The Son Of Man Series

Introduction:

This Wednesday begins the Lent season leading up to Easter. For Lent supposed to give up something. This year let’s give up cold weather and snow.

There are some who believe that the cross was not the original plan of God. The original plan was to have the Jews accept their Messiah the first time around and then set up a world wide earthly kingdom with Jesus as the King. They say that the cross, the resurrection, and the church is an apostrophe in the plans of God, a plan B. After this time of the church and the Gentiles then God will get back to his original plans with Israel. God is just waiting for the right time for the Jews to come back to His ways before He uses them again.

Hogwash, the cross was in the mind of God since the creation of the world. The Jews rejecting their Messiah was not a surprise to God, it was all part of the plan. The cross of Christ is not an apostrophe or Plan B, it is and was Plan A all the time. God’s will and ways are not thwarted by man. God uses man’s actions, even the sinful ones, to execute His plan.

Another question and debate that goes along with this is what did Jesus know about his death, his main mission, and when and how did he know it? We know that Jesus came to earth as a baby, as a man, and that he “emptied himself.” (NASB- Philippians 2:7) Because of this Jesus grew in wisdom like any normal child until he became a man. In other words Jesus didn’t know everything, he had to learn things. Question remains: What did Jesus know about his death and when and how did he know it? We will never know the answers with complete satisfaction because the NT does not give that information.

The first 3 gospels all contain an episode with his disciples during the ministry of Jesus around Galilee. At this time Jesus knew a great deal about his death even though it was a few years in the future. “Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”” Luke 9:18-22, NIV. We see here that one full year before His death, Jesus knew a great deal about the Passover Plan. Talking about the plan that was being orchestrated by God and also Jesus Christ to bring about the salvation of mankind through the cross.

Part of the plan involved that phrase in Luke 9:22 that Jesus used- the Son of Man.

For most of us this is not that big of a deal. Yes, Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man. Son of Man referring to his humanity and Son of God referring to his divinity, Godhood. However, for the people of that day, these terms had slightly different meanings.

Thesis: Talk about how the phrase “the Son of Man” fits into the Passover Plan

For instances:

Where did this title come from

Mainly comes from here: ““In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, (one like the Son of man- KJV) coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13, 14

In this apocalyptic vision this son of man approached the heavenly throne of the Ancient of Days (who can do that?) while riding on the clouds.

God gave him authority over all creation for eternity. What mortal man will have all that?

Jews were looking for one who would be appointed by God to be ruler and judge over all

Jesus’ use of the phrase “ The Son of Man”

Jesus used the phrase “Son of Man’ to refer to himself at least 34 times in the Gospels, more than any other phrase. Jesus used this phrase in a way that indicated the claim to heavenly majesty associated with it (from Daniel)