Summary (NotebookLM)
The section of Ursinus' commentary explains the Christian doctrine of Christ's ascension, sitting at the right hand of God, and his future return to judge the living and the dead. The text analyzes these concepts in great detail, providing scriptural evidence, definitions, and rebuttals to common objections. The catechism emphasizes the comfort and hope that Christians find in knowing that Christ rules as their Head and will ultimately come to judge the world and bring about a new heaven and earth.
Chapter Contents:
Question 50. Why is it added: "And sitteth at the right hand of God”?
Answer: This phrase signifies Christ’s ascension to heaven to appear as the head of the Church, through whom the Father governs all things.
Exposition: This section distinguishes Christ’s ascension from his sitting at God's right hand, emphasizing the unique significance of the latter. It then delves into the meaning of God's right hand in scripture, defining it as both supreme power and supreme dignity. The section concludes with a detailed analysis of Christ's sitting at God's right hand, explaining its implications for his divinity, his humanity, his mediatorial office, and the honor bestowed upon him.
Question 51. What does this glory of Christ our Head, profit us?
Answer: Christ's glory benefits us by pouring heavenly gifts upon us through the Holy Spirit and by defending us against all enemies.
Exposition: This section outlines the fruits of Christ’s sitting at God’s right hand. These fruits encompass all the benefits of Christ’s glorified kingdom and priesthood, including intercession, gathering and preservation of the church, defense against enemies, rejection of the church's adversaries, and glorification of the church. The section concludes by emphasizing the comfort and assurance believers derive from Christ’s intercession and protection.
Question 52. What comfort is it to you, that Christ “shall come to judge the living and the dead”?
Answer: This truth provides comfort because it assures us that Christ, who offered himself for our sake, will return as judge, condemning his and our enemies while taking his chosen ones into heavenly glory.
Exposition: This section explores the concept of Christ’s second coming and the final judgment.
Will There Be a Future Judgment? This section addresses the certainty of a future judgment as revealed in scripture and supported by theological arguments based on God’s decree, omnipotence, justice, purpose in creating humanity, and glory.
What the Final Judgment Is: This section defines the final judgment as the revelation of all hearts and deeds, the separation of the righteous from the wicked, and the pronouncement and execution of judgment according to the law and the gospel, resulting in the deliverance of the church and the eternal punishment of the wicked.
Who Will Be the Judge? This section identifies Christ as the designated judge, highlighting his role as mediator and the reasons for his appointment, including the need for a visible judge, God’s pleasure, the comfort it offers believers, and the demands of divine justice.
Whence, and Whither Will He Come? This section affirms that Christ will descend visibly from heaven, where he currently sits at God's right hand.
In What Manner Will He Come? This section describes Christ’s second coming as a true, visible, and local event, characterized by divine glory, angelic retinue, and suddenness.
Whom Will He Judge? This section states that Christ will judge all men, both living and dead, righteous and wicked, as well as the fallen angels.
What the Process, the Sentence, and Execution of the Final Judgment Will Be: This section outlines the sequence of events at the final judgment: the resurrection of the dead, the gathering of all people before Christ’s judgment seat, the dissolution of the world, the separation of the righteous and the wicked, the pronouncement of sentences based on the law and the gospel, and the glorification of the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked.
Why Will There Be a Judgment? This section attributes the necessity of judgment to God’s decree and his purposes, including: obtaining the end for which he created man, praising him eternally, displaying his mercy and justice, and ultimately dwelling in his people.
When Will This Judgment Take Place? This section places the judgment at the end of time, while acknowledging that the exact time is unknown to anyone except the Father.
The Reasons Why We Should Certainly Look for the Judgment: This section emphasizes the importance of anticipating the judgment for the sake of God’s glory, the comfort of believers, the preservation of godly fear, and the removal of excuses for the wicked.
The Reasons Why God Will Have Us Ignorant of the Precise Time of the Judgment: This section explains that God’s withholding of the judgment’s timing serves to exercise faith, hope, and patience, restrain curiosity, maintain godly fear, and encourage repentance.
Why This Judgment Is Deferred: This section offers reasons for God’s delay: exercising the godly in various virtues, gathering the elect into the church, affording time for repentance, and amplifying the inexcusableness of the wicked.
Whether the Last Judgment May Be Desired: This section affirms that the godly eagerly anticipate the judgment as a deliverance from this life and a separation from the wicked, while the ungodly dread it, revealing their true state.
The exposition concludes by summarizing the meaning of believing in Christ's return as judge and highlighting the comfort and implications for believers: a new and better condition, a merciful judge, righteous judgment, deliverance for the church, and the need for repentance, thankfulness, and vigilance.
What is the nature and significance of Christ sitting at the right hand of God?
The concept of Christ "sitting at the right hand of God" is a significant theological concept with deep implications for Christians. It's not a literal physical act, but a symbolic representation of Christ's supreme authority, glory, and ongoing work on behalf of his Church.
Here's a breakdown of the nature and significance of this concept:
Nature:
Not about Ascension: While Christ ascended to heaven, sitting at God's right hand is distinct and represents a further exaltation. Angels and believers ascend to heaven, but they don't sit at God's right hand. This seating is reserved for Christ alone.
Supreme Power and Glory: In scripture, God's right hand signifies his omnipotence and majesty. Christ sitting there means he shares in this supreme power and glory, reigning alongside the Father.
