◄ 1 Peter 3:22 ►
who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.
Study Bible
who has gone into heaven

Jesus ascended bodily into heaven forty days after His resurrection, before the eyes of His disciples (Acts 1:9–11). His ascension completed His earthly ministry and marked His return to the Father in triumph. Psalm 68:18 anticipates the victorious ascent of the Lord, and Jesus’ departure also prepared the way for the sending of the Holy Spirit and the advance of the gospel through His church. From heaven, the risen Christ intercedes for His people and will return in the same glorified humanity in which He ascended.

Act 1:9-11 He had said this, they watched as He was taken up…
Luk 24:51 While He was blessing them, He left them…
Eph 4:8-10 This is why it says: “When He ascended on high,…

and is at the right hand of God,

Jesus occupies the place of supreme honor, authority, and royal power beside the Father. Psalm 110:1 foretold the Messiah’s enthronement at God’s right hand, a prophecy repeatedly applied to Christ in the New Testament. His seated position declares that His atoning work has been accomplished; He reigns as King, serves as the believer’s High Priest, and mediates between God and humanity.

Rom 8:34 Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died…
Act 2:33 Exalted, then, to the right hand of God,…
Psa 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord:…

with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.

Every order of angelic and spiritual power stands under Christ’s authority, including hostile powers opposed to God’s purposes. Through His death, resurrection, and exaltation, Jesus openly triumphed over the powers of darkness (Colossians 2:15). His lordship assures suffering believers that no earthly ruler, spiritual enemy, or unseen force exists beyond His sovereign rule, and all creation will finally acknowledge His authority.

Eph 1:20-22 which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him…
Heb 2:8 and placed everything under his feet.”…
1Co 15:24-27 Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The central figure in this verse, who has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God.

2. Heaven
The spiritual realm where God resides and where Jesus has ascended.

3. God
The sovereign deity, whose right hand is a position of honor and authority.

4. Angels
Spiritual beings created by God, who are subject to Christ.

5. Authorities and Powers
These refer to both spiritual and earthly realms of power that are under Christ's dominion.
Teaching Points
Christ's Authority and Sovereignty
Jesus' position at the right hand of God signifies His ultimate authority over all creation, both spiritual and earthly. Believers can find comfort and assurance in His sovereign rule.

The Role of Angels and Spiritual Beings
Angels and spiritual authorities are subject to Christ, indicating that no spiritual force can oppose His will. This reassures believers of their protection under His authority.

The Significance of the Ascension
Jesus' ascension into heaven is a pivotal event that confirms His divine nature and His role as our intercessor before God. It encourages believers to live with an eternal perspective.

Living Under Christ's Lordship
Recognizing Christ's authority should lead believers to submit to His lordship in every area of life, aligning their actions and decisions with His will.

Hope and Encouragement in Trials
Knowing that Christ reigns supreme provides hope and encouragement, especially during trials and challenges, as believers trust in His ultimate victory and justice.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding Christ's position at the right hand of God influence your daily life and decision-making?

2. In what ways can recognizing the authority of Christ over angels and powers provide comfort in spiritual warfare?

3. How does the ascension of Jesus into heaven impact your view of His role as an intercessor and mediator?

4. What practical steps can you take to live more fully under the lordship of Christ in your personal and professional life?

5. How can the assurance of Christ's ultimate victory encourage you during times of trial or uncertainty? Consider connections to other scriptures that speak of His triumph.
Connections to Other Scriptures
Philippians 2:9-11
This passage speaks of Jesus being exalted by God and given a name above every name, emphasizing His authority over all creation.

Ephesians 1:20-22
Describes how God raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand, far above all rule and authority.

Colossians 1:16-17
Highlights that all things were created through and for Christ, and He holds all things together, underscoring His supremacy.

