent of His exaltation.
The risen Lord is seated at the right hand of God:--
(1).
In the super-heavenlies.
(2).
Far above all principality. . . . and name.
(3).
In this age.
(4).
In the coming one.
(5).
All things are put in subjection beneath His feet.
(6).
He has been given as Head over all things to the church.
(7).
Which church is His body and His fulness.
The nearest approach to point No. 1 is found in Heb. 7: 26, where Christ is said to
be "made higher than the heavens", and in 4: 14, where we are told He "passed through
the heavens".
Inasmuch as Paul had the revelation of "the mystery" made to him, which included the
glorious fact that the blessings of the one body are "in the super-heavenlies", so it was
fitting that he should be the one to reveal the fact of the mystery of Christ that He the
Head of that body had been raised to that exalted position.