Why the “Son of Man?”
January 28, 2014
IN an interesting post at The Orthosphere, Kristor explores the meaning of one of the familiar titles for Our Lord Jesus Christ. He writes:
Jesus refers to himself often as the Son of Man (using the definite article). This title had always confused me. I thought that what distinguishes him from me and you – each of us likewise a child of men (note the indefinite article) – is that he is the son of God, and that this unique status formed the basis on which his ministry, his crucifixion, his Atonement for our sins, and so our redemption and salvation, all rested.
Why would Jesus characterize himself as the Son of Man? I mean, sure, everyone in Palestine back then knew exactly what he meant in doing so. “Son of Man” was in the symbolic language of Israel another way of saying “Son of God.” But then, why should that have been so?
See Kristor’s illuminating comment at the end of the post about the masculinity of God.