Hebrews 1:3-4
Discusses Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become superior to angels.
Sermons
Injunctions to AllR. Finlayson 1 Peter 3:8-22
The Remembrance of Our Lord's Atonement a Help to Persecuted ChristiansC. New 1 Peter 3:18-22
People
Christians, Noah, Peter, Sara, Sarah
Places
Asia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Pontus
Topics
Angels, Authorities, God's, Heaven, Messengers, Powers, Rule, Subject, Subjected, Submission
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Peter 3:22

     1210   God, human descriptions
     1265   hand of God
     1270   right hand of God
     2012   Christ, authority
     2051   Christ, majesty of
     2069   Christ, pre-eminence
     2345   Christ, kingdom of
     2505   Christ, ascension
     4131   demons, kinds of
     5115   Peter, preacher and teacher
     9412   heaven, worship and service

1 Peter 3:18-22

     2530   Christ, death of
     7756   preaching, content

1 Peter 3:20-22

     4293   water

1 Peter 3:21-22

     2336   Christ, exaltation
     5396   lordship, of Christ
     7342   cleanliness

Library
Good Days
Eversley, 1867. Westminster, Sept. 27, 1872. 1 Peter iii. 8-12. "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Fifth Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to the Fruits of Faith.
Text: 1 Peter 3, 8-15. 8 Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tender-hearted, humble-minded: 9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile: 11 And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Hallowing Christ
'Be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.'--1 Peter iii. 14, 15. These words are a quotation from the prophet Isaiah, with some very significant variations. As originally spoken, they come from a period of the prophet's life when he was surrounded by conspirators against him, eager to destroy, and when he had been giving utterance to threatening prophecies as to the coming up of the King of Assyria, and the voice of God encouraged him and his …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

April the Ninteenth Union in Harmony
"Be ye all of one mind." --1 PETER iii. 8-17. But this is not unison: it is harmony. When an orchestra produces some great musical masterpiece, the instruments are all of one mind, but each makes its own individual contribution. There is variety with concordance: each one serves every other, and the result is glorious harmony. "By love serve one another." It is love that converts membership into fraternity: it is love that binds sons and daughters into a family. Look at a field of wild-flowers. …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Mothers, Daughters, and Wives in Israel
In order accurately to understand the position of woman in Israel, it is only necessary carefully to peruse the New Testament. The picture of social life there presented gives a full view of the place which she held in private and in public life. Here we do not find that separation, so common among Orientals at all times, but a woman mingles freely with others both at home and abroad. So far from suffering under social inferiority, she takes influential and often leading part in all movements, specially …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Faith of Abraham.
"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Power of the Holy Ghost
We shall look at the power of the Holy Ghost in three ways this morning. First, the outward and visible displays of it; second, the inward and spiritual manifestations of it; and third, the future and expected works thereof. The power of the Spirit will thus, I trust, be made clearly present to your souls. I. First, then, we are to view the power of the Spirit in the OUTWARD AND VISIBLE DISPLAYS OF IT. The power of the Sprit has not been dormant; it has exerted itself. Much has been done by the Spirit …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Consecration: what is It?
The second step that must needs be taken by those of us who have been living without the Fullness, before it can be obtained, is Consecration, a word that is very common and popular; much more common and popular, it is feared, than the thing itself. In order to be filled with the Holy Ghost one must first be "cleansed," and then one must be "consecrated". Consecration follows cleansing, and not vice versa. Intelligent apprehension of what consecration is, and of what it involves, is necessary to …
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life

The Holy Spirit in the Glorified Christ.
"Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead."--Rom. i. 4. From the foregoing studies it appears that the Holy Spirit performed a work in the human nature of Christ as He descended the several steps of His humiliation to the death of the cross. The question now arises, whether He had also a work in the several steps of Christ's exaltation to the excellent glory, i.e., in His resurrection, ascension, royal dignity, and second coming. …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Of Baptism.
1. Baptism defined. Its primary object. This consists of three things. 1. To attest the forgiveness of sins. 2. Passages of Scripture proving the forgiveness of sins. 3. Forgiveness not only of past but also of future sins. This no encouragement to license in sin. 4 Refutation of those who share forgiveness between Baptism and Repentance. 5 Second thing in Baptism--viz. to teach that we are ingrafted into Christ for mortification and newness of life. 6. Third thing in Baptism--viz. to teach us that …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Authenticity and Credibility of the Pentateuch.
1. The historic truth of the Pentateuch is everywhere assumed by the writers of the New Testament in the most absolute and unqualified manner. They do not simply allude to it and make quotations from it, as one might do in the case of Homer's poems, but they build upon the facts which it records arguments of the weightiest character, and pertaining to the essential doctrines and duties of religion. This is alike true of the Mosaic laws and of the narratives that precede them or are interwoven …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

