THE SON OF MAN


A. "THE PEOPLE ANSWERED HIM, WE HAVE HEARD OUT OF THE LAW THAT CHRIST ABIDETH FOREVER: AND HOW SAYEST THOU, THE SON OF MAN MUST BE LIFTED UP? WHO IS THIS SON OF MAN?" - John 12:34
  1. In our former study we considered our Lord's title - The Son of God:
    1. His singular relationship with God.
    2. His divinity.
  2. At this time we want to take a brief and prayerful look at His title - The Son of man:
    1. The title Son of Man occurs 82 times in the New Testament, with one exception, all these occurrences are in the gospels.
    2. The one exception is the saying of Stephen in Acts 7:56: "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
    3. What is still more striking is that the title Son of Man came from the lips of our Lord, save our opening text, when the people use the expression - "The Son of Man".
B. "WHO IS THIS SON OF MAN?"
  1. The title Son of Man indicates that:
    1. The Son of God is now also the Son of man - John 1:14; Heb. 2:14-16
    2. The title Son of God connects Him with God as His Father.
    3. And the title Son of man ties Him forever to humanity.
    4. He is now truly divine and just as truly human - John 1:1-3, 14; Gal. 4:4
  2. Deeper meaning of this union:
    1. Both titles indicate that divinity was clothed with humanity. In His divinity He lays hold to the throne of God, and in His humanity He connects the human race with God.
    2. Thus we see one of the reasons for the title - The Son of man. This title shows that He, who is divine, is also human. He is a man, and He is God!
    3. In His humanity, Christ shares with us the experience of humanity, being subject to the laws that control mankind.
C. FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF OUR LORD'S TITLE "THE SON OF MAN"
  1. The Bible shows that at the very heart of the title, Son of man, lies the plan of redemption:
    1. For Christ to redeem man and bring back the first dominion, He had to be a man, as truly as Adam was a man.
    2. He could have no advantage over Adam - Mi. 4:8; Rom. 5:12-19; Heb. 2:14-16
  2. Partaking of the nature of the seed of Abraham was necessary:
    1. To qualify to be man's representative in heaven - Heb. 4:15
    2. Humanity was a must for the Son of God to be our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary - Heb. 2:14- 16; 4:15; 5:1-5
    3. That means that the Son of God had to go through man's experience to be sympathetic - Heb. 7:26; Isa. 53:1-12
  3. As the Son of man, Christ demonstrated that the law of God is just and can be obeyed by man: Isa. 42:19-21; Ps. 40:6-8; Matt. 5:17-20; John 12:49
  4. Satan claims, and many believe, that the law of God is arbitrary and cannot be kept; but the Son of man showed by his teaching and His life that God's law is just and that man can live up to it:
  5. As the Son of man, Christ reunited the family in heaven and in earth: Eph. 1:9-11; Heb. 12:22-28
  6. He broke down the man-made partitions and reunited men again: Eph. 2:11-16
  7. It is noteworthy that our Lord used the title "Son of man" with great emphasis to call attention to His mighty deeds and also to the majesty He shall appear in when He comes again: Matt. 26:64; Luke 21:36; John 5:22
  8. Who then is the Son of man?
    1. He is the only begotten of the Father, full of glory and truth - John 1:14
    2. He is the one in whom two natures reside - divinity and humanity.
    3. He is your Saviour and mine.


Design © John Bryant 2011