The phrase Right-Hand Man in English has an interesting history. Today, we normally use this phrase to express how important and valuable someone is to us. The phrase also has a connotation of trustworthiness. One article explained the origins of this phrase this way: “The expression “right-hand man” (as well as the tradition of seating the guest of honor at the right hand of the host) originated from times when leaders had to worry about assassination on a daily basis. Before the days of explosives and automatic weapons, the easiest way to assassinate a leader was to have the person sitting to his right grab his sword arm and hang on, rendering him relatively helpless so that others in the room could then kill him. If you were a leader, it was in your best interest to put the person you most trusted next to your sword arm. Since most people are right-handed, the “right-hand man” came to be synonymous for someone you could trust with your life.”
This phrase came to mind today as I was thinking about some things in our weekly readings in Acts. Twice in his Pentecost sermon Peter refers to Jesus sitting at the right hand of God:
32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2:32-36
Let us reflect today upon the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ has been exalted to the right hand of the Father in heaven. There are many things that this fact points to, but one thing to reflect upon today is this: Jesus’s exaltation to the Father’s right hand means that God the father has absolute trust and confidence in His son.
May we – as followers of this same exalted Lord Jesus – demonstrate today in some small or big way that we trust Jesus with our lives. He is the ultimate Right Hand Man. DTW