And not Without Just Cause a Doubt is Raised...
14. And not without just cause a doubt is raised, whether he said this of all married women, or of such as so many are, as that nearly all may be thought so to be. For neither doth that, which he saith of unmarried women, "She, that is unmarried, thinkest of the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit:" [1973] pertain unto all unmarried women: whereas there are certain widows who are dead, who live in delights. However, so far as regards a certain distinction and, as it were, character …
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage

Concerning Peaceableness
Blessed are the peacemakers. Matthew 5:9 This is the seventh step of the golden ladder which leads to blessedness. The name of peace is sweet, and the work of peace is a blessed work. Blessed are the peacemakers'. Observe the connection. The Scripture links these two together, pureness of heart and peaceableness of spirit. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable' (James 3:17). Follow peace and holiness' (Hebrews 12:14). And here Christ joins them together pure in heart, and peacemakers', …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Its Nature
Justification, strictly speaking, consists in God's imputing to His elect the righteousness of Christ, that alone being the meritorious cause or formal ground on which He pronounces them righteous: the righteousness of Christ is that to which God has respect when He pardons and accepts the sinner. By the nature of justification we have reference to the constituent elements of the same, which are enjoyed by the believer. These are, the non-imputation of guilt or the remission of sins, and second, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

Exhortations to Christians as they are Children of God
1 There is a bill of indictment against those who declare to the world they are not the children of God: all profane persons. These have damnation written upon their forehead. Scoffers at religion. It were blasphemy to call these the children of God. Will a true child jeer at his Father's picture? Drunkards, who drown reason and stupefy conscience. These declare their sin as Sodom. They are children indeed, but cursed children' (2 Peter 2:14). 2 Exhortation, which consists of two branches. (i) Let …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Sanctification
'For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.' I Thess 4:4. The word sanctification signifies to consecrate and set apart to a holy use: thus they are sanctified persons who are separated from the world, and set apart for God's service. Sanctification has a privative and a positive part. I. A privative part, which lies in the purging out of sin. Sin is compared to leaven, which sours; and to leprosy, which defiles. Sanctification purges out the old leaven.' I Cor 5:5. Though it takes not …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

John Bunyan on the Terms of Communion and Fellowship of Christians at the Table of the Lord;
COMPRISING I. HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH, AND REASON OF HIS PRACTICE; II. DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM NO BAR TO COMMUNION; AND III. PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE[1] ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Reader, these are extraordinary productions that will well repay an attentive perusal. It is the confession of faith of a Christian who had suffered nearly twelve years' imprisonment, under persecution for conscience sake. Shut up with his Bible, you have here the result of a prayerful study of those holy …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Concerning the Sacrament of Baptism
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to the riches of His mercy has at least preserved this one sacrament in His Church uninjured and uncontaminated by the devices of men, and has made it free to all nations and to men of every class. He has not suffered it to be overwhelmed with the foul and impious monstrosities of avarice and superstition; doubtless having this purpose, that He would have little children, incapable of avarice and superstition, to be initiated into …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Differences in Judgment About Water Baptism, no Bar to Communion: Or, to Communicate with Saints, as Saints, Proved Lawful.
IN ANSWER TO A BOOK WRITTEN BY THE BAPTISTS, AND PUBLISHED BY MR. T. PAUL AND MR. W. KIFFIN, ENTITLED, 'SOME SERIOUS REFLECTIONS ON THAT PART OF MR BUNYAN'S CONFESSION OF FAITH, TOUCHING CHURCH COMMUNION WITH UNBAPTIZED BELIEVERS.' WHEREIN THEIR OBJECTIONS AND ARGUMENTS ARE ANSWERED, AND THE DOCTRINE OF COMMUNION STILL ASSERTED AND VINDICATED. HERE IS ALSO MR. HENRY JESSE'S JUDGMENT IN THE CASE, FULLY DECLARING THE DOCTRINE I HAVE ASSERTED. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'Should not the multitude of words be answered? …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Greatness of the Soul,
AND UNSPEAKABLENESS 0F THE LOSS THEREOF; WITH THE CAUSES OF THE LOSING IT. FIRST PREACHED AT PINNER'S HALL and now ENLARGED AND PUBLISHED FOR GOOD. By JOHN BUNYAN, London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682 Faithfully reprinted from the Author's First Edition. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Our curiosity is naturally excited to discover what a poor, unlettered mechanic, whose book-learning had been limited to the contents of one volume, could by possibility know …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

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