Mediatorship and Governance: This imagery is drawn from the practice of kings appointing trusted individuals to positions of authority at their right hand. Christ's seating signifies his role as the mediator through whom the Father governs all things, particularly the Church.
Fourfold Glory: Christ's glory at God's right hand encompasses:
The perfection of his divine nature.
The exaltation of his human nature through union with the Word and the bestowal of exceptional gifts.
The perfection and glorious execution of his threefold office as prophet, priest, and king.
The supreme honor and worship he receives from angels and men.
Significance:
Outpouring of Heavenly Gifts: Christ, as our glorified head, pours out heavenly gifts, including the Holy Spirit, upon his Church members.
Protection and Preservation: He uses his power to defend and protect his Church from all enemies.
Ongoing Intercession: He continually intercedes for us before the Father, ensuring our salvation.
Assurance of Salvation: The fact that our advocate, brother, and king sits at the right hand of the Father assures us of his constant care and our ultimate victory.
The sources emphasize that this honor is unique to Christ. While the Holy Spirit is equal to the Father, he doesn't sit at God's right hand because he doesn't share in the same mediatorial role and the Father governs through the Son. Furthermore, Christ's seating at the right hand isn't a temporal event that occurred only after his ascension; it's an eternal reality reflecting his divine nature and pre-incarnate glory. However, in his human nature, he was exalted to this position after his ascension.
The sources also clarify that Christ's sitting at God's right hand doesn't mean his human nature is omnipresent. While he fills all things with his gifts and graces, his physical body remains in heaven.
What are the benefits and implications of Christ's ascension into heaven?
Christ ascended into heaven to appear as the Head of His Church. From this position, He enables God the Father to govern all things. This position of authority was given to Christ after His ascension.
Christ's sitting at the right hand of God signifies supreme dignity and glory.
One of the main benefits of Christ's ascension is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who believe in Him. Through the Holy Spirit, believers receive heavenly gifts, such as knowledge of God, faith, repentance, and other Christian virtues.
Another benefit is that Christ uses His power to defend and preserve His followers against all enemies. This protection is both physical and spiritual, ensuring the ultimate salvation of believers.
Christ's position at God's right hand allows Him to intercede for believers, ensuring that God grants them eternal life.
Implications of Christ's Ascension
Christ's sitting at the right hand of God implies that He is equal to God in power and glory. He works in the same way as God and possesses equal power.
This position is unique to Christ and sets Him apart from all other beings, including the Holy Spirit. It acknowledges His role as mediator and the one through whom God governs, particularly the Church.
The ascension also marked the perfection and exaltation of Christ's human nature. This perfection is rooted in the union of His human nature with the Word, and in the abundance of gifts He received, including wisdom, power, glory, and majesty. These gifts far exceed those given to angels or humans, making Him superior to all creation.
Christ's ascension also led to the perfection of His role as mediator. He now executes His prophetic, priestly, and kingly duties in heaven in His glorified human form. This includes interceding for believers, granting the Holy Spirit, and preserving and defending the Church.
Finally, the ascension resulted in Christ receiving the highest honor and reverence from both angels and humans. He is universally recognized and worshipped as the Lord and Head of all. This recognition is based on His visible majesty and glory, compelling all to acknowledge Him as the King through whom God governs.
It is important to note that the source emphasizes the distinction between Christ's divine and human natures in relation to His ascension. While His divine nature was always equal to God, the ascension marked the exaltation and glorification of His human nature. This glorification includes the reception of heavenly gifts and the full manifestation of the glory He had with the Father before the world began.
What is the nature and purpose of Christ's second coming and the final judgment?
The second coming of Christ will be a visible and physical event, not merely an imaginary or symbolic one. During this event, Christ will descend from heaven enveloped in the glory of God and accompanied by angels.
The purpose of Christ's second coming is intertwined with the final judgment. The final judgment is described as the unveiling of all hearts, the revelation of all human actions, and the separation of the righteous from the wicked. This judgment will be executed by God through Christ.
The final judgment will involve several key stages:
The dead will be raised from their graves by Christ's divine power and the sound of his voice.
The living will undergo a transformation, their mortal bodies becoming immortal.
Angels will gather all people, both the righteous and the wicked, from all corners of the earth to stand before Christ's judgment seat.
The heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire, resulting in a transformation of the current order but not complete annihilation.
The righteous and the wicked will be separated, and each group will receive its judgment.
Finally, the righteous will be fully glorified and brought into eternal fellowship with Christ, while the wicked will be cast into everlasting punishment along with the devils.
The final judgment serves several purposes:
It allows God to fully realize his purpose in creating humanity.
It offers an opportunity for God to showcase his goodness and mercy by delivering the faithful, who endured hardships in their earthly lives.
It displays God's justice and truth by punishing the wicked, who may have prospered in the world.
It ensures the ultimate triumph of good over evil and the establishment of God's eternal kingdom.
While the exact timing of the final judgment remains unknown, even to the angels or to Christ in his human nature, God intends for us to live with the certainty of its arrival. This awareness encourages faith, hope, and perseverance among the faithful. It also serves as a call to repentance for the wicked and motivates believers to live in a state of readiness, anticipating the Lord's return.
The judgment's delay allows time for the gathering of all the elect into the church and for the extension of God's offer of repentance to all people.
Ultimately, the anticipation of the final judgment offers comfort to believers, who can look forward to a glorious future with Christ and the final defeat of all evil. This expectation inspires them to persevere in faith and righteousness, knowing that their present sufferings will eventually give way to eternal joy.