~ Consider 7 Aspects of
the “Son of Man” ~
The Son of
God became the Son of Man so that the sons of men could become sons of God. In the New Testament
the title “Son of Man” is interesting
in that it was primarily used by Jesus Christ referring to Himself. His disciples never used it when speaking directly
to Him or in casual conversation about Him.
In one sense the Son of Man signifies His true
humanity as distinguished from His true Divinity and also from fallen humanity.
note: When Jesus Christ
referred to Himself as the Son of Man
He was also referencing His direct access to God the Father (a subject of a
future post)—see Daniel
7:13-14.
Son of Man in Service
and Suffering ~ Jesus said, “For John came neither eating
nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
The Son of Man [referring to
Himself] came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a
winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children” (Matthew 11:18-19). “But He [Jesus] turned
and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do
not know what manner of spirit you are of.
For the Son of Man did not
come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village” (Luke
9:55-56).
Son of Man Coming to
Save ~ “And
Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is
a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man
has come to seek and to save that which was lost’” (Luke 19:9-10). Jesus said,
“Do not
labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to
everlasting life, which the Son of Man
will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6:27).
Son of Man Suffering
Unto Death ~ Jesus said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders
and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9:22). “Then He [Jesus]
answered and told them, ‘Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all
things. And how is it written concerning
the Son of Man, that He must suffer
many things and be treated with contempt?’” (Mark 9:12).
Son of Man as the
Sacrifice for Sin ~ Jesus said, “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” (John 3:14-15). “The people answered Him,
‘We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You
say, “The Son of Man must be lifted
up?”’ Who is this Son of Man?’” (John 12:34).
Son of Man Risen from
the Dead ~ At
the very heart of Christianity is a crucial distinctive—we do not serve a dead
leader, but the risen Messiah. “He is
not here, but is risen! Remember how He
spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be
crucified, and the third day rise again’” (Luke 24:6-7). Jesus said, “Anyone who speaks a word against
the Son of Man, it will be forgiven
him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him,
either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matthew 12:32).
“Now as they came down from the mountain,
Jesus commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead’”
(Matthew 17:9).
Son of Man Glorified in
Heaven ~ “But
he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the
glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I
see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God!’” (Acts 7:55-56). “Then I [John] turned to
see the voice that spoke with me. And
having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven
lampstands One like the Son of Man,
clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a
golden band. His
head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame
of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His
voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of
His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun
shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:12-16).
Son of Man Coming Again
in Judgment ~ Jesus said, “For as the lightning comes from
the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27). Jesus said,
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all
the holy angels with Him, then He
will sit on the throne of His glory. All
the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand,
but the goats on the left. 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’” (Matthew 25:31-34).
the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15).
This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer
it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can
make!
