Hey Deacon!

This past Sunday’s gospel, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, revealing his power over death. This miracle points to his own resurrection and gives us hope for eternal life. And in a possible slip of the tongue, he referred to himself as the Son of God. This is a rarity in the gospels. The vast majority of the time when Jesus spoke of himself and his mission, he referred to himself as “Son of Man” - more than 80 times in the gospels. This phrase is also found in the Old Testament. So, what does Jesus mean when he called himself ‘Son of Man’ and not the ‘Son of God’?

 At first glance, “Son of Man” may seem to highlight Jesus’ human nature, whereas “Son of God” emphasizes his divinity. However, the meaning of “Son of Man” is more complicated. “Son of Man” brings together his identity as the Messiah and as the one who was to suffer for others, drawing from the Jewish traditions use of the term. 

“Son of Man” would have been known to many of Jesus’ Jewish listeners since it is found dozens of times in the Old Testament, especially the Books of Ezekiel and Daniel. Its use in Scripture is not always consistent but indicates a role in redemption. In the Book of Daniel, for instance, the phrase seems to refer to an individual person: “one like a son of man” who is given everlasting dominion over the nations (verses 7:13-14). Elsewhere, it is a more generic reference to the triumph of the people of Israel over their enemies. 

The gospel writers make clear Jesus’ self-designation and understanding of being the Messiah. In the Gospel of John (12:34), a bystander asks Jesus this question: “Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus, however, does not give a clear answer. He instead refers to himself ‘as the light’. In Matthew (16:13-16), Jesus is more explicit. When he asks his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Jesus affirms the response of Peter: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”. 

Many of Jesus followers came to believe that Jesus was the Messian, the Christ, the ‘Son of God’ which we too believe are correct names for Jesus. The title Son of God is found 46 times in the New Testament, but Jesus refers to himself as the ‘Son of God’ only three times. Jesus never denied nor objected to being called the ‘Son of God’ but clearly prefer to call himself ‘Son of Man’. 

The Gospels depict Jesus as humble and reserved. The use of the more subtle term, “Son of Man” (as compared to Son of God), is not surprising. The phrase helps indicate Jesus’ self-understanding of his relationship to humanity as suffering servant as found in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and in the Gospels, such as, when Jesus predicts, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly” (Mark 8:31; Luke 9: 22) 

“Son of Man” helps highlight the identity of, Jesus as one who has come to give up his own life and in doing so give life to others. For as Jesus said in the Gospel of Mark: “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Author Bio:
 Deacon Dan Vaughn