Messianic title used by Jesus to express his heavenly origin, earthly mission, and glorious future coming. It does not refer just to his human nature or humanity, as some church fathers or contemporary scholars believe. Rather, it shows the heavenly origin and divine dignity of Jesus; the mystery of his manifestation in human form; and his earthly mission that took him to the cross and then into glory.
The background of the term “Son of Man” is found in the OT. It is mostly found in the book of Ezekiel, since this prophet was referred to as “son of man” 90 times. For example, God addressed him, “Son of man, stand upon your feet, and I will speak with you” (Ez 2:1). Jesus’s use of the term “Son of Man” and many themes from Ezekiel suggest he wanted to identify himself as the end-time prophet who, like Ezekiel (chs 4, 7, 10, 22, 40–48), had the last word about the destruction of Jerusalem and the restoration of the kingdom of God to Israel (Mt 23–24; Acts 1:6–8).
The specific source of the term is Daniel 7:13–14, where Daniel has a vision of one “like a son of man” who “comes with the clouds” into the presence of “the Ancient of Days,” who gives him the universal and eternal kingdom of God. Jesus repeatedly quoted parts of this text in teaching about his second coming (Mt 16:27; 19:28; 24:30; 25:31; 26:64). Clearly, Jesus understood this passage as prophetic about himself and portraying his incarnation, ascension, and inheritance of the kingdom of God.
In the Gospels, the term “Son of Man” is used by Jesus about 80 times as a hidden, indirect way of speaking about himself (Mt, 32 times; Mk, 14 times; Lk, 26 times; Jn, 10 times). In all these texts, Jesus was always the speaker, and no one ever addressed him as “Son of Man.” In some texts the reference is so mysterious that some interpreters insist that Jesus was speaking about another person. Such doubt about it is recorded in only one text in John, where the crowd asks Jesus, “Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” (Jn 12:34). In most texts, the identification with Jesus is clear. In some it is explicit: “Who do men say that the Son of Man is?”—followed by, “Who do you say that I am?” (Mt 16:13, 15). The conclusion generally drawn is that Jesus used the term as a messianic title for himself, so that he could speak modestly about his person and mission yet communicate the important fact that he wished to reveal about himself. He could do this with originality because the term was not filled with popular misconceptions concerning the Messiah.
The term occurs only four other times in the NT. In Acts 7:56, Stephen says, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” Hebrews 2:6 applies Psalm 8:4 to Jesus. Finally, Revelation 1:13 and 14:14 depict visions of someone “like a son of man,” who is undoubtedly the glorified Jesus.
In the synoptic Gospels, the first theme related to Jesus’s use of the title “Son of Man” is that of his coming to earth to accomplish his messianic mission. Jesus compared his earthly condition with his previous heavenly glory by saying “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Mt 8:20; see Lk 9:58). This indicates that the Son of Man gave up his heavenly home to suffer all the humiliations of his earthly ministry (Phil 2:5–11).
Jesus used the title to claim divine privileges, saying, “The Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath” (Mt 12:8; Mk 2:28; Lk 6:5). The Sabbath, a divine institution, may not be revised by ordinary men. But since Jesus is the Son of Man from heaven, he is free to rule as Lord even of the Sabbath, because he is the same Lord who instituted the Sabbath (Gn 2:2; Ex 20:8–11). After healing the paralytic at Capernaum, Jesus claimed that “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mt 9:6; Mk 2:10; Lk 5:24). Previously, forgiveness of sins came from heaven and from God, but now forgiveness is given on earth by Jesus.
The second aspect of Jesus’s use of the title “Son of Man” concerns his suffering, death, and glorious resurrection as the mysterious way to fulfill his earthly mission as the Son of Man. Jesus developed the theme of his suffering after Peter confessed him to be Messiah and Son of God (Mt 16:16). Jesus’s prediction of his suffering as the Son of Man begins in Mark 8:31–32 and is repeated in several other texts. The Gospels expand the theme to include mockery and scourging (Mt 17:12; 20:18; Mk 8:31; Lk 9:22), betrayal by Judas (Mt 17:22; 26:24–25; Mk 14:21, 41), rejection by the Jewish leaders (Mt 20:18), death by crucifixion (Mt 20:19; Mk 9:12, 31; 10:33), burial for three days (Mt 12:40; Lk 11:30), and resurrection (Mt 17:22–23; Mk 8:31).
In the famous text “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45), Jesus teaches that his death was a substitute sacrifice for the salvation of his people. This idea comes from Jesus’s understanding of himself as the suffering Servant of the Lord (Is 53).
Jesus also used the “Son of Man” title to teach about his second coming. As the Son of Man, Jesus will return to earth from heaven in the glory of his Father with the angels (Mt 16:27; Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26). First, he will be seated at the right hand of God, and then he will come again (Mt 26:64; Mk 14:62; Lk 22:69) with the clouds (Mt 24:30; Mk 13:26; Lk 21:27). This coming will be unexpected (Mt 24:27; Lk 12:40), like a flash of lightning or the flood of Noah (Mt 24:37; Lk 17:24). His coming will be for the gathering of the elect; the judgment of all the nations of the earth (Mt 19:28; 25:32); and the restoration of final righteousness in the world (19:28; 25:46).
In these passages, Jesus shifts the focus from the provisional victory in his suffering and resurrection to the final victory of the Son of Man at his second coming. Again, the highlight is on the heavenly origin and divine privileges of the Son of Man. This man Jesus, the Son of Man, will be the final judge (cf. Acts 17:31).
The Gospel of John has its own distinctive material concerning the Son of Man. The angels are said to ascend and descend on the Son of Man (Jn 1:51), thus signifying that he is a person who existed before time and has come from heaven to earth (3:13; 6:62). His being lifted up (by crucifixion) will bring eternal life for all who believe in him (3:14). The Son of Man (3:14) is also the Son of God (3:16), God’s one and only Son (1:18; 3:18). Quite simply, in John’s Gospel, the “Son of Man” title is equivalent to the title “Son of God.” It reveals his divinity, existence before time, heavenly origin, and divine privileges. It affirms his present earthly condition for revelation and suffering, and his future end-time glory. The Father has given the Son of Man authority to raise the dead and to judge the world (5:25–27).