Jesus Christ, the Son of Man

Jesus’ favorite title for Himself, during His earthly ministry, was, “Son of Man.” Our first observation is that Jesus was fully man. The eternal Son of God became enfleshed (Jn 1:14), having become like us, yet without sin (Heb 4:15). At the fullness of time, Jesus came into the world, from God, born of a woman, born under the Law (Gal 4:4).

As fully God and fully man, Jesus took on flesh for a purpose (Eph 3:11). He came to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21; 1 Tim 1:15). He did this by laying down His life, in love for them (Jn 10:11, 15; Rom 5:8; Eph 5:25). Jesus Christ, the God-man, was crucified on a Roman cross, at the insistence of the Jews. What they meant for evil, God meant for good.

The death of the Messiah produced His precious blood (1 Pet 1:19), which was shed for the forgiveness of sins (Heb 9:22). Jesus represented God’s chosen people (2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 2:9), as their Federal Head (Rom 5:12–21). As our great high priest (Heb 7:28; 10:21), Jesus offered Himself as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of His people from all over the world (Jn 1:29).

God accepted Jesus’ one-time sacrifice, as the substitute for all His people (1 Pet 2:24). This is demonstrated by God raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:31). In receiving the resurrected Christ, at His ascension (Jn 3:13; 6:62; 20:17; Acts 2:34; Eph 4:8–10), God gave Jesus the name above every other name (Phil 2:9). He also had Jesus sit down at His right hand, in majesty and power (Ps 110:1; Mt 26:64; Acts 7:56; Heb 1:3; 8:1), entrusting all authority in heaven and on earth to the God-man (Mt 28:18).

The exalted and enthroned Son of Man was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom (Dan 7:13–14). The kingdom of God’s Beloved Son will not be destroyed (Col 1:13), as His dominion is an everlasting dominion (Lk 1:32–33).

When all of those, God the Father has predestined to adoption as sons, have been born and gathered into Christ’s church (Eph 1:4–5; 1 Cor 12:13), then the end will come. No one knows the day or the hour, for the end of the kingdom of this world (Mt 24:36), but what is salvaged will become the kingdom of God and of Christ (Eph 5:5; Rev 11:15).

The last day, before the world is destroyed by fire (2 Pet 3:10–12), will feature the return of the Son of Man (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21). The King of glory and of nations will appear to every eye (Ps 24; 1 Tim 6:15; Rev 1:7), of those who are living, and to those He will resurrect from the dead (Jn 5:28–29). They all will look upon Him, whom they pierced (Is 53:5; Zech 12:10). Some will mourn, but others will rejoice.

Do you believe in the Son of Man (Jn 9:35)? No one, today, should need ask His identity, but we must always remember that although Jesus Christ has overcome the world (Jn 16:33), conquering sin, death, and the devil — triumphing over them at the cross — the deception of the enemy remains for those who love and walk in darkness (Jn 3:19).

The natural man, dead in sin (Eph 2:1), is spiritually blind to the things of God (1 Cor 2:14), having been blinded to the Gospel, by the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). This is the judgment, Jesus, who is the Light of the world (Jn 8:12; 9:5), has come into the world (Jn 1:5), but men with darkened hearts and minds refused to have the Son of Man reign over them (Lk 19:14).

The pride of sinners is the root of their incessant sin, without repentance. Believing the devil — that they too shall be like God (Gen 3:5) — sin reigns in their hearts (Rom 5:21). Sin nature is the ruling influence in the sons of disobedience (Eph 2:2–3). These are haters of God (Rom 1:30), who work to suppress the truth (Rom 1:18), as it is in Christ Jesus.

All men everywhere are commanded to repent of their sins (Acts 17:30), they are to turn in faith to Jesus, the Son of Man, and serve Him (Dan 7:14). As slaves of Christ (Eph 6:6), those who are born again of God’s Spirit (1 Pet 1:3), must bear witness to the uttermost part of the earth that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father (Acts 1:8; Phil 2:11). They obey because the Holy Spirit causes them to walk according to God’s statutes (Ezek 36:27), according to all He has commanded (1 Jn 2:3).

In conclusion, we know who the Son of Man is, by the revelation of God’s Word. It is this Word that is made known to us, by the indwelling Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9, 11), who is our Teacher (Jn 14:27), guiding us into all truth (Jn 16:13). Jesus Christ is the truth (Jn 14:6), and we have come to know and love Him because He first loved us (1 Jn 4:19).

The love of Christ has been poured out in our hearts (Rom 5:5), for He has given His elect, the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6). We see Jesus, the Son of Man, exalted to the highest place. We are not ashamed of Him or the good news about Him, for we who have been granted repentance and faith (Acts 5:31; 11:18; Phil 1:29; 2 Tim 2:25), by His grace (Eph 2:8–9), know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16–17).

Consider your view to the Son of Man, today, my dear reader, and you will know this about yourself…you are either a child of God or a child of the devil (1 Jn 3:10), a son of the kingdom or a son of the evil one (Mt 13:38) because of the will and the word of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit (Jn 1:12–23; Rom 9:16; Phil 2:13). You either have the Spirit of God’s Son because you belong to Christ and His kingdom (1 Cor 3:23; Col 1:13), or you do not have the Son, His Spirit (Jn 3:36; Rom 8:9; 1 Jn 5:12), nor the mercy of God the Father (Rom 9:15, 22). You either worship the Son of Man because He has opened your eyes (Jn 9:7, 38), or you remain blind to Him and His eternal glory. Can’t you see that?

David Norczyk

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

November 9, 2020