20231217 Christmas through the Gospels: Luke - the Birth of Jesus the Son of Man
For Daniel, this must have been a puzzling picture, because this being seems to combine in one person both human and divine traits. He is “one like a son of man,” that is, he appeared to be simply a mortal human being. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, this phrase “son of man” often distinguishes mere mortals from God (e.g., Ezek. 2:1). This is a particularly striking choice of description here because earlier in Daniel’s vision the Ancient of Days was also described in anthropomorphic form: he sits on a throne, wears clothing, and has white hair. Yet it is this second figure that is described as “one like a son of man,” which suggests that there is something more to his humanity than merely God appearing in human shape.
At the same time, however, to “come on the clouds” is a clear symbol of divine authority. In the Old Testament God alone rides on the cloud chariot (see Ps. 68:4; Isa. 19:1). What is more, when this son of man comes into the presence of the Ancient of Days, he is given authority, glory, and sovereign power. These attributes are not simply the authority and sovereignty that God gives to human kings such as Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan. 5:18), for this son of man also receives the worship of all peoples, nations, and languages (see Dan. 7:14). Thus, he cannot merely be an angel or personified representative of Israel. This son of man is given an everlasting and indestructible dominion, a sovereignty that belongs to God himself.
So what are we to make of this vision of a God-man—one who shares our humanity, yet at the same time endows it with the fullness of undiminished deity? It is far easier for us to understand it than it was for Daniel, for we have the benefit of the hindsight of the prophecy’s fulfillment. “The son of man” was the perfect title for Jesus to bear on his incongruous mission precisely because it combined in itself the incongruous ideas of “mere humanity” with the unparalleled glory of God himself. In his earthly ministry, it was the “human” aspect of the son of man that was prominent. In Eugene Peterson’s words: “This Son of Man has dinner with a prostitute, stops off for lunch with a tax-collector, wastes time blessing children when there were Roman legions to be chased from the land, heals unimportant losers and ignores high-achieving Pharisees and influential Sadducees.” Ultimately, he hung pierced and bleeding upon a cross; he died and was buried in a tomb, surely the most ungodlike of acts. But his majesty, even though veiled while he was on earth, was still present. He taught as one with unparalleled authority (Matt. 7:29), he forgave people their sins (Luke 5:24), and he spoke of possessing a kingdom (John 18:36). Both divine and human aspects are present because Jesus is son of man and Son of Man, very man and Very God.
For the first disciples, the lesson that Jesus was the son of man focused upon the humanity of Jesus. They had to learn that salvation does not come through the advent of a triumphal heavenly figure bearing a sword, blasting his opponents with fire from heaven. Rather, it comes through the advent of a baby in a manger, who grew up to bear a crown of thorns and carry a cross. The Son of Man had come not to be served (as one might have expected from Daniel) but rather to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).