John 13:31-33
November 4, 2007
The Son of Man
‘Honorable’ ‘Excellent’ ‘Sir’ ‘Master’ ‘Gracious’ ‘Most Admirable’ ‘Liar’ ‘Thief’ ‘Wicked’ ‘Scum’ What do all these things have in common? They are all titles.
A title serves many functions. A title is something that is given to distinguish one thing from another. The name of a movie is its title. When I say, have you seen Braveheart you know what movie I am talking about because of its title. A title is something that is used to distinguish one thing from another. Titles are forms of distinction. Sometimes that distinction is not for an individual person or thing but for a group: For example the title: Doctor distinguishes between all the people who have spent years of life in school studying and earned their doctorate from all of those who have not. Titles are used to distinguish. The help us understand some differences that exist between things. Sometimes a title is also a statement of quality, name brands on clothing or products are titles. You see a t.v made by Sony and you know it is more or less reliable and a good product. You see a t.v made by George’s Orange Tree T.V Factory and that quality may not be as sure.
A title serves many functions. A title is used to distinguish one thing or person from another. However at the same time it can be used to associate people as well. To call someone Irish may be to separate him from all of those who were not born in Ireland or it may be to associate him with all those who were. Some titles are given not to separate but to join. When you call someone a doctor you may be separating him from all of those who are not doctors, or you may be joining him with all of those who are. Same title…many functions.
Now some titles are given, other titles are earned. Take a king. A king is born. They are the son of a king and start out as a prince. Then when daddy dies, prince becomes king. It is a title that is given because of birth. There are other titles that are earned. Like General. You are not born a general in the military. That is a honorable title that you earn by your quality service in the military.
This use of titles is nothing unique to our time. Titles have been around for thousands of years. Jesus himself was a man familiar with titles. He had many that were given to Him, and a few that He gave to Himself. One of these…actually one of Jesus’ favorite designations for Himself…the son of man.
Jn 12:34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
Jn 13:31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. Jn 13:32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. Jn 13:33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
The Son of man…Jesus’ favorite way to describe Himself. He will actually refer to Himself this way nearly 80 times. The Son of man is Jesus’ title for Himself. He has many titles…He will be called many things…but it is this title that He seems to prefer when talking about Himself.
One of the great aspects of a title is the revelation it may bring about a person that may have been otherwise unknown: the title doctor, at least ideally signifies a certain level of intelligence, the title prince signifies a certain nobility of birth. Titles can tell you a lot about a person if properly understood. So when looking at the character of Jesus…we would be remiss to skip over this poignant title. Titles however can do even more than simply tell you about someone…many titles that are given have a story behind them. So I want to take you back a few thousand years. Not to Jesus’ day…a few thousand years before that even. Rome was not yet an empire…in fact…Rome did not yet exist. The Greeks were not yet the leaders of the intellectual world…nor was the world so orderly and prepared for the coming of the Messiah. This time was long before that; before the intricate road systems…before the uniquely complex koine Greek language. This was the time of Babylon: the great an terrible empire that would build one of the wonders of the ancient world and one of the great empires that would enslave the people of God. I want to take you back to one of the most prophetic books in the Bible. I want to take you to a book that is matched only by Revelation in its prophecies of the end times…to the book of Daniel chapter 7:13
Da 7:13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. Da 7:14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
This title that Jesus uses of Himself is not vestigial. It is not like being the Queen in England now which is little more than a figure head. This title is a key image of the true nature and character of Jesus. He is the Son of Man…referring to Daniel 7. A book the Jews would have been very familiar with…certainly there is a possible connection here to the title that Jesus gives Himself. This may not have been Jesus ultimate intent in using the phrase, but it is certainly a connection that should have been made. This ‘Son of Man’ entered into the presence of the Ancient of Days…God…and was given authority and power. If it was not Jesus intention…which it likely was…it is certainly fitting of His person.
On the other hand you can almost see Jesus smiling as He uses it. Almost as if He found the whole thing funny. Man puts so much stock in titles and positions but He is the Son of God. He created all life. He created everything. Speech, words, the ability to communicate, even the titles that were given all came from the creative nature of Jesus. So when He refers to Himself as ‘the son of man’ you have to wonder if He found the irony of that title humorous. He created man. He was God. Yet He clothed Himself as a man…looking like everyone else…looking like His creation. You have to wonder if Jesus found this just a little humorous. Certainly the ironic elements of the title are easily seen.
