Reference: Son Of Man
Easton
(1.) Denotes mankind generally, with special reference to their weakness and frailty (Job 25:6; Ps 8:4; 144:3; 146:3; Isa 51:12, etc.).
(2.) It is a title frequently given to the prophet Ezekiel, probably to remind him of his human weakness.
(3.) In the New Testament it is used forty-three times as a distinctive title of the Saviour. In the Old Testament it is used only in Ps 80:17; Da 7:13 with this application. It denotes the true humanity of our Lord. He had a true body (Heb 2:14; Lu 24:39) and a rational soul. He was perfect man.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.
LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass;
I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
Since then the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Fausets
Others are "sons of men" (Job 25:6; Ps 144:3; 146:3; Isa 51:12; 56:2). God addresses Daniel (Da 8:17) once, Ezekiel so about 80 times, to remind him of his human lowliness and frailty, as "man lower than the angels," though privileged to enjoy visions of the cherubim and of God Himself, "lest he should be exalted through the abundance of the revelations" (2Co 12:7). The divine Son appeared to him "as the appearance of a man above upon the throne" (Eze 1:26). As others are "sons of God," but He "the Son of God," so others are "sons of man" (Eze 2:1,3) but He "the Son of man" (Mt 16:13), being the embodied representative of humanity and the whole human race; as on the other hand He is the bodily representative of "all the fullness of the Godhead" (Col 2:9). Ezekiel, as type of "the Son of man" whose manifestation he records, is appropriately designated "son of man."
The title "the Son of man" implies at once Messiah's lowliness and His exaltation in His manifestations as THE REPRESENTATIVE MAN respectively at His first and second comings; His humiliation on the one hand (Ps 8:4-8; Mt 16:13; 20:18,28) and His exaltation on the other hand, just "because He is the Son of man": Da 7:13-14, Hebrew not Ben -ish or -Adam, son of a hero or of man generically viewed, but Ben enosh, "Son of man," frail and abject, marking the connection of His humiliation and exaltation as man (Php 2:5-11; Mt 26:64; Joh 5:27). He comes again as man to reinstate man in his original glory, never to be dispossessed of it. He is now set down on the throne of God as the Son of God. That is a throne which His saints cannot share; therefore He shall assume another throne, made "His" in order that they may sit down on it with Him (Re 3:21).
The kingdom shall be "under the whole heaven," on earth (Da 7:18,27); He shall reign with them as the Son of man, Head of the new creation, and Restorer of man's lost inheritance. Because as man He established His and the saints' title to the kingdom at the cost of His own blood, as man He shall judge and reign. It is fit that He who as the Son of man was judged by the world should judge the world. Re 5:9-10; Ps 8:4-8; Heb 2:6-8; 1Co 15:21-22,28,45,47. The title "the Son of man" in the New Testament Jesus alone uses, and of Himself, except Stephen in dying, "I see the Son of man standing on the right hand of God," referring not to His humiliation on earth but to His heavenly exaltation (compare Joh 12:23,34; 6:62; 3:13; Ac 7:56); standing to assist, plead for (Ps 109:31), and receive the dying martyr.
Stephen speaking "full of the Holy Spirit" repeats Jesus' prophecy before the council, foretelling His exaltation as the Son of man; only there it is "sitting on the right hand of power," because there majestic repose, here rising to His servant's help, is the thought. Stephen's assertion stirred their rage, that Jesus who had been crucified for claiming to be "the Son of God" stands at God's right hand as being "the Son of man." Another exception is John so calls Him in apocalyptic vision (Re 1:13; 14:14), corresponding to the Old Testament apocalypse (Da 7:13). The Son of God in eternity became the Son of man in time, whose manhood shall be glorified with His Godhead to eternity. The two titles together declare the whole truth as to His one Person, "whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? ... Thou art the Christ, the Son of God. ... Blessed art thou, Bar-Jona" ("son of Jonah"), etc.
As truly as thou art son of Jonah I am at once "the Son of man" and "the Son of God" (Mt 16:28). The two are again combined in Caiaphas' question as to His being the Son of God, and His affirmative answer and further revelation, "nevertheless, besides ... ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power," etc. (Mt 26:63-64; 24:30; 25:31-32; Mr 14:61-62). As the Son of man He was Lord of the Sabbath, "for the Sabbath was made for man" whose Representative Head He is (Mr 2:28). As the Son of man He suffered for sin (Mt 17:12), and as the Son of man He hath power on earth to forgive sins (Mt 9:6). As the Son of man He had not where to lay His head (Mt 8:20); as the Son of man "He hath on His head a golden crown" (Re 14:14).
Every eye shall see Him (Re 1:7), but only "the pure in heart shall see God" (Mt 5:8). "The Son of God became the Son of man that you who were sons of men might be made sons of God" (Augustine, Serm. 121). Jesus is one of our race, yet above the whole race, the One Man in whom mankind finds its unity, the turning point of history at the close of the old and the beginning of the new era. His absolute relation to mankind requires an absolute relation to God. He could be the Son of man only because He is the Son of God. He alone fully realizes the ideal of man, as well as that of God, combining too in His manhood all the exquisite graces of woman with the powers of man.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field;
All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passeth through the paths of the seas.
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passeth through the paths of the seas.
For he will stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.
LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass;
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
And he said to me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me: even to this very day.
I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said to me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
And Jesus saith to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick with the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thy house.
When Jesus came into the borders of Cesarea Phillippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son of man am?
When Jesus came into the borders of Cesarea Phillippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son of man am?
Verily I say to you, There are some standing here, who shall not taste death, till they shall see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
But I say to you, that Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done to him whatever they pleased: likewise will also the Son of man suffer by them.
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests, and to the scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then will he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said to him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ the Son of God. Jesus saith to him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Jesus saith to him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said to him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
And no man hath ascended to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven.
And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: read more. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: read more. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not made subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also who pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals of it: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and language, and people, and nation; And hast made us to our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.