33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand,
Verses 33-36 demonstrate that God made Jesus LORD and Messiah. Peter related the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost with David’s prophecy. David’s prophecy proved that God exalted and anointed the crucified Jesus as the Messiah (Acts 2:36).
2:33
Therefore
Verse 33 attributes the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost to an act by Jesus. The pouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church was something Jesus did directly (Jn 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27).
being exalted to the right hand of God,
The “exalted” Christ Jesus fulfilled the promise that He would send the Holy Spirit because now He was in a glorified state (Jn 7:39; 14:26; 15:26). This is part of the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit—the truth that the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to the church. Christ sent the Holy Spirit to function in the new entity called the church.
The exaltation of Christ to the right hand of the Father is a privileged position of authority; this exaltation is the current session of Christ in heaven before His return to earth. David’s throne is not the same as the Lord’s session.
and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
Jesus fulfilled His promise in sending the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost was, in part, validation of Christ because He sent the Spirit (the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit).
He [Jesus] poured out this which you now see and hear.
Everyone present on the Day of Pentecost could see the fulfillment before their eyes for themselves.
2:34
“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
Peter quoted another Davidic psalm in this verse: Ps 110:1. This verse is another proof that Jesus was the Messiah.
‘The Lord [Yahweh, or the Father] said to my Lord [Adonai, Master, Jesus], “Sit at My right hand,
David did not prophesy about his own ascension but the Ascension of Christ. This quotation is a prophecy of Jesus’ Ascension (Ps 110:1). Jesus had earlier applied this passage to Himself (Mt 22:43-44; Mark 12:35-37; Lu 20:41-42).
The idea here is that Yahweh or Jehovah, who is God the Father in this case, spoke to Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus would sit as a vice-regent administering the Father’s kingdom.
PRINCIPLE:
Jesus sitting at the right hand of God is His present session in heaven.
APPLICATION:
Jesus fulfilled Psalm 110:1 by sitting at the right hand of God after His Ascension. Some think that this session is in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, which predicts that an heir of David will reign on his throne. They believe that the only throne Jesus will sit upon is His session in heaven. However, there is a significant difference between Christ’s session and His seating on His throne in the Millennial kingdom.
