Jesus took a seat.
This is how Mark concludes his Gospel narrative. As the curtains began to close on the drama of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He ascended to heaven and “sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19). It was an expected ending to an unexpected life.
To appreciate the significance of Jesus’ sitting, we should revisit John’s version of the Last Supper that Jesus shared with His disciples in the Upper Room. The entire passage is worth remembering:
It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:1-17)
John provides some narrative comments which are written for more than mere local color. What was about to happen was in the context of the Passover Feast—a celebration of God’s saving work. Jesus knew the end—His death—was imminent. So, He chose to show His disciples “the full extent of His love”—a phrase that would lead most readers to think of the cross, not a foot-washing exercise.
So, Jesus “got up,” took off His robe, and washed each disciple’s feet one by one. He told His followers that what He was doing didn’t make complete sense to them now, but “later you will understand.” Then, when He was finished, He put on His robe and “returned to His place.”
This scene has led some churches to make foot washing a sacrament like baptism and the Lord’s Table. But Jesus wasn’t ultimately concerned with personal hygiene. That evening, He was acting out a parable of His life. At a moment in time, the Son of God stood up from His place in heaven. He “took off” the robe of His glory and came to earth in finite, human flesh. He stooped, as a servant with a mission to bring cleansing to everyone who would receive it. In a little while, He would become the ultimate Passover lamb to be slain for the sins of the world and then He would rise from the dead, ascend to the Father, and be robed with glory once again. He would return to His place and sit down. The disciples couldn’t fully understand this little parable at dinner, but after He had been raised from the dead, everything would begin to make sense.
The One who left His place in glory, was born an unexpected servant-King, would die and rise again so that He would receive all the glory, and sit down at the right hand of God.
SITTING DOWN
A sitting Savior tells us so much about Jesus’ mission and His present ministry. That He sits at the Father’s right hand should be an encouragement for every believer because of what this posture represents.
Sitting signifies a finish. Just as a lecturer who sits down is fin-ished with her speech or a chef who sits down is finished with his meal preparation, so Jesus’ sitting was a sign of His finished work. Hours before the cross, Jesus anticipated the imminent end to His redemptive work by praying, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4). And, when Jesus heaved His final breath on the cross, the last thing He cried was, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Day after day, the Jewish priests stood to perform their atoning duties and never took a break, for there is never an end to sin. “But when [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 1:3, 10:11-12). Finally, forgiveness was possible for all. His job was finished and so He sat down.
Sitting signifies rest. When celebrating the Passover Feast, the Jews would customarily eat and drink reclining at a table. Unlike the posture of a slave who always stood at attention to serve, sitting and reclining was a posture of relaxation and rest. This is why Jesus and His disciples reclined at the table during the Last Supper (Matthew 9:10). The meal anticipated the sacrificial death that Jesus would accept for people to have peace with God.
This is good news for people today. Because Jesus rests in the presence of His Father, there’s no need for us to labor to enter that rest ourselves.
Jesus has provided a way for every person to enter into the Father’s rest and enjoy an eternal Sabbath from all of their endless efforts to find God and please Him (Hebrews 4:6-11).
Sitting signifies reigning. A royal throne is a symbol of power. When the king sits there, he assumes all the authority and sovereignty that the seat symbolizes. The right hand of God is “majestic in power” and “shatters the enemy” (Exodus 15:6). When Jesus was raised from the dead, He ascended to heaven “and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him” (1 Peter 3:22). Jesus presently rules as the King of heaven and all of God’s enemies submit to Him. Our risen Lord will reign forever and ever.
Sitting signifies advocacy. Jesus has not only gone into heaven but sits at the Father’s right hand—close enough to speak to God on our behalf. Paul writes, “Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). John adds, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1). When the justice of God confronts our sin, Jesus is our heavenly advocate who reminds God, our righteous judge, that our sin has been washed away by His atoning work on the cross. We are never without representation because Jesus always sits at the Father’s right hand.
Isaiah 30:18 assures us, “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.” Imagine that…God rises for you. The proof of this is Jesus who stood up from His place and died on a cross. But the One who rises also sits down and we are glad for this present posture. His work is finished. He is at rest and invites us to share His peace. He presently reigns with all sovereign authority. And He intercedes for God’s people, every day speaking to the Father on our behalf.
Our Savior sits.
But not forever.
One day, the final chapter of history will be read. Jesus will once again rise from His heavenly throne and ride with His armies to a final battle. All the power and authority and glory that were veiled at His first coming will be on full display when He comes again. John writes of this great expectation in the book of Revelation,
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11-16)
Our unexpected King sits now, but He will rise and ride again. Until then, we bow to King Jesus and give our lives fully to Him. We wait for His Kingdom. And we long for the day when we shall stand before Him who sits on His throne. We say, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17).
Related content
See also the sermon "Room for Jesus' Forgiveness" about John 13 and the "King Jesus" sermon series on the Gospel of Mark.