When He was before the Jewish Council He had declared to them, "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power." And the High Priest, hearing these words, cried out, "He hath spoken blasphemy" (S. Matt. xxvi. 64, 65); because he understood that He was thus openly claiming to be Messiah--the King--of whom David had said, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (Ps. cx. 1). And inasmuch as He had previously silenced the Pharisees with these same words, asking them to explain how David could speak of Messiah as "my Lord" (S. Matt. xxii. 44; S. Mark xii. 36; S. Luke xx. 42), when He was to be the Son of David, we can see that the importance of this passage is very great. And that for two reasons. First, as testifying that Christ should be no mere human descendant of David, because David calls Him Lord; and, secondly, as foretelling the Ascension of Christ to the Throne at God's right hand. And not only do all the three first Gospels record the use which He made of this verse to silence the Jews; but we find also that S. Peter on the day of Pentecost, and also S. Paul in his Epistles to the Corinthians and to the Hebrews (Acts ii. 34; 1 Cor. xv. 25; Heb. i. 13, x. 13), quoted it in support of their arguments that our Lord was exalted to His Throne. The Apostles argued in this way; David had thus clearly foretold the Ascension of Christ, and that His Ascension would be to the Throne of power, at the right hand of God. Therefore, inasmuch as He had ascended into Heaven, His Ascension was clearly the fulfilment of the prophecy, in order that He might make His solemn entry upon His kingly office, and be seated on His Throne. The Ascension was the last crowning proof that Jesus was Messiah--the King of the house of David--the "Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek" (Ps. cx. 4), that is, "King of Righteousness" and "King of Peace" (Heb. vii. 2).