John Calvin Commentary Matthew 22:44

"The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I put thine enemies underneath thy feet?" — Matthew 22:44 (ASV)

The Lord said to my Lord. Here the Holy Spirit puts a song of triumph into the mouths of all the godly, so that they may boldly defy Satan and all the ungodly, and mock at their rage when they attempt to drive Christ from His throne.

So that they may not hesitate or tremble when they perceive great commotions in the world, they are commanded to place the holy and inviolable decree of God in opposition to all the efforts of adversaries.

The meaning, therefore, is this: whatever the madness of men, all that they dare to contrive will be of no avail in destroying the kingdom of Christ, which has been established not by human will but by God’s appointment, and therefore is supported by eternal strength.

Whenever this kingdom is violently attacked, let us remember this revelation from heaven; for undoubtedly, this promise was given to Christ so that every believer may apply it personally. But God never changes or deceives, retracting what has once gone out of His mouth.

Sit at my right hand. This phrase is used metaphorically for the second or next rank, which is occupied by God’s deputy. Therefore, it signifies holding the highest government and power in the name of God, as we know that God has committed His authority to His only-begotten Son, to govern His Church by His agency.

This expression, therefore, does not indicate any particular place but, on the contrary, encompasses heaven and earth under Christ’s government.

And God declares that Christ will sit till His enemies are subdued, to inform us that His kingdom will remain invincible against every attack. This does not mean that when His enemies have been subdued, He will be deprived of the power that had been granted to Him.

Rather, while the whole multitude of His enemies are laid low, His power will remain forever unimpaired. Meanwhile, this points out the condition of His kingdom that we perceive today, so that we may not be uneasy when we see it attacked on all sides.