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Son of Man

The Names of God and of Christ

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Snapshot

Son of Man was Jesus’ favorite self-designation — he used it of himself some eighty times in the Gospels. Far from being merely a humble way of saying “a human being,” it draws on Daniel’s vision of a heavenly figure, “one like a son of man,” who comes on the clouds and receives everlasting dominion (Dan. 7:13–14). The title thus holds together Jesus’ true humanity and his divine glory and authority: he is the representative man who is also the heavenly King, who came to suffer and to serve, and who will return on the clouds to judge and to reign.

The Original Language

In Daniel the phrase is the Aramaic כְּבַר אֱנָשׁ (kebar ‘enash), “like a son of man,” i.e., “one resembling a human being” (Dan. 7:13). In the Gospels it is the Greek ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (ho huios tou anthrōpou), “the Son of Man.” In ordinary Hebrew/Aramaic idiom, “son of man” (ben adam) simply means “human being, mortal” (as repeatedly in Ezekiel, where God addresses the prophet as “son of man”). But Jesus uses the definite form — “the Son of Man” — pointing to a specific figure, the one of Daniel 7. The title is therefore doubly rich: it affirms his genuine humanity (he is a real man, “son of man”) while evoking the exalted, glorious, heavenly Son of Man who receives universal and eternal kingship from the Ancient of Days.

The Name in Its Context

The taproot is Daniel’s night vision:

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Dan. 7:13–14)

Jesus claims this scene as his own at his trial, sealing his fate:

“Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” (Mark 14:61–62)

Yet Jesus also fills the title with the surprising content of suffering: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45); “the Son of Man must suffer many things… and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). He holds together Daniel’s glory and Isaiah’s suffering servant in one title.

Where It Appears in Scripture

Beyond Daniel 7, the phrase “son of man” describes frail humanity in the Psalms (“what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Ps. 8:4) and is God’s repeated address to Ezekiel. In the Gospels, Jesus uses “the Son of Man” across three groupings: of his earthly ministry and authority (“the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” Mark 2:10; “the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath,” Mark 2:28); of his suffering, death, and resurrection (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33–34, 45); and of his future coming in glory (“they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory,” Mark 13:26; Matt. 25:31). Stephen sees “the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56), and Revelation depicts the glorified Christ as “one like a son of man” (Rev. 1:13; 14:14) — exactly Daniel’s figure.

What This Name Reveals

“Son of Man” reveals Jesus’ true and full humanity — he is a real man who hungered, wept, suffered, and died, the representative human who stands for his people. It reveals his heavenly origin and divine authority: as Daniel’s Son of Man he comes from God’s presence and wields dominion over “all peoples, nations, and languages” — authority to forgive sins, to be Lord of the Sabbath, and to judge the world. It reveals his mission of suffering service: he redefined the glorious title around the cross, coming “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). And it reveals his future glory: the same Son of Man who was crucified will return on the clouds to judge the living and the dead and to reign in an everlasting kingdom. The title is therefore a perfect summary of the gospel’s shape — humiliation then exaltation, the suffering servant who is also the coming King.

Seen and Fulfilled in Christ

Because this is itself a title of Christ, we trace its roots and fulfillment. Two great Old Testament streams converge in “the Son of Man.” From Daniel 7 comes the heavenly figure given everlasting dominion — fulfilled as the risen and ascended Christ receives “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18) and is enthroned at God’s right hand (Acts 7:56; Eph. 1:20–22). From Psalm 8 comes the “son of man” crowned with glory and given dominion over creation — which Hebrews applies to Jesus: at present “we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him… namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death” (Heb. 2:8–9). Jesus also gathers in Isaiah’s suffering servant, making the Son of Man the one who suffers, serves, and ransoms (Mark 10:45; Isa. 53). He is the true and faithful human — the Last Adam — who succeeds where Adam and Israel failed, and the heavenly King who will consummate the kingdom. The title thus binds his two natures and his two states (humiliation and exaltation) in one self-chosen name.

A Reformed Reflection

“Son of Man” complements “Son of God” to confess the one person in two natures. The Westminster Confession holds that in Christ “two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person” (WCF 8.2). “Son of Man” guards his real humanity against every docetic tendency: he was “made like his brothers in every respect” (Heb. 2:17), a true man able to represent and sympathize with us. It also frames the doctrine of Christ’s mediatorial work as the second/last Adam, the covenant head of a new humanity (Rom. 5:12–21; 1 Cor. 15:45–49). And as the Danielic Son of Man, the title undergirds Christ’s kingly office and the final judgment: “the Father… has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man” (John 5:27). Reformed eschatology rests here — the crucified, risen Son of Man “shall come again, with power and great glory, to judge… and the world in righteousness” (cf. WCF 33). The believer therefore looks to the Son of Man as both sympathetic high priest and returning King.

Application

  • Bring your weakness to the one who shares your humanity. The Son of Man knows hunger, sorrow, temptation, and death from the inside. Draw near to him who sympathizes (Heb. 4:15–16).
  • Receive his ransom. He “came… to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). His service is your salvation — receive it gratefully and serve others in his pattern.
  • Live ready for his coming. The Son of Man will return on the clouds in glory to judge. Live each day in light of that certain appearing (Matt. 24:44).

Reflection questions:

  1. How does it comfort me that my Savior is the Son of Man, who fully shares my humanity?
  2. Have I received the ransom the Son of Man came to give?
  3. Am I living in readiness for the day the Son of Man comes in glory?

For Prayer and Worship

Lord Jesus, Son of Man, you took my humanity, knew my weakness, and came not to be served but to serve and to give your life as a ransom for me. You who were crowned with thorns are crowned now with glory and honor, seated at the right hand of Power. I trust your ransom, I lean on your sympathy, and I watch for your coming on the clouds. Reign over me, Son of Man, until that day. Amen.

Key Scripture References

  • Dan. 7:13–14; Ps. 8:4–6
  • Mark 2:10, 28; Mark 8:31; Mark 10:45; Mark 14:61–62
  • John 5:27; Acts 7:56; Heb. 2:5–18; Rev. 1:13

Further Study

  • Daniel 7; Psalm 8; Mark 8:27–9:1; 13:24–27.
  • Hebrews 2:5–18; John 5:19–29.
  • WCF ch. 8 and ch. 33; on Christ’s two natures and the judgment.