Why was Jesus Standing? Acts 8:54-60

In Psalm 110 the Father says to the Son, Sit at My right hand, Till I make your enemies Your footstool.  This Jesus did after the cross and resurrection, when He had by Himself purged our sins (Heb. 1:3).  But Stephen, as he was about to give his life for Christ, saw Jesus standing at God’s right hand.  Why?  

·        Some suggest Jesus stood to encourage Stephen.  Others suggest Jesus stood so as to welcome Stephen into His presence.  These make wonderful pictures.  And they speak truth in that Jesus certainly comforted and helped Stephen and welcomed him to his home.  But if this is what Jesus does for each martyr then He would be standing a lot during the age of the Church.  Not that He can’t do that.  But Jesus is normally said to be sitting on the throne, to the right of His Father awaiting the time when He returns to rule the nations.

·        Another idea is that Jesus was standing, ready to return to earth, if the people of Israel were ready to receive Him.  This is based in several thoughts.

o   Israel had been blinded so they would reject the Messiah (Matt. 13:10-17).  At the cross Jesus prayed for forgiveness because they people did not realize what they were doing.  Paul spoke of this ignorance (1 Tim. 1:13) as did Peter (Ac. 3:17-19).  But in that last passage he also indicated that in the early days of the Church the message was being preached to Israel.  Christ offered Himself once, was rejected, and now was offered again.

o   Consider the offer that was extended in Acts 1-8 and the references to Jesus at the right hand of the Father.

§  Jesus place at the right hand is related to the declaration that He is both Lord and Christ (2:33-36), Prince and Savior (5:31).  This is the issue for Israel: will they receive their Messiah with repentance and faith?

§  In 3:19-26 notice the kingdom language in Peter’s words.  Repent and be converted … so that the times of refreshing may come, That He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things.

§  The offer is first extended to Israel (2:22,36,39; 3:13,17).  This includes Stephen’s sermon which summarizes Israel’s history from Abraham until the moment when Stephen stands before them.  The Jews had warned the apostles, punished them, and now put to death Stephen.  The rejection is clear as the persecution becomes official under Saul (8:1-3).  Jesus’ earthly ministry ended at Jerusalem with His offer; now the Church begins at Jerusalem with the offer extended and rejected.

Jesus stood ready to return to a righteous nation.  The gospel was preached to the Jew first (Rom. 1:16; Acts 3:26).  But then it made its way to Judea and Samaria (Ac. 8:1), to Rome (Ac. 28:24-31) and to the ends of the earth.  He is now seated at the Father’s right hand, awaiting the day when the Father’s promise is fulfilled that Jesus should rule the nations.  God is faithful!