There is a beautiful praise song by Travis Ryan entitled, “Son of God, Son of Man” that goes like this: “Holy King on Heaven’s throne, heart of mercy to atone; so He takes on flesh and bone as angels sing Hallelujah. Son of God, Son of Man; Heaven’s Lion, perfect Lamb. Suffering servant, Great I Am; Son of God, Son of Man.” Such words inspire us to lift our hands in praise, but most of us probably can’t describe what that title or phrase actually means. However, when we sing about the Son of Man, we can sense something of the power and majesty of that name. We know it’s a title for our victory.
I am calling our message this morning, “The Son of Man,” and we will explore why this title is important for the believer. We are going to look at how this phrase “establishes Jesus’ messiahship,” how it “establishes Jesus’ humanity,” and how it “establishes mankind’s victory.” I want to let you know in advance that, because this will be an in-depth teaching, I will be drawing on numerous Christian resources. So, let’s go ahead and get started by looking at Mark chapter 14, verses 61-62.
Establishing Jesus’ Messiahship (Mark 14:61-62)
61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Probably the most commonly held understanding of the term “Son of Man” is that it’s used as a title for Jesus, referring to Him being the Messiah. In fact, “in the New Testament [it] is used forty-three times as a distinctive title of the Savior.”(1) We learn here in these verses that Jesus equates “Son of Man” with the title “Christ,” which means “anointed.” Christ is “the Greek translation of the Hebrew word rendered ‘Messiah’.”(2) The Jews thought the Messiah would be a militant king who would vindicate Israel from its foreign oppressors and establish a new kingdom. Jesus was not a militant king; but He was “a king with a kingdom,” and He used the term “Son of Man” to establish His messiahship.
In Mark 13:26-27, He said, “They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.” In John 3:13, Jesus stated, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”
Jesus was indeed the Messiah, but He did not choose this term to openly declare His kingship and lordship. He used it because it was somewhat obscure. It was mentioned only in a limited capacity in the Old Testament to refer to the Messiah. If you have ever noticed, many times in the gospels, Jesus warned people not to share His identity (Mark 1:43-44) in what is commonly called “the messianic secret.”(3) For example, we read in Mark 9:9, “He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.”
The messianic idea of the “Son of Man” is derived from Daniel 7:13-14, in which Daniel said, “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.” It is said that Jesus probably chose this Old Testament designation for Himself, because it dissociates Him from the title “Son of David” with all its political implications. “Son of Man” was not current as a messianic title in mainstream Judaism.(4)
This term was meant to be understood only by those to whom the Father had revealed it. In Matthew 16:13, Jesus asked, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Peter declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16), to which Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (v. 17). The term “Son of Man” can be utilized in reference to the Messiah; however, this is not the main emphasis that Jesus had in mind. There is another reason why He chose this title. So let’s begin to find out what that reason might be, as we now look at Luke chapter 18, verses 31-33.
Establishing Jesus’ Humanity (Luke 18:31-33)
31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33 They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
In these verses, Jesus said that the “Son of Man” would be delivered to be mocked, insulted, spit upon, scourged and killed. He also stated that He would rise again. Jesus was emphasizing the things that would happen to His body or flesh. He wanted to emphasize “His humanity.” John Calvin, in Institutes of the Christian Religion, says, “In the Hebrew idiom, the Son of Man means a true man; and Christ, doubtless, retained the idiom of His own tongue.”(5) The New Bible Dictionary supports this idea when it says, “This unusual Greek expression could have arisen only as a translation of an idiomatic Semitic phrase which means either a particular member of the species ‘man’ or mankind in general.”(6) M. G. Easton says the term “Son of Man” “denotes mankind generally, with special reference to their weakness and frailty . . . [and] it denotes the true humanity of our Lord.”(7)
The prophet Ezekiel was called “son of man” with this specific intention in mind. In Ezekiel 2:3, we read, “He said to me: ‘Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day’.” This verse emphasizes Ezekiel’s powerlessness to effect change in the heart of such a wicked group of people. Easton says that the term “son of man” “is a title frequently given to the prophet Ezekiel, probably to remind him of his human weakness,”(8) so that he will remember to rely on the Lord in the middle of the difficult assignment given to him.
