Exactly Who Is The Son of Man?

If Jesus Is the Son of Man, Why is that Important?

One title that Jesus often claims for Himself and is claimed for Him is the title “Son of Man.” By example see Matthew 26:63-65 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”

This title is written of Jesus 84 times in the Gospels alone. Yet it provokes a response from the chief priest to yell out “Blasphemy!” and a call from the other witnesses to seek Jesus’ death for the escalating statement He has just made regarding His name. So, what exactly is it that He said? The title “son of man” guilelessly refers to a servant of mankind and is a title of humility; no big deal on the surface. God also addresses the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel with the same title and, as servants of God, they were sent to further mankind. But there must be something more in this title that is a horribly offensive statement of Jesus’ divinity to cause such an odious reaction from the Pharisees.

This title originates in the book of Daniel and it is because Jesus quotes this citation from Daniel that the Jews throw such a ninny fit. The passage reads as follows: Daniel 7:13-14 I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a
kingdom that all the peoples, nations and man of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.

This is further perpetuated when looking at King Darius’ proclamation of who saved Daniel from the lion’s den: Daniel 6:26-27 I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; for He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and
performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

See the similarity between who Darius says the God of Daniel is and who the Ancient of Days says the Son of Man is? So apparently this “Son of Man” is very significant after all. Jesus was in effect saying of Himself, by agreeing to the title of Son of Man, that He was the all powerful king to whom all glory is due, with an everlasting dominion over all, and whom all men of every language are to serve.

In conjoining this title with Daniel 6:26-27 He is also calling Himself the “living God” who delivered Daniel from the lion’s den. Do you see why this would have been extremely blasphemous now if Jesus were not God? I promised to keep all of these sections short but there is one more detail I would be remiss to omit.

God refers to Daniel and Ezekiel as “bar adam” in the Hebrew which translates “son of man” or perhaps more literally “son of the ground.” Jesus was not the son of the ground; it is heaven from which He has descended. When referring to the “Son of Man” in Daniel 7:13-14, however, He calls Him “kebar enas;” the only time in the Bible this phrase is used. Even though both phrases are translated “Son of Man” or
“son of man” they are very different and very distinct in the original Hebrew language.

“Kebar” means “like a son” which would make sense because although Jesus was born in the flesh He was not born into sin because He was not born of the seed of Adam but rather through the incarnate power of the Holy Spirit. In that way, He was a man but only “like a son” of Adam; “bar adam” would not satisfactorily fit.

Likewise, He was not born out of the Father, meaning He was not conceived or
created by the Father, but He has always been. So when He was begotten, He became “like a son” (like a man) but His position and relation to the Father was unchanged. He became “like a son” to Joseph although Joseph’s contribution to His birth was nil. And just to show the unity of Scripture, Numbers 23:19 says “God is not man, that He should lie, nor a son of man (bar adam), that He should repent;”.

The Hebrew used in this passage says that God is NOT “bar adam” therefore it is fitting that the divine Christ would not be “bar adam” but “kebar enas;” like a son of Adam… but without sin. To get us back on track, “kebar” is “like a son,” but if the divine title “kebar enas” is important, what is “enas?”

“Enas” is a derivative of the Hebrew word for man “enosh.” In the form “enas” it is only used in the Bible 7 times and each time refers to someone who is despised or feared, but in the derivative form “enoch” it refers to a wounded or dying man. Perhaps one who has begun to recognize his mortality; such as a man who finds his hair to be thinning or that he can no longer stay up past 10:00; or such as a man who finds Himself sent to die for His children.

But in a twist of irony it also refers to men who are both warriors and/or bloodthirsty. Think of this duality that exists within a soldier; on the battlefield, he/she is both brutally cognizant of his/her mortality while also filled with a passionate desire to take down his/her enemies for a just cause believed.

Who is Jesus? “The Son of Man”… “kebar enas;” God who was made to be “like a son” and sent to be despised, wounded and die for our sins; yet He will return on a cloud as a bloodthirsty warrior to restore His kingdom, slay the wicked and bring His children home. This was no modest title and the Pharisees knew it. It is beautiful when you investigate the depths of God’s very specific wording to see what He says about Himself.

This is an except from the book Logikos: A Comprehensive Reference to Biblical Evidence of the Trinity and the Deity of Christ.