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Chapter 86

 

“Who is this Son of Man?”

 

“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die. The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?” (John 12:31-34)

 

In Holy Scripture, our Lord Jesus is called “the Son of Mary” only once (Mark 6:3). Truly, he is the Son of Mary, the woman’s Seed, conceived in the womb of the virgin by God the Holy Spirit, without an earthly father. We rejoice to know that. But the only time our Lord was ever called “the Son of Mary,” he was called that by godless, reprobate men, who were offended by his doctrine. That fact should speak volumes to us about that idolatrous religion that promotes the worship of Mary, ever referring to God our Savior as “the Son of Mary.”

 

            Our Redeemer is called “the Son of David” sixteen times. He is called the Son of David, because he was directly descended from David as a man. Being David’s Son, it was his lawful right to sit upon David’s throne as the king of Israel. Indeed, he is that Son of David whom God promised to raise up to set upon his throne forever. The Son of David has come. He is now reigning upon his throne, the King of God’s Israel, the King of glory forever.

 

            Then, our blessed Savior is called “the Son of God” forty-seven times. Yes, Jesus of Nazareth, the baby of Bethlehem, the Son of David, is himself the Son of God, the second Person of the holy Trinity. Our Savior is God. Were he anything less than God over all, blessed forever, he could not be our Savior. Because he is God the Son, he is God our Savior.

 

            But in the Book of God the Lord Jesus Christ is called “the Son of Man” eighty-eight times. This is the name he used in reference to himself more than any other. In fact, this name, “The Son of Man,” is used almost exclusively by Christ himself. Yet, none of his disciples ever called him “the Son of Man” until after his exaltation, and then only two of them did so. Stephen, when he saw heaven opened, said — “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). John, in the Book of Revelation, wrote, “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle (Revelation 1:13).” — Then, in chapter 14, verse 14, we read, “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.”

 

            Why did the Lord Jesus Christ constantly refer to himself as “the Son of Man”? How can he be both the Son of God and the Son of Man? When our Savior spoke in John 12:34 of the Son of man being lifted up to suffer and die, and yet declared that by means of his death he would save men and women throughout the world, the people who heard it were confused. — “The people answered him, we have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever.” You say that you are the Christ, the Messiah. “And how sayest thou, the Son of man must be lifted up” to die upon the cursed tree?

 

            “Who is this Son of man?” To find the answer to this question, we must search the Scriptures, taking the Word of God alone as our source of information, asking God the Holy Spirit, whose Word the Bible is, to be our Teacher. — As it is used in the New Testament, the term “Son of man” never refers to anyone except the God-man, our Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. This term, “The Son of man,” always refers to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Mediator between God and men.

 

Hear the Savior

 

Who is this Son of man?” — First, let the Son of man himself tell us who he is. Of the eighty-eight times this term, “the Son of man,” is used in the New Testament, eighty-four times it was uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ in reference to himself. Who better than he can tell us who he is?

 

“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath 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.” (John 5:19-27)

 

            In these verses our Lord calls himself “the Son,” “the Son of God,” and “the Son of man.” This alone is enough to assure us that there is no contradiction between the titles “Son of God” and “Son of man.” Both names refer to the same person, the Lord Jesus Christ. The one refers to his divinity and the other to his humanity. Our Savior is both God and man, as truly God as though he were not man, and as truly man as though he were not God, the Godman.

 

            John 6:62 — “What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (See John 17:1-5). The Lord Jesus here declares that he existed in heaven as the Son of man before he came into the world in our nature. Though his human body and soul were created in time, he was the Son of man, our Mediator, the Surety of the everlasting covenant from eternity. He was, in the mind and purpose of God, the Son of man before any man was made. He says to the Father, — “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect (unmade, uncreated); and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:15-16).

 

            John 3:13 — Our Savior said to Nicodemus, “No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven.” Even while he was upon the earth, in human flesh, the Son of man was the omnipresent Son of God. His humanity, his physical form, can only be in one place at a time. Yet, he is God, everywhere present at all times. Our Mediator, the Son of Man, is the Lord, Jehovah, our God, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. This One who is the Son of man is God, the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). He is the Son of man and the Son of God, who has power on earth to forgive sin (Luke 5:17-26).

 

            Matthew 25:31 — “The Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost. The Son of man came to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. The Son of man lived for us. The Son of man died for us. The Son of man arose, ascended back into heaven, and sat down in glorious exaltation on our behalf. The Son of man is making intercession for us. The Son of man rules the world for us. The Son of man has opened a way of access to God for sinful men, by the blood of his cross. The Son of man is coming again in glory. The Son of man is our Savior. And the Son of man is the Son of God!

 

Hear His Disciples

 

Who is this Son of man?” — We’ve heard the Savior answer the question. Now, secondly, let’s hear what his disciples have said about him. Whenever our Lord’s disciples thought of him as the Son of man, or heard him call himself by that name, they never looked upon it as a pretty title, implying only that he was a good man, a prophet, a miracle worker or a social reformer. To the disciples, this title, “the Son of man,” implied authority, exaltation, glory, power, dominion, and tenderness.

 

            The Apostle Peter certainly understood the title, “the Son of Man,” to be a title just as noble, honorable, and distinct as the title “the Son of God.” When the Lord Jesus called himself “the Son of God,” Peter called him “the Son of Man;” and the Savior took Peter’s confession as an honor done to him by Peter (Matthew 16:13-17).