Listen closely as I share some Old Testament verses that utilize the phrase “son of man” in order to emphasize humanity. Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent.” Psalm 144:3-4 states, “LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.” Psalm 146:3-4 says, “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish.” Isaiah 51:12 states, “Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and of the son of a man who will be made like grass?” Jeremiah 49:33 states, “Hazor shall be a dwelling for jackals, a desolation forever; no one shall reside there, nor son of man dwell in it.”
Now, listen as I share a New Testament verse; one where Jesus used the phrase “Son of Man” in reference to the hardships of living in “human form.” In Luke 9:58, we read, “And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head’.” Also, it was in human form that Jesus was crucified and died for our sins on the cross. In Matthew 20:28, Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Hebrews 2:17 says, “In all things He had to be made like His brethren . . . to make propitiation [or atonement] for the sins of the people. John Calvin concludes, “Our Lord . . . calls Himself the ‘Son of Man,’ wishing to express more clearly that He was a man by true human descent.”(9) The question remains as to why Jesus wanted to emphasize His humanity. Well, it has something to do with our victory. Let’s now look at our final passage, which is Luke chapter 19, verses 9-10.
Establishing Mankind’s Victory (Luke 19:9-10)
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Right here, we find the purpose of the Son of Man. Jesus came “to seek and to save that which was lost,” and to bestow “salvation” on mankind. In Luke 9:56, Jesus declared, “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” In John 3:14-15, Jesus said, “Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life,” and in Matthew chapter 25, He stated, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then . . . the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” (vv. 31, 34). The Son of Man, who is the rightful King of heaven, came down to earth to give us “salvation” and “eternal life.” He came so that we will “inherit the kingdom” of the heavenly Father! In other words, the Son of Man came into this world, in order to give us victory – both in this life and in the life to come!
As we just read in Hebrews 2:17, He did this by making atonement for our sins on the cross while in the form of His brethren. In the classic devotional My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers says, “The Cross of Christ is a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that Our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Every human being can get through into the presence of God, now, because of what the Son of Man went through.”(10) John Calvin tells us that Jesus came “to restore us to the divine favor, so as to make us, instead of sons of men, sons of God; instead of heirs of hell, heirs of a heavenly kingdom. Who could do this unless the Son of God should also become the Son of Man; and so, receive what is ours, as to transfer to us what is His, making that which is His by nature to become ours by grace?”(11)
We gain victory both in this life and in the life to come because of the cross of Christ. This all happened because Jesus made Himself a “son of man.” In Philippians 2:7-8, we read that Jesus “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Jesus came in the form of a man – a son of man – so that He could make atonement “in the flesh.” He was the perfect Lamb of God to be sacrificed for our sins (John 1:29), a Lamb without spot or blemish (1 Peter 1:19). 1 John 3:5 says, “He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.”
The perfect Lamb of God, who became the perfect man, died on the cross for each of us – in our place – in order to pay the price for our sins. We no longer have to suffer death in hell, for we who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord have been given the gift of victory over sin and death. We have been granted eternal life (Romans 6:23)! In Hebrews 2:14-15, we read, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage .” Chambers said, “There is nothing more certain in time or eternity than what Jesus Christ did on the Cross: He switched the whole of the human race back into a right relationship with God . . . He made a way for every ‘son of man’ to get into communion with God.”(12)
The “Son of Man” destroyed the works of the devil (Hebrews 2:14), therefore we have victory! The Handbook to Bible Study says, “We do not have to look very far to realize that our planet with its societies is in poor condition . . . [There is a sense] that we are overwhelmed by life and cannot overcome our weakness, particularly in regard to the sin that besets us . . . It is against this background that God’s provision comes, the encouragement of a name for the incarnate Lord Jesus Christ – Son of Man. Above all, it stresses God knows just what it is like to be human . . . Son of Man highlights His humanity, humility, and finiteness [in human form] . . . It is this title of Son of Man, then, that should be especially dear to us in our humanity . . . Should we ever feel that life has no point, we must recall that with the Son of Man we have a glorious future."(13)
We have victory in eternity because we have been given eternal life, but we also have victory in this life, in the here-and-now! This is because we have the perfect role model to look to as an example of how this present life can be lived. Hebrews 4:15 declares, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” The “Son of Man,” Jesus, was an overcomer; therefore, we too can be overcomers! Through His life and teaching, Jesus set an example of what is possible for all the “sons of men,” after they have been perfected through Christ and been made the “righteousness of God in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We read in Psalm 8:4-6, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.” This passage might be referring to how God has given dominion to the Messiah and has put all things under His feet. Perhaps, it addresses mankind to whom God said in Genesis 1:29, “Fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion . . . over every living thing that moves on the earth.” But even if this passage is only addressed to Jesus, He is our role model.
