Jesus Christ: The Son of Man

by Edward Bedore - from the BBI Bulletin

It has often been pointed out that the Lord Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the "Son of Man" more than any other name or title found in the Gospel records of His earthly ministry.

The term "son of man" can be used in two ways. First, it can simply refer to one's humanness, that he is of the "man-kind," or a man. It is used this way of the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 2:1). Ezekiel is referred to as "son of man" over 90 times in the Book of Ezekiel. Its use here points to the humanity of the prophet who was sent to speak God's Word to His rebellious people (see Ezek. 2:1-10).

In the book of Daniel, we find the term used in a different way. In a vision, Daniel saw an entity coming with the clouds of heaven who was "like the Son of Man" (Dan 7:13). This one who is "like the Son of Man" is a figure from heaven who appears as a man before "the Ancient of Days" to receive an everlasting kingdom through which He will exercise dominion over "all people(s), nations, and languages" of all the world (Dan. 7:13-14). Implied in the giving of this kingdom and dominion is the investment of the power and authority to be the judge of mankind.

The Lord Jesus Christ used the term "The Son of Man" in reference to Himself, some times to emphasize His true humanity and at other times to emphasize the power and authority invested in Him as the Righteous One who will judge all mankind. In both aspects, His perfect humanity is in view as well as His Godhood. While questioning Him in order to find something to charge Him with, the high priest demanded that He tell them "whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God" (Matt 26:63). The Lord Jesus' answer reveals that, when applied to Him, that title Son of Man" was more than simply a declaration of His humanity. "Jesus saith unto him, Thou has said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (Matt. 26:64; cf. Mk. 14:61-61; Lk. 22:66-70). He was asked if He claimed to be "the Son of God" and He answered that He was "the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power." There is no doubt that the Lord's answer was in direct reference to Daniel's prophecy of Israel's Messiah (Dan 7:13-14). This is especially true when we compare other prophecies that He made about HImself when He will come the second time "in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (see Matt. 24:29-30; Mk. 13:24-26; Lk. 21:25-28; cf. Rev. 1:7; 14:14). And from their reaction, it is clear that the high priest and those with him understood that this is what the Lord Jesus had in mind (Matt. 26:65-68).

The first man, Adam, was given dominion over the earth but lost it by default when he fell in to sin and brought a curse on all of mankind and the whole creation.

As the Perfect Man, who always does God's will, Jesus Christ has the right to take dominion of the earth and to remove the curse placed on it because of Adam, who willfully disobeyed God (see Gen. 3:17-19; cf. Rom, 8:18-22). The first Adam was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27) but that image was severely corrupted through his fall into sin. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, took upon Himself the form of man that the image of God might be manifested to man through Him. "No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1:18).

The Person of Jesus Christ has always existed as the eternal Son of God, but it was not until the time of the incarnation that He became the Son of Man (see John 1:1-3,14; Phil 2:5-7). In taking on the form of man, i.e., a human body of flesh, He remained the One Person He has always been, God the Son. Along with a human body, He also took on a full human nature while fully retaining His divine nature. In this unique union of two natures in One Person, there is no blending or confusion of the two, yet they work in unison in the expression of His Person. The incarnation of Jesus Christ was not simply a temporary manifestation of God to mankind. In the incarnation of the Son of God, His divine nature was for all time united with a human nature in One Person. He became a man in order to be the Savior of mankind.

In His incarnation, Jesus Christ is in whole and in perfection, truly God and in whole and in perfection, truly Man. His divine nature and His human nature were, and are, compatible. In His glorification, the Son of God remains "the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim 2:5)).

The first man, Adam, was created in innocence but through disobedience fell into sin. This resulted in him having what we commonly refer to as a sin nature. That is to say, a natural inclination, or predisposition, to sin. Because of his sin, Adam was estranged from God and his sin nature was passed down to the entire human race. In contrast with the first Adam, Jesus Christ, the Second Adam who was virgin born, had a righteous human nature. From birth He was sinless in nature as well as in thought and deed.

When we speak of the nature of a person or thing, we are referring to the innate qualities that define its character, or the essence of its being. Man's depravity is the result of his selfish or sinful nature. Having a universal sin nature means that all of mankind is predisposed to sin. There is only one exception, the Man Jesus Christ. In contrast to Adam, who represents fallen humanity, Jesus Christ represents perfect humanity. Hence, all those in Adam are made sinners and all those in Christ are made righteous (Rom 3:21-26; 5:12-19; 2Cor. 5:21).

The principle of a substitutionary death for the forgiveness of sins that is taught in the Scriptures demands a sacrifice without spot or blemish and certainly man's sin nature is a blight on the human soul. As the Redeemer of mankind, Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, was absolutely sinless in every aspect of His being. If it was possible for the Savior of mankind to have a sin, or Adamic nature then any son of Adam could have been over-shadowed by God from his birth to enable him to live a sinless life in order to provide a sacrifice for the redemption of mankind on the cross. But that could not be because every descendant of Adam is condemned to both a physical and spiritual death because of the curse brought on by his sin (Gen. 3:7-11, 17-19). Because this curse is passed down to the entire human race through Adam, along with his sin nature (Rom. 5:12), it was necessary that the Redeemer not possess Adam's nature, yet, at the same time, He had to be a fully human Son of Adam. The only remedy for the problem of providing an adequate sacrifice was for the Son of God to take on an absolutely sinless humanity through a miraculous conception and virgin birth.

Both the unleavened bread and the lamb without spot or blemish of the Passover Feast picture the absolute sinlessness of Jesus Christ for us. The absence of any yeast in this bread (EX 12:14-15 ff.) prefigures the absence of all sin in the Lord Jesus Christ, as does the unblemished lamb. His pure "soul was made an offering for sin" (is a 53:10) as was "the body of His flesh through death" (Col. 1:22). The "Son of Man" was not in any way corrupted by sin, this it was as a wholly perfect Man that He offered Himself as our substitute on the cross. Anything less would have been insufficient, and therefore unacceptable to God. He came "in the likeness (appearance, i.e., as a man) of sinful flesh, and for (on account of) sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom. 8:3)

On the cross, the Righteous Son of man paid the supreme price for the redemption of human souls, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him"; (2Cor 5:21; cf. Ex. 12:5; Isa. 53:4-6,9-11; John 1"29; Acts 3:14-15; 1Cor 15:3; Gal. 1:3-4; 3:13; Eph. 1:7; Heb 4:14-15; 1Pet 1:18-19; 2:21-25; 1 John 2:2; Rev.1:5). Having no sin, Jesus Christ had no death to die. His death on the cross was for sinful men (Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor 15:3-4). And having been raised from t he dead He is the only "Mediator between God and men" (1 Tim 2:5-6).

The title "Son of Man" as applied to Jesus Christ in Scripture refers to both His true humanity and to the authority and power invested in Him as the perfect Man who has inherited the right to rule over God's creation. It is in Him "That we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature" (Col. 1:14-15). The term "first-born" here does not refer to any chronology of birth order, but to the priority of Jesus Christ's rank and privilege as Creator and Redeemer. In all things He is the Preeminent One (see Col. 1:14-19) and as such, it is He who will ultimately sit in judgement over mankind. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when they shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father has life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:25-29).