 

            The writer of Hebrews used this title, “the Son of Man,” to ascribe glory to Christ, the Son of God (Hebrews 1:1-3, 6-9; 2:6-9). Stephen, the first martyr, saw the Lord Jesus standing as “the Son of Man” at the right hand of God (Acts 7:54-59).

 

            “Who is this Son of man?” — His disciples tell us that he is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God. His disciples tell us that he is the exalted, sovereign Savior of the sons of Abraham, God’s elect, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, able to help us, always delighted to call us his brethren, determined to save us. His disciple, Stephen, that blessed martyr, tells us that he is a faithful friend and our faithful God!

 

Hear His Enemies

 

Who is this Son of man?” — Let us now consult with his enemies, and hear what they have to say. Our great God, in his wise and adorable providence, makes even the enemies of his Son to be witnesses for his Son. In this passage (John 12:31-34) the Jews understood that the Messiah would be called “the Son of man” (See Psalm 80:17; Daniel 7:13-14). Those who raised this question, “Who is this Son of Man?” looked upon the terms “Son of God” and “Son of man” as synonymous terms. When they heard the Lord of glory call himself the “Son of man,” they understood his meaning to be, “I am God.” Therefore, they crucified him (Matthew 26:63-67). When they said, “Thou, being a man, makest thyself God” (John 10:33), the Lord Jesus replied, “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, thou blashpemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (John 10:36).

 

            “Who is this Son of man?” — He is God over all and blessed forever. And he is man, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. There is no lack of efficacy in his blood and no lack of power in his grace. He can save to the uttermost all who come to God by him. Trust him and you will find his grace sufficient for you.

 

Ten Reasons

 

Still the question needs to be answered, “Why is the Lord Jesus Christ called ‘the Son of man?’” To the best of my very limited ability I have shown you who the Son of man is. Now, let me show you ten reasons the Lord of glory is called “the Son of man.”

 

1.    Christ is called the Son of man because he is the original Man. — Our Lord Jesus Christ is the man who is the image of the invisible God, in whose image and after whose likeness man was made in the beginning. God created Adam in the image of Christ, that man who was to come, who is the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). Adam was created and made in the physical image of our Redeemer, his moral and intellectual image, and in his authoritative image, having dominion over all creation. And the first Adam was made in the mediatorial image of the last Adam, our divine Mediator.

 

2.    The Lord Jesus is called the Son of man because he is the representative Man. — He is the last Adam, the second Man, the Lord from heaven; as such he is distinguished from the first man, the first Adam, who was of the earth, earthy (1 Corinthians 15:45, 47). In all things Christ is the Surety, the Representative, the Mediator, the Substitute of an elect race, just as Adam was the representative of all our physical race in the garden (Romans 5:12-19).

 

3.    Our Savior is called the Son of man because he is the prophesied Man. — He is the man of whom all the prophets spoke, the man who is God’s equal (Psalm 89:19; Isaiah 9:6; 32:2; 53:1-12; Zechariah 13:7).

 

4.    The Lord Jesus Chris is called the Son of man because he is the ideal Man. — He is the only man who ever perfectly fulfilled God’s will, and fulfilled the purpose of God in creating man. That purpose was and is threefold: To Live in Righteousness, To Glorify God, To Have Dominion over God’s Creation. In Christ we fulfill God’s purpose for manhood (Genesis 1:26-28).

 

5.    Our Redeemer is called the Son of man because he is the justice satisfying Man. — No mortal could ever satisfy the justice of God. Not all the race of manhood could satisfy God’s offended justice for sin. But the Son of man, with one tremendous draft of love, drank damnation dry, when he suffered the wrath of God in our place (Isaiah 53:9; Ephesians 5:2).

 

6.    Christ Jesus is called the Son of man because he is the exalted Man (Philippians 2:9-11).

 

“The head that once was crowned with thorns

Is crowned with glory now.

A royal diadem adorns

The mighty Victor’s brow!”

 

7.    Our great Savior is called the Son of man because he is the Godman.

 

God could not suffer. God could not die.

And man could never satisfy.

But Christ, the God-man suffered and died.

And He God’s justice satisfied!

 

8.    The Lord Jesus is called the Son of man because he is the saving Man. The Son of man is the Savior of men. — “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Christ Jesus is called the Son of man because he is the coming Man. — “The Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44; 25:13; Luke 12:40; 18:8) to save his own, to judge the world, and to finish his mediatorial work (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

 

9.    And our dear Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is called the Son of man because he is the sympathizing Man (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:15; 5:2; 7:25).

 

“A Man there is, a real Man,

With wounds still gaping wide,

From which rich streams of blood once ran,

In hands, and feet, and side.

 

‘Tis no wild fancy of our brains,

No metaphor we speak,

The same dear Man in heaven now reigns

That suffered for our sake.

 

This wondrous Man of whom I tell,

Is the almighty God;

He bought our souls from death and hell;

The price, His own heart’s blood.

 

That human heart He still retains,

Though throned in highest bliss;

And feels each tempted member’s pains;

For our affliction’s His.

 

Come, then, repenting sinner, come,

Approach with humble faith;

Owe what thou wilt, the total sum

Is cancelled by His death.

 

His blood can cleanse the blackest soul,

And wash our guilt and sin away;

He will present us sound and whole,

In that tremendous day!”

                                                —Joseph Hart

 

10. Why is Christ called the Son of man? He is called the Son of man so that lost men might look to him, the God-man, for grace and life, and believing men might look to him, the God-man, for comfort and peace.

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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