Bulletin Articles
Jesus: Son of God, Son of Man
Here we want to survey briefly two of the most significant phrases used of Jesus Christ: Son of God and Son of Man.
Son of God: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). What seems to be a simple opening to the Gospel of Mark contains profound truth. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. What does this mean?
Jesus is the Son of God in a unique sense. He is “God the Son.” This can only apply to Jesus since He is the Word of God and the Creator in whom is life and light (John 1:1-5). The Hebrews writer refers to Him as the “Son,” who was “appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” Further, the Son “is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb 1:1-3). Jesus’ sonship is in relation to God the Father, from whom Jesus is sent (John 16:27-28).
Yet the Son is equal to the Father in nature and is God manifest in the flesh (see John 1:1, 14). The Jews at the time understood that claiming to be the unique Son of God meant claiming to be equal with God. Jesus had claimed, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17). Because of this claim, they were seeking all the more to kill Him “because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God” (v. 18). Jesus was claiming the Father as His own in a unique sense, and they knew this was a divine claim. However, Jesus did not correct them, but furthered the claim, stating that due to His work, “all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father” (v. 23). This claim alone would be blasphemy if He were not equal with the Father in His divine nature. And because of who He is as the Son, all judgment belongs to Him (see John 5:16-28).
Later, Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one in purpose and united in nature. It was because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God that the Jewish leadership determined to put Him to death (Matt 26:63-64). To confess Jesus as the Son of God is to affirm that He is, in fact, God who came in the flesh to die for our sins and be raised up to defeat death. We must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God to have “life in his name” (John 20:30-31).
Son of Man: Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man even more than Son of God. We want to highlight two ideas that this title implies.
First, to be the Son of Man was to be human. This speaks to the importance of His humanity in coming to fulfill God’s purposes for death and resurrection. He partook of flesh and blood to destroy the one who has the power of death and deliver His people from the fear of death (Heb 2:14). This required His becoming human, and so important is this truth that denying it is heretical (see 1 John 4:1-3). This also connects to the prophet Ezekiel, who was called “son of man” multiple times.
Second, to be the Son of Man was to be the Messianic King. Son of Man is more than a human description for Jesus. It is a messianic title that pulls directly from Daniel 7:13-14 where the son of man figure goes before the Ancient of Days and was “given dominion
and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.” Daniel says that “his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” In this sense, then, Son of Man points to this greater fulfillment of Jesus establishing His kingdom and ruling over all.
To be the messianic Son of Man is also to be the Judge. When asked if Jesus was the Son of God, He responded, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matt 26:64). He accepted the title Son of God, but then indicated the Son of Man would come in judgment. This ties directly to Daniel 7. The Son of Man would come with angels in the glory of the Father (Matt 16:27). Christ has “authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man” (John 5:27).
Together, Son of God and Son of Man highlight that Jesus is God and man. He is also King with full authority. We ought to confess, with Peter, that Jesus is the Son of the living God (Matt 16:16). Jesus is the messianic Son of Man who came to establish His kingdom and is the Judge of all. We need to listen to Him!
