Jesus: Son of Man

Jesus: Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David - Part II

Son of Man

The term “son of man” is probably Jesus' favorite title for himself. The term appears 30 times in Matthew's gospel, 14 times in Mark's gospel, 25 times in Luke's gospel, and 12 times in the gospel of John. It is also found many times throughout the Old Testament, especially in Ezekiel where God refers to the prophet often as “son of man”. Perhaps the most notable passage though, is Numbers 23:19,

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a 'son of man', that he should change his mind...”

Here we get the real impact of the meaning of the term. Son of man is placed in opposition to Deity. To say one is a son of man is to say that he is human, that's it. Eerdman's Bible Dictionary says the term Son of Man is

“...a Semitic idiom for an individual human being or for mankind in general, particularly as distinguished from God”

As mentioned earlier, the term appears extensively throughout the book of Ezekiel. When God calls Ezekiel “son of man”, it is way to emphasize, or call attention to, His Deity and Ezekiels humanity - he is simply calling him “man”. Likewise, when Jesus refers to himself as “Son of Man” he is affirming his humanity. But in addition to his humanity, he affirms his status as God's Messiah, the Chosen One – His vice regent, or “right hand man”, if you will!

The 80th Psalm illustrates this point well. Here David prays for the restoration and salvation of Israel which he refers to as the “vine out of Egypt” (verse 8). But prophetically, this also looks forward to Jesus as “the true vine” (John 15:1) who also was brought out of Egypt (Matthew 2:13-19; Hosea 11:1). Then in verse 17 we find the term “son of man”.

“But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!” Psalms 80:17 (ESV)

Notice that the “son of man” is the MAN of God's right hand, who God MADE strong for Himself...”

Also, in the book of Daniel we find...

“I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” --Dan 7:13-14 (ASV)

This is probably the main Old Testament background for Jesus use of the term for Himself. Notice in both texts above that the “Son of Man” is MADE strong and GIVEN glory and a kingdom! Throughout the gospels Jesus constantly reaffirms the message that he does not act on his own but that his words, his deeds and his authority are all GIVEN to him directly from his Father. He never contradicts his own assertion of being the “Son of Man” by suggesting that he is also God Almighty (although many trinitarians use certain texts to support that view).

Matthew 12:32 clearly shows the difference between the “Son of Man” and God. Here, in Jesus own words...

“And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

Now this is a strange thing for Jesus to say, if He is Deity. According the the doctrine of the Trinity, all three persons are “co-equal” - they are all three equally God. How are we to understand this then? If Jesus is both God and man, and the Holy Spirit is God, do not both deserve equal respect and honor? How can one blaspheme the Holy Spirit – God, and not be forgiven; yet blaspheme the Son of Man – God, and receive forgiveness? Something is amiss.

I think the answer is an easy one, if we can accept it. The simple truth is that Jesus, as the “Son of Man”, is human – anointed of God, but not himself God; the Holy Spirit here is God's power at work in His Messiah, - NOT a 3^rd person in a Trinity. We should remember that “ the spirit” was GIVEN to Jesus “without measure”, according to John 3:34. In other words, Jesus was endowed abundantly with God's Spirit so that Paul could say “...in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell.” (Colossians 1:19).

In Mark's account (Mark 3:28-30) we are given the answer to what it means to blaspheme the Spirit in verse 30, "for they had said, 'He has an unclean spirit'." So then, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the same as saying Jesus did miracles by demonic power rather than by God's power! To make such a statement would be to totally miss and fail to recognize the nature of Jesus relationship to God. But the point I wish to make here is that Jesus , the Son of Man, was a fully human Messiah, anointed with God's spirit, but not himself God.

One last text I'd like to mention is Hebrews chapter 2. I like the reading from the NET Bible, which says...

"2:5 For he did not put the world to come, about which we are speaking, under the control of angels. 2:6 Instead someone testified somewhere:
“What is man that you think of him or the son of man that you care for him?
2:7 You made him lower than the angels for a little while.
You crowned him with glory and honor.
2:8 You put all things under his control.”
For when he put all things under his control, he left nothing outside of his control. At present we do not yet see all things under his control, 2:9 but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God’s grace he would experience death on behalf of everyone. 2:10 For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 2:11 For indeed he who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin, and so he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 2:12 saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.” 2:13 Again he says, “I will be confident in him,” and again, “Here I am, with the children God has given me.” 2:14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), 2:15 and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death. 2:16 For surely his concern is not for angels, but he is concerned for Abraham’s descendants. 2:17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 2:18 For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted."

The above Scriptures, when read in context, make it abundantly clear that Jesus as “Son of Man” is human, and therefore separate in “substance” or “essence” from God. The whole point the writer of the book of Hebrews is making is to show that the New Covenant established through Jesus is superior to the Old. Jesus Himself is superior over all that have gone before him, including angels, the prophets, Moses, and the priesthood. So then, Jesus, as “son of man” is the human Messiah. One might rightly say that Jesus is divine, but it cannot be said that he is Deity from either the title “Son of God” or “Son of Man”.