Son of Man

 SON OF MAN

 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

MARK 10.45

 

A close study of the Gospels reveals that the most common title Jesus used for Himself is “Son of Man.” In fact, He used it eighty-one times in the Gospels though no one else used it to refer to Him.

When the Jews heard Jesus call Himself the “Son of Man,” their minds would have immediately leapt to Daniel 7. In this prophecy, Daniel writes about the end times, when “one like the Son of Man” will come with authority to judge the world. Jesus was claiming that title for Himself and communicating to His first hearers that He has the right to judge humanity.

But this title also refers to Jesus’ own humanity. Think of the humility Jesus endured in becoming the Son of Man. God eternal and magnificent “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2.7–8).

Jesus emptied Himself of heavenly glory, while still retaining His deity, and submitted to the humiliation of becoming a human. From His position as Lord of the universe, He stooped down to become a servant, washing His disciples’ dusty feet. He set aside all His prerogatives and became like one of us, bound by time and space, trading all the riches of heaven and becoming poor in both the literal and figurative sense.

This Son of Man was unlike any other son or daughter of man. Fully God and fully man, Jesus entered our physical existence and experienced the joys and anguishes of being human, yet without sin. What could possibly motivate Him to do this? Love.

That is the beauty of the doctrine of incarnation: God invisible, glorious, and untouchable took on flesh. For us.

 

Prayer 

 

Jesus, Son of God, I’m so awed by Your life of humble service. You laid aside all glory and majesty to take on the form of a servant, while I grasp at the few strands of popularity and prestige I imagine I have. Forgive me, Lord, for the pride in my heart and my desire to be better than or more important than others. Make me a servant, and teach me to serve others joyfully.

In Jesus’s name, Amen 

 

If you want to read more 

 

Dan 7.13–14, Jn 13.3–17, 2Cor 8.9, Phil 2.5–11