Son of God versus Son of man

[CWH]

Jesus is the Son of God or the Son of Man? Both have the same meaning and it is true that He is the Son of God as proclaimed by God as He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and He is the Son of Man because He was delivered from a human being. He is both the Son of God and the Son of Man. By becoming a man, He is still God. It's probably a use of words addressing someone appropriately based on situations and courtesies. It's the same as you don't call an unmarried young woman as Madam and an old married woman as Miss.

But there is something I realized and it is significantly true statistically, when people addressed Him or talked about Him, it is almost always "Son of God "and when Jesus talked to humans about Himself, He almost always say, "Son of Man". He also used the words "Son of Man" when he talked about His coming back. It is like saying when on earth, I am "Son of Man" but when I am in Heaven, I am "Son of God":


Son of Man (when Jesus is talking to humans or talked about coming back to earth)

• Matthew 8:20
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

• Matthew 9:6
But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”

• Matthew 10:23
When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

• Matthew 11:19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

• Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

• Matthew 12:32
Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

• Matthew 12:40
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
• Matthew 13:37
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.

• Matthew 13:41
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.

• Matthew 16:13
[ Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah ] When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

• Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

• Matthew 16:28
“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

• Matthew 17:9
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

• Matthew 17:12
But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”

• Matthew 17:22
[ Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time ] When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.

• Matthew 19:28
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

• Matthew 20:18
“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death

• Matthew 20:28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• Matthew 21:28
[ The Parable of the Two Sons ] “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

• Matthew 24:27
For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

• Matthew 24:30
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
Matthew 24:29-31 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)
• Matthew 24:37
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

• Matthew 24:39
and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

• Matthew 24:44
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.



Son of God (When people addressed Him or talked about Jesus)

1. Matthew 4:3
The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

2. Matthew 4:6
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

3. Matthew 8:29
“What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

4. Matthew 14:33
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

5. Matthew 16:16
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

6. Matthew 26:63
But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

7. Matthew 27:40
and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

8. Matthew 27:43
He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

9. Matthew 27:54
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

10. Mark 1:1
[ John the Baptist Prepares the Way ] The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,

11. Mark 3:11
Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”)
12. Mark 15:39
And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

13. Luke 1:35
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

14. Luke 3:2
during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

15. Luke 3:38
the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

16. Luke 4:3
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

17. Luke 4:9
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.

18. Luke 4:41
Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

19. Luke 8:28
When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”

20. Luke 12:8
“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.

21. Luke 22:69
But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

22. Luke 22:70
They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.”meaning "that's what you said I am Son of God, but I did not said that, I am the Son of Man".

Note** Luke 22:70 is interesting, Jesus did not confirmed He is Son of God when asked but said that's what "you say that I am":

66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”
Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”

He replied, “You say that I am.”

71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”

Many Blessings and Merry Christmas to all.

[Moses]

I think that the reference to "son of man" is not only a reference to Jesus' own human nature, but to Jesus' eathly representatives (Men). When Jesus says that the 'son of man' has the power to do something--he is pointing to his ability (and the future apostles) to do something by his authority, as a man, under God.

for example:
And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.' 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, 'This man is blaspheming. [only God can forgive sins]' 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins'—he then said to the paralytic—'Rise, pick up your bed and go home.' 7 And he rose and went homeMatthew 9

it is NOT the 'son of God' here that 'has power to forgive sins on earth' it is the son of man (his humanity in view).

Now look at what Jesus gives the apostles (the sons of man):

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heavenMatthew 16

Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.' 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.'John 20


What Christ did in his ministry on earth as 'the son of man' is a reference to his human nature, but still under the authority of God, and this is tied into Christ's representatives on earth who will carry on his ministry doing the thigns that he has done.
So, it is said on Sunday morning in many churches in the world, the ministers says "By my office I forgive you of your sins" and the congregation replies 'amen'

But some will ask..."but can't only God forgive sins"? This is the same thing the pharisees asked Jesus when he, as the son of man, forgave sins..but he says "that you may know the son of man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- therefore christ's representatives have the power, by their office, to pronounce the forgiveness of sins.

that is just one example of the distinguishing nature between 'son of God' and 'son of man'

[CWH]

Hi Moses,

Welcome to the forum:welcome: Nice to see to see new members joining us and contributing to the forum.

I do understand the usual interpretation of the use of Son of Man by Jesus as indicating His humanity on earth. It's fine, but what I am trying to put forward is that the use of Son of Man may have other uses beside the above:

1. As a form of humble courtesy like a learned man addressing himself as Mr. instead of Dr. Therefore, Jesus addressed Himself to humans as Son of Man instead of Son of God.

2. When people addressed Jesus, they addressed Him as Son of God as a respect to God.

3. Jesus use of Son of Man to humans so as not to offend the Jews. This is exactly what happened when they accused Jesus of blasphemy claiming He called Himself the Son of God when in fact Jesus addressed Himself to humans as the Son of Man.

A good example is when Caiphas asked Him if He is the Son of God, Jesus replied that the name was what Caiphas himself said but He called Himself the Son of Man and not Son of God.

There are however only a few incidents in the Gospel of John when Jesus addressed Himself as Son of God to humans, otherwise, He always addressed Himself as the Son of Man to humans:

John 5:25
Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

John 10:36
what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?

John 11:4
When he heard this, Jesus said, 'This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.'


Many Blessings to you.

[David M]

Hello CWH and Moses

I came wandering through the forum as a newbie and found this thread. It is worth keeping it going after some months of non-activity.


What Christ did in his ministry on earth as 'the son of man' is a reference to his human nature,

Thank you Moses for saying this, I did not think I would find anyone on this forum who also claims that the nature of Jesus on earth was human.

I am agreeing with both you and CWH for the comments you make about title of Jesus as Son of Man and Son of God.
I would like to add a few of my thoughts to the mix.

First of all, I consider the nature of the Son of man while on the earth to be human. He grew and developed as a ordinary person constituted of the same physical matter that all humans consist of. The food he ate and the air he breathed metabolised into human flesh. Only later after his death and reurrection was Jesus given the incorruptible body of which we do not know the precise nature of only that it was incorruptible. It might or might not be made of the same atoms this universe is made of. More can be said about this later.

Jesus did have the authority of God behind him. At the start of his 3.5 year ministry Jesus was given access to the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not have to know the process by which the Holy Spirit operated. It was sufficient to have the assurance from God that He would perform everything Jesus asked of his Heavenly Father. To all appearances, Jesus had the unlimited power of God made available to him which made him appear to equal God, in terms of His power. This does not make Jesus equal to God by nature, whose nature I think cannot be made of the same physical material which makes up the stars and planets and the univeral material we know of. God is not limited by time and space and is outside the physical laws governing all matter we know of.

CWH; you the quote from John10:36 when Jesus confirms he is the Son of God. This is after the accusation of the Jews who have started the argument leading into this territory. As you say, Jesus was quite happy on other occasions dealing with the Jews to address himself as the Son of man.
John 10:34 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

If Jesus agrees that it is reasonable for men be called gods when clearly they are not God, is it not reasonable to say that when God says of his Son; 'thy throne, O God' we should not assume that God is saying His Son is God? I never see the physical incorporation of the Son and God who is a single Godhead about which God says; "there is none else besides me". Yet this single verse is jumped on to prove Jesus is God when from all the other evidence Jesus does not make himself equal with God.

I have some more thoughts to share but I will keep this one short leave it at that to see what other thoughts are put forward.

David