The Son Of Man

by George Prasher, Manchester, England | Category: The Excellencies Of Christ | Mar 1990

The Lord Jesus referred to Himself as "Son of Man" more frequently than by any other name or title, as when He said, "the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

Why did the Lord Jesus use this description of Himself so frequently? It seems He loved to show His own close identity with us in our humanity. How remarkable! He was the Eternal, the Almighty, but long before He came into the world His delights were with the sons of men (Prov. 8:31). Because the children were sharers in flesh and blood He also Himself partook of the same, "that through death He might bring to nought him that had the power of death"; He partook of our human nature, though without sin (Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:5).

There is doubtless special significance in the term "Son of Man". Adam had been originally created by God in perfection - he was included in the statement that "God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:31). Adam represented all that man should ideally be. And what great pleasure it brought to God to commune with him in Eden until Adam's disobedience ended that privileged communion. All down the generations from Adam to Christ God was disappointed by human failure. Millions of people lived and died, and even the best of them were marred by sin; as for the worst of them, the original stamp of the image of God in which they had been created could hardly be recognized. Then in the fulness of time a sinless child was born of the virgin in Bethlehem, through the overshadowing power of the Most High - the first and only sinless child born of woman. He grew up before God like a tender plant, as a root Out of a dry ground (Is. 53:2). He perfectly did all God's will. His boyhood was obedient; His youth pure; His young manhood unstained; in maturity He stood out in contrast to all others. God said of Him:

Behold My servant, whom I uphold; My chosen, in whom My soul delighteth (Is. 42:1).

Many who saw His wonderful works exclaimed - "He hath done all things well" (Mark 7:37). Those who heard Him preach marvelled at the words of grace that proceeded out of His mouth (Luke 4:22). Some who had been sent to arrest Him came back empty handed; "Never man so spake" they said (John 7:46). The words of the Song of Songs are indeed true of 3esus as the Son of Man:

... the chiefest among ten thousand... He is altogether lovely (5:10,16).

As we see the Son of Man portrayed in the Gospels, we see in perfection all that God intended man to be. How fittingly Paul refers to Christ in 1 Corinthians 15 as the "last Adam" and "the second Man".

The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit (1 Cor. 15:45).

All this deep significance is enshrined in the excellence of Christ as the Son of Man.

When we consider His uniquely sinless humanity, we marvel that He was willing, in matchless grace, to go to Calvary to bear our sins in His body on the tree (1 Pet. 2:24):

... the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up (John 3:14).

It seems very fitting that the Lord should speak of Himself as Son of Man in relation to His death on the cross, but quite remarkably He also uses it when speaking of His future advent in glory and judgement. In Matthew 24 He describes His coming in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man, coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (v.30).

The reason for His being seen in this context as Son of Man may be given by His own words in John 5:

For as the Father hath life in Himself even so gave He to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgement, because He is the Son of Man (vv.26,27).

We can appreciate the force of this. When the time comes for judgement on this world, men will be brought face to face with the Lord Jesus as Son of Man. The One who Himself lived in this world; the One who as Son of Man died for sinners on the cross: He it is who will execute divine judgement. It is little wonder, therefore, that we read in the epistle to the Romans:

That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgement of God (3:19). The fact that the Judge is the Son of Man, who made possible God's marvellous offer of salvation, will leave those who have despised His mercy without excuse. Gladly then we acknowledge the glory and greatness of our Saviour as Son of Man. Looking back we delight in all that is implied as to His perfect humanity. Looking forward we eagerly anticipate the coming of the Son of Man in power and great glory - fallen humanity's only hope of righteousness and settled peace.

George Prasher, Manchester, England | Mar 1990
The Excellencies Of Christ