It is unclear if Jesus meant something more by His referring to Himself as the Son of Man than to associate Himself with the Daniel 7 prophesy. There are many different views as to what He specifically means when He uses the phrase ‘son of man’. Some of those views are well thought out…others are very unlikely. The phrase ‘son of man’ could just be a Hebrew idiom to say: ‘human’ or ‘man’. Certainly that is possible and does fit with some Aramaic texts. Also argued is that the usage is a unique self designation. The speaker is using this to phrase to refer to himself. So it is not necessarily a reference to man in general but an idiom for saying: ‘I’ or ‘me’. This also is possible. More likely is that it is used to describe a specific group to which the speaker would belong, or as a way to refer to himself modestly or to speak of issues that he found distasteful, such as his own death. Then the phrase ‘son of man’ was used to avoid speaking directly in the first person. That is the most likely view but Jesus could have meant any number of things when He called Himself ‘son of man’. What we know is this: it is Jesus’ most frequent way of referring to Himself. It is also (apart from Christ) the most frequent description of Jesus given in the Gospels. Jesus will use this title over the issue of authority in places where He is challenged. Jesus speaks and acts as one who has the authority of God. He claims to forgive sins and to have a connection with Lordship. In both of these cases He will use the designation ‘Son of man’ for Himself. Jesus used this designation in references to suffering, resurrection, and His future coming. It is certainly a poignant picture of the character of Jesus.
This particular designation also tells us a bit more about the character of Jesus than we may realize. Jesus could have rightly adorned himself with any title He so chose. He could have referred to Himself as ‘Son of the Holy God’ or “Majestic Creator of all life” or whatever. But the title He chose for Himself was not one that showed His connection to God…but one that showed His connection to man. Jesus could have used His time here on earth to simply carry out His mission and leave. He didn’t have to get involved in the affairs of man. He did not have to build relationships with people…He chose to and in so doing He showed us a little bit more about Himself. Jesus truly cares for people. He truly loves them. He chooses to make himself a part of their lives. He is God. That is not required. He does not have to do anything…yet He chooses to do everything.
The Son of man is more than just a title…it is a picture of the character of the Son of God. Who gave up His heavenly throne…who walked away from His divine powers and became fully man. To live and to die for crimes that He did not commit, so that He could become a perfect substationary sacrifice and take the place for our sins. What is interesting is that this title is never used of Jesus after His resurrection or within the church. The phrase ‘son of man’ was not so much a title given to Jesus…but a designation He gave to Himself. It was never used within the early church as a description of Jesus for it was recognized as a self-designation and replaced with words and titles that were clearer and more significant to what Jesus did and who He was. This title after all had meaning only to the Jews. Jesus mission was a little bigger than simply saving the Jews. The designation ‘son of man’ is certainly a common one throughout Scripture, but in light of what Jesus did for us, it is certainly an inadequate way to think of Him. He deserves much more glory and honor than simply being thought of as a man. The title Son of man is a title Jesus used for Himself…we ought to think of Him a bit higher than that. It is fair for the King to refer to Himself by whatever name He so chooses…but we are not the king, and our thinking of Jesus should be more reverent than that. While we may not always think highly enough of Jesus, we certainly always think too highly of ourselves.
Jesus showed us some amazing things in His life: apart from His miracles, apart from His teaching, apart from His lifestyle…Jesus showed us one incredible thing: humility. The one man who needed not be humble…the one person who had the right to think of Himself as the greatest thing in the universe…the one man whom the universe does really revolve around…does not act as such.
Phil 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Phil 2:6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, Phil 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Phil 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Phil 2:9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, Phil 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Phil 2:11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Instead of holding onto His own greatness Jesus gave up everything. And for what? A few coins from your pocket and the regular church attendance? Do you really think that is why He came? Jesus did not come here to ask for your spare change and some of your free time…He gave up everything, and He wants your everything. Your life should not be spent seeking out your own personal joy and happiness. You life should not be simply a day to day routine to get by. Your life should be an everyday focus on the kingdom of God. Everything you do should be for the kingdom of the God who saves you.
Your attitude…you life will become like the one whom you follow. You may seek yourself…you may seek this world…or you may seek the kingdom of God. Those are your options…but only one of those options leads to life. So who will you follow? Will you follow yourself? Will you run your own life? Living for what you want, doing as you please, maybe giving up a weekend or two out of obligation but not really letting go of much. Will you live this life for yourself…pursuing your own wants and desires following yourself through the walk of life? Or will you follow the desires of the world pursuing success, career, fame, fortune, and the pleasures of the flesh? You can chose to follow the world…and it will lead you know where. This world promises you everything, but gives you nothing. One day this life will fade away. All that you know, all of the things of this world will turn to dust, and everything you built in this world will go along with it.
But there is hope. There is a way out. There is a way to keep from turning to ash along with the things of this world…and that way is a lifestyle of following Jesus Christ. Looking to His example and modeling your own life after it. Jesus was a man of humility, of patience, and of love. He lived a righteous life never putting Himself before others, and always working for the kingdom of God. Will you follow Him? Will you give up everything? Will you give up yourself? Will you clothe yourself with humility and live like your savior? Or will you try to live like this world? The choice is up to you. One leads to eternal life and blessings beyond what you can understand…the other leads to something far worse than anything you can imagine in this life. Today you have a choice to make…a choice that you must make everyday: God, or self.
Which one will you choose?
