1. “From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power”; “Designated the Son of God in power...out of the resurrection of the dead” (Matt. 26:64; Rom. 1:4; see also Acts 7:56).
Following the Lord’s resurrection from the dead, He was still the Son of Man, even though He was also designated the Son of God in power. When He was judged by the Jewish Sanhedrin, the high priest asked Him whether He was the Son of God. The Lord responded, “You have said rightly” (Matt. 26:64), but then He said that they would see Him as the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power. This indicates that He was still a man after He ascended into heaven. When Stephen was martyred after the Lord’s ascension, he saw Him as the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56). Hymns, #113 affirms this truth, saying, “‘He wears our nature on the throne.’”
2. “The man Christ Jesus”; “My Lord and my God” (1 Tim. 2:5; John 20:28).
After the Lord rose from the dead, He was still a man in His manifestation of God. Today He is in the heavens as both God and man, just as He was both man and God while He was on earth. When a piece of white cloth falls into a vat of colored dye, the color cannot be removed. Similarly, even though He was God, He was “dyed” with humanity in incarnation. From that moment forward, humanity has always been a part of His person; it can never be removed. Therefore, in His resurrection and ascension, He still has the human nature. However, His humanity was brought into the glory of God through resurrection. In His incarnation He brought God into man and man’s situation. In His resurrection and ascension He brought man into God and God’s glory. As God He came into man, and as man He went into God. He understands the things of God and the things of man. He knows man’s situation and the things of God. He is a God-man. He is such a mysterious Savior. He truly is worthy of our love, praise, and worship.
3. “The Firstborn among many brothers” (Rom. 8:29; see also Heb. 1:6; 2:10-12).
The Lord was the only begotten Son of God. Through His resurrection from the dead, He dispensed His life as the Son of God into us to regenerate us (1 Pet. 1:3), and we became the many sons of God who are His many brothers. In this way the only begotten Son of God became the Firstborn among many brothers. From the time of His resurrection, He is no longer just the only begotten Son of God; He is also the Firstborn among many brothers, the many sons of God.
1. “Awaiting...the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”; “The Son of Man... coming” (Titus 2:13; Matt. 26:64).
When Jesus Christ comes again, He will appear as the great God, but He will still be the Son of Man. This is affirmed by the apostle Paul and by the Lord’s word to the Jewish Sanhedrin when He was being judged.
1. “The Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb”; “The throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev. 21:22; 22:3).
In eternity the one temple and the one throne are identified with God and the Lamb, signifying the complete oneness of God and the Lamb, who was incarnated in humanity and slain in His humanity for our redemption.
Our Lord, the eternal God, became a man in time, even a God-man. When He died and resurrected, He entered into God’s glory with His humanity to become the man-God. Now He is God yet man and man yet God. His mysterious person will be fully manifested in His second coming and then manifested throughout eternity.