“Son of man” is an ancient idiom found throughout the Bible. Although the term is, at its roots, a poetic phrase akin to the word human, it has a variety of uses in the texts. For example, in the prophetic tradition, God uses it as a name for Daniel and Ezekiel. It is also utilized as a description of a mysterious heavenly being. In the New Testament, Jesus famously dawns the term like a title, calling himself “the son of man.” Christian tradition suggests he chose the term because of its unique ability to illustrate his human and divine nature.
“Son of Man” in The Old Testament
The phrase “son of man” appears 108 times in the Old Testament. The earliest sources use it as an idiom or expression for the words human and humanity. Consequently, the term can be worded as “son of man” or “sons of men.” Here are some examples.
“How much less man, that maggot, And the son of man, that worm!”
Job 25:6
“The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.”
Psalm 11:4
The Hebrew word for “man/ human” is “adam.” So a more literal formulation of the Hebrew would be “son of adam” or “descendants of adam” ( “ben-adam,” בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם). However, this phrasing does not capture the essence of the idiom, so it’s typically not translated in this way.
The Prophets
The largest collection of son of man statements in the Bible is located in the book of Ezekiel. Of the 192 different times it appears, 93 are found in Ezekiel. In the text, God uses the expression as a name for the prophet, which is why there is such a high concentration.
“Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man [Ezekiel], behold, I will break the supply of bread in Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 4:16
In another passage, the prophet Daniel is also addressed as “son of man.”
“Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”
Daniel 8:17
Why Did God Call Them Son of Man?
There is some disagreement about why God chose to refer to them in this way. However, the most popular perspective suggests that it was intended to keep them humble. At its roots, “son of man” means human. So, by using the idiom as a name, God was reminding these prophets, who were given visions of God’s throne room and glimpses into the end times, that they were no greater than other people.
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It has also been suggested that the name can be understood as a message for the reader. Ezekiel and Daniel did not receive their visions because they were special beings. On the contrary, they were, as we are, merely human.
The “One Like a Son of Man” in Daniel’s Vision
Out of the hundred or so times the ancient idiom appears in the Bible, its use in Daniel 7 is probably the most interesting. In the chapter, Daniel has a vision of a future event where a figure he describes as “one like a son of man” is given a kingdom.
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:13-14
This use of the term is unique because it describes a divine being. Unlike Daniel and Ezekiel, the figure is not simply human; he is rather “like” a human.
Who Is The Heavenly Figure
Over the centuries, there has been much debate over who this being is. The four most popular opinions argue that he is an exalted angel, human, the messiah, or a description of God akin to the Trinity concept.
In Christianity, the vision is believed to be an example of the Trinity in the Hebrew Bible—specifically, a portrayal of God the Son and God the Father. Consequently, the figure is thought to be Jesus before the incarnation.
(It should be noted that virtually all Christian denominations and groups have rejected the exalted human and angel perspectives. Moreover, views that suggest Jesus was only a human or an angel instead of the incarnate member of the Godhead are considered heretical.)
Jesus “The Son of Man”
“The son of man” was Jesus’ favorite way of referring to himself. In the text, he uses the term around 84 times in the context of seven different topics.
- His Humiliation
- His Death
- His Resurrection
- His Authority
- His Identity
- His Escetalogical Return
- The Cost of Discipleship
(See “75 Verses About Jesus The “Son of Man” for a full list.)
In the Christian tradition, it’s often said that the name was chosen because of its unique ability to illustrate Christ’s human and divine natures—a central theological concept known as the hypostatic union. Christians believe the title is an illustration of his two natures because of its root meaning and the way Jesus ultimately connected it to the figure in Daniel 7.
Jesus’ Mysterious Use of The Idiom
For most of Jesus’ ministry, he does not make the connection between his favorite name and the figure in Daniel’s vision very obvious. His language is always slightly ambiguous and left room for multiple interpretations. Even Mark 2:1-12, where he claims to have the authority to forgive sins, can not, in isolation, be unquestionably pinned to a specific variant of the term “son of man.”
(see “Does Jesus’ Authority Over Sin Prove He’s God?” for more info.)
Jesus appears to have done this for practical reasons. At the time, to be a son of man in the prophetic or idiomatic sense would not have been an issue. In fact, according to Matthew 16:13, that’s how most people thought Jesus was using the term.
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Matthew 16:13-14
On the other hand, if he claimed to be the figure in Daniel’s vision, that could very well be understood as a claim to be God—a blasphemous offense punishable by death. Consequently, Jesus did not clarify what kind of “son of man” he was until it was time for his crucifixion.
Jesus Clarifies His Claim
In the synoptics, the big reveal happens during Jesus’ trial. After judases betrayal, Christ is taken before the Sanhedrin and commanded by the High Priest to identify himself. Jesus responds by associating himself with the figure in Daniel’s vision.
“I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Matthew 26:63-64
The high priest then rips his robes and says, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses?…. To which the court replies, “He is worthy of death….” (Matthew 26:65-66)
Jesus connects himself to the figure by inserting himself into the vision. In Daniel 7, the prophet sees one “like a son of man” arrive on the clouds of heaven. Paralleling the passage, Jesus claims that they will see him, “the son of man,” arrive on the clouds of heaven and sit at the right hand of power.
It’s also clear from the High Priest’s ballistic response that the religious leaders understood his statement as a claim to be God. As discussed above, there are several theories regarding the identity of the heavenly figure. However, only one would have been blasphemy. If he had identified himself as an exalted angel, human, or even the messiah, it would not have merited execution under Jewish law. It might have been considered unhinged but not punishable by death.
Early Christian Beliefs About Jesus
The future tense of his response suggests that he believed he would fulfill the vision sometime after his trial. The first Christians were very adamant about this idea. The glorification of Christ after his resurrection was a founding concept of the movement. This is very clearly seen in the Book of Acts, John’s Revelation, the early hymns, and creeds.
“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Acts 7:56
“and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man [later revealed to be Jesus], dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.”
Revelation 1:13
Jesus’ Humanity
In light of his declaration to be “the son of man” in Daniel 7, it can be tempting to say Jesus was not a human. However, identifying himself as the divine son of man does not undermind his humanity.
No matter how exalted the figure in Daniel 7 was, he was still “one like a son of man.” The prophet chose the idiom for a reason. So, the human element of the term cannot be eliminated. Consequently, when Jesus claims to be the divine figure in the vision, he does not diminish his humanity; on the contrary, he reveals how human the figure in Daniel’s vision was. Likewise, the figure in the vision teaches us how divine Jesus is.
“He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominionthat will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:14
Sources
- ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE BIBLE – THE SON OF MAN
- israelmyglory.org – The Son of Man
- “Two Powers in Heaven,” by Alan Segal
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