Note 6 at Mr 10:37: Josephus indicated (The Antiquities of the Jews, Book 6, Chapter 11, Section 9) that in a royal court, to sit at the right hand is the highest assigned position and to sit at the left is the next highest position.

A person of great authority who sat someone upon his right hand gave him equal honor with himself (Mr 10:40). This term "right hand" is used in Scripture for the highest place of honor for Solomon's mother (1Ki 2:19), queens (Ps 45:9), the exalted Son of God (Ps 110:1; Mt 26:64; Mr 14:62; Lu 22:69; Ac 2:33-34, 7:56; Ro 8:34; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3, 13, 8:1, 10:12; 1Pe 3:22; and Re 3:21), and of greatness in God's kingdom (Mt 20:21).

In the Old Testament, the accepted practice of the laying on of hands seems to indicate that a greater blessing was transmitted through the right hand and a lesser through the left (Ge 48:14, 17, and 20).