Acts 2:34, commentary and pictures

David himself has not ascended into heaven but died and was buried with his sepulcher still present, so he was not speaking of himself but prophetically of another. The words about sitting at the right hand are the Father appointing David's Lord to that place until His enemies are made His footstool, fulfilled when God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him to heaven after His ascension. This proves that the same humiliated and crucified Jesus is now exalted as both Lord and Christ, the divine Prince of life and Son of God equal with the Father, whom David called Lord even though Christ descended from David in the flesh. From that place He rules as priest and king and Anointed One with authority in heaven and on earth as Prince and Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness, having received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit poured out in what was seen and heard at Pentecost. So the righteous do not go to heaven at death but sleep and rest in the grave until the resurrection, and David himself can at last sit at God's right hand only by virtue of Christ's rising, while those pricked in heart by the risen Saviour are called to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Pentecost Setting and Meaning

Peter's use of the text belongs to his sermon on the day of Pentecost, preached after Christ's ascension and after the descent of the Holy Spirit with special miracles and demonstration of the Spirit and with power. It was decided and unhesitating testimony to the men of Israel who had taken Jesus, rejected Him, demanded His crucifixion, and walked in darkness, whose eyes had before seen no beauty in Him to desire Him. Its great and mighty subject was Jesus unfolded and glorified by the Spirit.

To meet prejudice that even Jesus' own teachings would not overcome, Peter turned to David, whom the Jews honored as a patriarch, and traced Christ's lineage directly to David's house to establish Christ's position. The argument rests on the fact that David himself is not ascended into the heavens, for he had died and was buried, with his sepulcher still present, resting and remaining in his grave until the resurrection. He was not exalted to God's right hand.

David therefore did not speak of himself but spoke prophetically of another. His words about sitting at God's right hand referred not to himself but to Christ.

Christ Exalted as Lord

The words quoted are the Father appointing David's Lord to sit at His right hand until His enemies are made His footstool. That appointment was fulfilled when God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him to heaven after His ascension. David had died and had not ascended, so the exalted one was not David but Christ. The apostles performed miracles only in Jesus' name and claimed no honor for themselves, because the elevated Jesus was to receive all honor and praise.

This proves that the same Jesus who was humiliated and crucified is now exalted. God has made that crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ. He is the divine Prince of life, the Son of God, now exalted to God's right hand. In that prophecy the Father calls Christ Lord, for Christ is Lord and equal with the Father.

David called the Messiah Lord in His divine character, though Christ was David's direct descendant and descended from David in the flesh. David prophetically saw Christ enter heaven and take His place at God's right hand.

That place at God's right hand shows His present authority as priest and king and as the Anointed One over His people. He has received authority in heaven and on earth. He was lifted up and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins. Having been exalted by God's right hand, He received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit and shed forth what was then seen and heard at Pentecost.

Death, Resurrection and Response

David has not ascended into the heavens but is dead and buried, with his sepulcher still present, resting and remaining in his grave until the resurrection. His case proves that the righteous do not go to heaven at death but sleep and rest in the grave until the resurrection. David himself can at last sit at God's right hand only through the resurrection and by virtue of the fact that Christ has risen.

The proclamation of a risen Saviour made both Lord and Christ pricked the hearers in heart on the day of Pentecost after the descent of the Holy Spirit with demonstration and power. That preaching lifted up Jesus as exalted to God's right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins, calling hearers to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. About three thousand souls were added and converted in one day. This harvest came because the glorious inner beauties of Christ's work and character are not discerned with natural eyes but only as the Spirit quickens and unfolds Him glorified before eyes that before saw no beauty in Him to desire Him.

Those reached continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers, continuing daily with one accord, eating with gladness and singleness of heart and praising God. They went forth with one desire for the salvation of souls, rejoicing in communion with saints, tender, thoughtful, self-denying and willing to sacrifice for the truth. They revealed in word and deed the love Christ commanded, a love still to be cherished in willing obedience to the new commandment to love one another as Christ loved, united to Christ and magnifying a Saviour who justifies by His righteousness.