Of all the names (or titles) Jesus bears, I find the Son of Man the most mysterious. The expression is used primarily by Jesus in the New Testament. It occurs 86 times in New Testament, but only four of those occur outside of the Gospels. It also occurs 100 times in the Old Testament, but 93 of those occurrences are in Ezekiel. I recognize that there is a correlation between some of the Old Testament uses for "Son of Man," and Jesus' usage. However, I keep wondering why a name used so frequently by Jesus wasn't used more often outside of the Gospels.
George W. Knight in his book, The Names of God, lists three ways in which Jesus used the expression during his earthly ministry. First, he used it as a replacement for the pronoun "I." Second, he used it when he spoke of his suffering and death. Third, he used it to convey authority.
In Luke 9:58, Jesus states, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Here we see Jesus using the expression "Son of Man" instead of saying "I."
Luke 9:22 is a passage where Jesus addresses his suffering and death. He states, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." Luke 9:18-22, sets the context. Peter has just confessed the Jesus is the Christ. Jesus warns them to be silent. It appears he uses the expression "Son of Man," so he could speak about his mission as the Christ without having to unpack cultural baggage.
Mark 2:28 is an example of where Jesus used "Son of Man" as a way to convey his authority. He stated, "So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
As Knight demonstrates, it is easy to demonstrate how Jesus used the title "Son of Man." But why he used it is harder to explain. There are several theories:
1. Some think he was trying to identify with humanity.
2. Some think he could have used it to express humility. The quote of Psalm 8:4 in Hebrews 2:6 makes this a possibility, but doesn't necessarily imply that he used it this way.
3. Some think it refers to Daniel 7:13-14. Where one "like a son of man" is given dominion and power over the whole world. Jesus' own words makes this connection clear. Matthew 26:64 states, "'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied, ' But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.'" The expression "Son of Man . . . coming on the clouds of heaven" parallels Daniel 7:13.
4. It may have been a way for Jesus to express the reality that although he was more than just a man, he was not less than fully human. He is fully God, and fully man.
Thinking about Jesus the Son of Man helps us to think in terms of our shared nature. He was tempted in all the ways we are, yet without sin. Therefore, he is able to sympathize with us. It makes us able to think about humility, in terms of what it truly is and how it is best displayed. Jesus as the Son of Man reminds us that he has an everlasting dominion that cannot end nor can it be taken away, and that is certainly something worthy of thinking about.
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