The second state of Christ is Exaltation. Reformed theology teaches that the person of Jesus Christ is the subject of the exaltation which took place in Christ’s human nature. Christ’s divine nature is not the active site in the exaltation or in the humiliation because the divine nature is incapable of humiliation or exaltation. In the exaltation, the person of Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, was removed from the burden and curse of the law which was exchanged for righteousness under the law to possess salvation and glorification and to assume His place as Prophet, Priest, and King of the kingdom of God.
Scripture provides proof of Christ’s exaltation (Phil. 2:9-11; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:26; John 7:39; Acts 2:33; 5:31; Rom. 8:17, 34; Eph. 1:20; 4:10; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:3; 2:9; 10:12). The state of exaltation follows immediately the state of humiliation. The state of exaltation is the judicial result of the state of humiliation. In His mitigation, Christ met the demands of the law; He paid the penalty for sin and lived a perfectly obedient life meriting righteousness and eternal life.
There are four stages of the state of exaltation, 1) the resurrection, 2) the ascension, 3) sitting at the right hand of God, 4) the physical return of Christ. Louis Berkhof writes of the significance of Christ’s exaltation as follows:
Each one of the stages was a virtual declaration of God that Christ met the demands of the law, and was therefore entitled to His reward. The first two stages also had exemplary significance, since they symbolized what will take place in the life of believers. And, finally, all four stages were designed to be instrumental in the perfect glorification of believers.[1]
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (The Banner of Truth Trust, 2012), 350.
THE RESURRECTION
The nature of Christ’s resurrection was not simply a reuniting of body and soul and their return to life. Others had already been returned to life in this manner (See 1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:18-27; 2 Kings 4:18-37; 2 Kings 13:20-21; Luke 7:11-17; Luke 8:49-56; John 11:1-44; Matt. 27:50-54; Acts 9:36-42; Acts 20:7-12). If Christ’s resurrection was like these others then he would not have been referred to as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20), or “the firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:18) or “the firstborn of the dead” (Rev. 1:5).
Christ’s resurrection, which prefigures the general resurrection of believers, sees His human nature, body and soul, restored to a perfect state with the body and soul being “reunited in a living organism.”[2] We know something about the nature of Christ’s body from the apostle Paul who writes in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Paul is not suggesting that the resurrection body is a different body altogether. Instead, he is pointing out the magnificent change from perishable, dishonor, and weakness to imperishable, glory, and power. He is describing the physical and spiritual resurrected body. The resurrection body will appear noticeably different as we see in Scripture references regarding the resurrected body of Jesus (Luke 24:31, 36; John 20:13, 19; 21:7). Christ was raised from the dead by the work of the triune God.
THE ASCENSION
The whole person of Christ, the true body and soul ascended in the presence and sight of his disciples. It was an actual transfer of the resurrected person, Jesus Christ from earth to heaven, which is an actual place. Scripture speaks of heaven as the dwelling place of angels and saints and the human nature Christ. These are spatial creatures. During this transfer from earth to heaven, the human nature of Christ “passed into the fullness of heavenly glory and was perfectly adapted to the life of heaven.”[3] Charles Hodge writes of the necessity of the ascension Christ.
Heaven was his home… This world is not suited for the Redeemer’s abode in his state of exaltation… It was necessary that as our High Priest He should, after offering Himself as a sacrifice, pass through the heavens, to appear before God in our behalf… The great blessing which the prophets predicted as characteristic of the Messianic period, was the effusion of the Holy Spirit. To secure that blessing for the Church his ascension was necessary… His ascension, therefore, was necessary for the completion of his work.[4]
Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, vol. II (Hendrickson, 2016), 634-35.
SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD
After Jesus’ betrayal He is brought before Caiaphas the high priest and in response to Caiaphas’ question for a response from Jesus regarding the two false witnesses, Jesus predicted that he would sit at the right hand of power (Matt. 26:64). We find reference to His sitting at the right hand of God and reigning as King elsewhere in Scripture (Acts 2:33-36; 5:31; Eph. 1:20-22; Heb. 10:12; 1 Pet. 3:22; Rev. 3:21; 22:1; Rom. 14:9; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Heb. 2:7, 8). John Calvin agrees with this assessment when he refers to Mark 16:19, So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Calvin wrote “You see to what end he is so seated, namely, that all creatures both in heaven and earth should reference his majesty, be ruled by his hand, do him implicit homage, and submit to his power.”[5] Of course, the term “sitting at the right hand” should not be taken literally; it is just an anthropomorphic device to indicate Christ’s reign over the Church and the kingdom of God.
THE PHYSICAL RETURN OF CHRIST
This stage represents the high point of Christ’s exaltation where the one who suffered at the hands of men returns to judge the world. Jesus himself speaks of this in John 5:22, 23, The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. We find reference to this also in Acts 10:42; 17:31. Christ’s anticipated coming (parousia) is found mentioned several times in scripture (Matt. 24:3, 27, 37, 39; 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thess. 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:1; Ja. 5:7, 8; 2 Pet. 3:4); the indication of a revealing of the concealed glory and majesty of Jesus (apocalupsis), which is found in several passages (2 Thess. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:7, 13; 4:13) and Christ’s glorious appearance in the future (epiphaneia) is spoken of elsewhere in Scripture (2 Thess. 2:8: 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:1-8; Tit. 2:13).[6] Christ’s return will be a physical and visible return (Acts 1:11). And as mentioned before, he is coming to judge the world and perfect salvation.
[1] Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (The Banner of Truth Trust, 2012), 350.
[2] Berkhof, 351.
[3] Berkhof, 355.
[4] Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, vol. II (Hendrickson, 2016), 634-35.
[5] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 16:15, Tran. Henry Beveridge (Hendrickson, 2008): 336.
[6] Berkhof, 359.
