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Origen explains "One must consider that these things to have been said in a physical image, not that there are any chairs or thrones perceptible to the senses situated in the heavens on which the Father is seated at the Son at the right hand of the Father for should we think in this way we would not be saying things worthy of the divine nature. For neither does the earth 'the footstool of' his 'feet' (Is. 66.1) lie, in a physical sense under God who is seated in heaven. For how can 'heaven' be his 'throne' when it has been measured by his span? And how can the 'earth' be 'the footstool' of his 'feet' and itself have been encompassed by his hand? For Isaiah says, 'Who has measured the water in his palm and heaven with his span and the whole earth with his hand?' (Is. 40.12) I think therefore that both near and far from him are mental concepts. All on the one hand who are saints and live according to the will of the Father of the universe are also near God but the impious on the other hand, are far from him. It is of the latter that the prophet says 'Behold, those who remove themselves from you will perish, (Ps. 72.27). Therefore just as one has been considered near God and another far from him, so must one consider the saints to be said to be at his right hand but the impious at his left, as it were, as the Savior also says, "The sheep will stand at the right hand but the goats at the left." (Matt. 25.33). But also the phrase, 'having seated him at his right hand' means 'having made him sit to sit down and having presented him a kingdom and sovereignty,' in accordance with which Jesus, who has come to be 'above' all things because of the dispensation which is benevolent to all things, has the care of and the sovereignty over the saints, helping them and sharing himself with them.There are many, therefore, who have sovereignty over and rule those in need of the care which comes from him, and many who have authority, and many who have dominion. These are, in addition, many who share in his own power, some working in this age and some in the age to come. None of these, has as great a sovereignty as the Son for all those who have sovereignty need him to have sovereignty over themselves. However those authorities who are under the authority of Christ exercise authority better because the 'power' of God exceeds every other power.
But even if some have been brought to a useful servanthood by those who exercise dominion well, it is necessary that these who exercise dominion, receive knowledge of exercising dominion from 'the Lord of those who exercise dominion' (cf Deut 10.17), exercise dominion over those whom they have dominion over. For which reason he who 'raised' Christ 'from the dead' seated him 'at his right hand in the heavenly places above all rule and authority and power and dominion and name named not only in this age but also in that to come.' (Eph ) For it is likely that some names which are named are not to be divulged. They are ineffable and are not to be apprehended by us in accordance with the disposition of the universe, some 'in this age' but some also in that age to come. And from that source did the apostle have knowledge of these names other than from the Holy Spirit who revealed them to him. [Origen Commentary on Ephesians according to Rufinus]
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