Jesus and the Son of Man

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One of the most elusive titles Jesus used is “the Son of Man.”

Revised: 06-Nov-2009

Countless articles and books have been written trying to decipher the significance of the epithet, which is mentioned in Daniel 7:13-14:

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

There are indications that early Jewish interpretation understood the figure to represent the people of Israel, because Daniel 7:18 speaks of the nation in terms similar to that just heard about the Son of Man: “But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever and ever.” Yet, by the first century opinions had changed.

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  • R. Steven Notley

    R. Steven Notley

    R. Steven Notley is Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the New York City campus of Nyack College. A member and past director of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, Notley earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Religions at the Hebrew University (1993).…
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