Psalm chapter 8 speaks of having dominion; and here are a few things we read in the New Testament about the authority of the believer. Paul said in Romans 16:20, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet,” and in Luke 10:19, Jesus said, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.” Like Jesus, we have been given dominion over the earth and authority over the devil. Because of what “the” Son of Man has done, all sons of men are victorious; both in eternity and in this present life!
Did you know that Jesus bestows His own authority and power on us? In the Great Commission, Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:18-19). What we see here is a transfer of authority. In Mark’s version of the Great Commission, we read in Mark 16:17-18, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” We are given Christ’s authority to share the gospel; but also, to cast out demons and heal the sick! If this is not victory, then I don’t know what is!
Jesus emphasized how He healed people as the “Son of Man.” In Mark chapter two, we read where some people brought a paralytic unto Jesus. The Scripture states, “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you’” (v. 5). We continue reading that, “Some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ‘Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone’?” (vv. 6-7). Notice how the scribes asked why this “Man” spoke blasphemies. In this passage, the word “Man” is capitalized, as they were referring to the “Son of Man.” In reply, Jesus said, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” (vv. 9-10). Jesus healed a paralytic in the form of the “Son of Man,” or while He was in human flesh, demonstrating what is possible for all the “sons of men” who choose to confess Him as Savior and Lord.
In The Teacher’s Commentary, Lawrence Richards says, “The phrase ‘Son of Man’ emphasizes Jesus’ full humanity. But even greater significance is found in the fact that . . . ‘Son of Man’ signifies Jesus’ redemptive work and mission. In the term ‘Son of Man’ Jesus presents Himself as the victor, for He accomplished all that man was intended to do, and becomes all that man was intended to be . . . a Man, with God’s prerogative of forgiving sin. A Man, with power to heal and to give life. A Man, yet victor over death. In Jesus, the very power of God entered the mainstream of humanity, and in Jesus’ authority as the Son of Man you and I find an anchor for our hope . . . The Man with all power lives today. His kingdom does remain. With Him, we also shall reign. Then – and now.”(14)
Time of Reflection
As we read earlier in Hebrews 2:14-15, Jesus came to the earth in human form to destroy the works of the devil. In doing so, He defeated both sin and death. In Revelation chapter 1, we read where the “Son of Man” declared these powerful words: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (vv. 13, 18). As “Son of Man” Jesus lived. As “Son of Man” Jesus died. As “Son of Man” Jesus rose from the dead and conquered the kingdom of darkness. Jesus, the Son of Man, demonstrated the power and authority available to all “sons of men” who trust in Him as Savior and Lord!
So, in closing, I want to ask, “Do you know the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, as Savior and Lord of your life?” John 3:14-16 says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Romans 10:9-10 tells us how to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. We read that, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” We must Admit our sins, Believe with all of our heart that Jesus died for our sins, and then Confess Him as Lord. In Luke 12:8-9, Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” I want to invite you today to confess Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life, and to receive all the benefits conferred by the “Son of Man.”
NOTES
(1) M. G. Easton, “Son of Man,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, Oak Harbor, WA: 1996, taken from Logos 2.1E on CD-ROM.
(2) Ibid., “Christ.”
(3) John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, 1983, 1985, taken from Logos 2.1E on CD-ROM.
(4) “Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ,” The New Bible Dictionary, Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House, 1962, taken from Logos 2.1E on CD-ROM.
(5) John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, A New Translation by Henry Beveridge, taken from Logos 2.1E on CD-ROM.
(6) “Titles of Jesus Christ,” The New Bible Dictionary.
(7) Easton, “Son of Man,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary.
(8) Ibid.
(9) Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion.
(10) Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, April 5, taken from Logos 2.1E on CD-ROM.
(11) Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion.
(12) Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, April 6.
(13) Paul S. Karleen, The Handbook to Bible Study, New York: Oxford University Press, 1987, taken from Logos 2.1E on CD-ROM.
(14) Lawrence O. Richards, The Teacher’s Commentary, Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1987, taken from Logos 2.1E on CD-ROM.
