The favorite self-designation
of Jesus was "the Son of Man." In this chosen term
Jesus used it to veil His eternal glory and mark His
humanity.
The expression "the Son of Man"
is used 80 times in the New Testament and in Matthew
8:20 for the first time. Jesus said to him, “The
foxes have holes and the birds of the air have
nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His
head.”
The term was convenient for
Jesus to conceal His Messianic title. Except on two
occasions Jesus is only one who uses this title.
"“Look!” The martyr Stephen called out, “I see the
heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the
right hand of God!" (Acts 7:56, NET)
The title clearly
points to Jesus as the Messiah (Daniel 7:13-14). Yet
it conceals it in such a way as to protect Him from
the Jewish people of His day who looked for a
political messiah.
James Orr notes when we compare
these words from Daniel 7:13-14 with the words of
Jesus to the high priest during His trial in Matthew
26:64, the echo of the Old Testament words cannot be
mistaken. "I kept looking in the night visions, And
behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of
Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of
Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was
given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, that all the
peoples, nations and men of every language Might
serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion
which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one
which will not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).
"Jesus said to him, ‘You have said it yourself;
nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the
Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and
coming on the clouds of heaven”" (Matthew 26:64).
Equally distinct is it in the great discourse
in Matthew 24:30, “Then shall appear the sign of the
Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes
of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of
man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory.”
Jesus Christ has many titles in
the New Testament, but clearly the title He chose
when referring to Himself was "the Son of Man." He
used it when speaking of His deity and His humanity.
He used it to communicate the two most important
truths about His person: His full deity and His full
humanity. He is the God-man. He is God with us.
The term "Son of Man" conveys
to the hearer that Jesus was fully man. He was a
human being with flesh and bones. He was a "man." It
was His way of freely identifying Himself with
mankind. He was one of us, and He put His emphasis
on His humanity. Son of Man basically communicates
to us, "I am one of you."
Moreover, Jesus called Himself
"the Son of Man" which expressed more than mere
humanity. When He used the title "the Son of Man,"
He was using the title in Daniel to refer to One who
will come on the clouds of heaven with the authority
of the Ancient of Days and reign with sovereign
power (Matthew 26:64). In this sense "the Son of
Man" was Jesus' way of saying, "I am the divine
sovereign King." It reminds us of Psalm two. There
was no mistake about His use of the title in this
way because the high priest, Caiaphas, jumped on
Jesus' use of the tile and accused Him of blasphemy
and condemned Him to death. Caiaphas and the council
knew what Jesus was referring to, and that He was
relating Himself to Daniel 7:13-14.
A number of scholars point out
that Jesus could use the title "the Son of Man" and
fill it with fresh new meaning of His own without
denying the concealed messianic meaning in Daniel.
Jesus used the term when referring to Himself in
order to prevent the Jewish people from identifying
Him with political ambitions. During the turbulent
time in which Jesus lived, Israel expected a
political deliverer who would come and save His
people from the domination of the Roman Empire.
Jesus avoided the misunderstanding of the Jewish
people in their use of the term messiah. The title
did not convey a messianic claim to the Jewish
public.
How did Jesus use the tile "the
Son of Man"? What did He mean to communicate about
Himself?
Central to the meaning of "the
Son of Man" is one who speaks and acts with divine
power and authority.
1. Jesus uses the title when
referring to His pre-incarnate existence. John 6:62,
"What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to
where He was before?" Jesus is referring to the time
before He came to earth when He was seated at the
right hand of the Father in heaven (Jn.
17:5). "The Son of Man" existed from eternity
(cf. John 1:1-3, 14).
2. Jesus used the term "Son of
Man" when predicting His suffering, death and
resurrection (John 3:14-15; 12:32-34). The Son of
Man "must be lifted up." The Son of Man suffered and
died to give eternal life to all who will believe on
Him (Jn. 6:27). This food remains forever and has
the effect of producing life forever. Only the Son
of Man can accomplish this.
3. In order for people to be
saved they must put their faith in the Son of Man
(John 6:53-54). His saving work on the cross must be
appropriated by faith in order to be saved.
4. The one who is "like the son
of man" means He is also God; He is the God-man
(Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus has authority to reign and
judge because He is the Son of Man. In the book of
Daniel the Son of Man acts like a sovereign Judge
(Matt. 10:23; 13:41; 16:27, 28; 17:9; 24:27, 30, 37,
39, 44). He receives "authority, glory and sovereign
power." He is God.
5. One day Jesus Christ will
return to reign in glory as the sovereign King of
kings and Lord of Lords (John 5:25-27; Daniel 7:14;
Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 5-6). The messianic
consciousness of Jesus is expressed in Matthew
25:31, “But when the Son of man shall come in his
glory, and all the angels with him, then shall He
sit on the throne of his glory”!
Matthew 8:20; 9:6; 12:8, 32,
40; 13:41; 16:13, 27; 17:9; 19:28; 26:64; Mark 8:38;
Luke 12:8; 18:8; 21:36; John 1:51; 3:13; 6:27;
12:34; Acts 7:56
1. Since the Son of Man was
"one of us" we have a great high priest to whom we
can go to in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).
2. If we have bowed in
submission to the Son of Man we will one day welcome
His return as the sovereign King of kings
(Philippians 2:9-11).
3. Jesus, the Son of Man, has
divine power and authority to rule as sovereign over
our lives.
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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