Son of Man (sources)

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This page includes ancient sources dealing with the phrase and title of Son of Man.

Overview

The phrase Son of Man is used as a synonym for "man". In Ezekiel it denotes the prophet as a "mortal" in comparison to the greatness of God.

Since in Daniel the one who receives power appears in the vision as a "son of man" (=a man), the phrase was used in some apocalyptic circles to denote the heavenly Messiah, as attested in the Book of the Parables of Enoch. The earliest Christian sources followed this path, but soon after the divinity of Jesus was affirmed, in later Christian sources the term was forgotten in its original meaning and understood as a mark of the "humanity" of the Christ.

Outside these apocalyptic circles, the phrase continued to be used as a synonym for "man".

Ancient Jewish sources

Numbers

  • Num 23:19

God is not a man (איש), that he should lie,

or a son of man (בן–אדם), that he should change his mind.

Psalms

  • Psalm 8:4-5:

[4] What is man (אנוש), that You think of him?

The son of man (בן–אדם), that You care for him?

[5] For You have made him a little lower than God,

And crowned him with glory and honor.

  • Psalm 80:17:

Let Your hand be on the man (איש) of your right hand,

On the son of man (בן–אדם) whom you made strong for yourself.

  • Psalm 144:3-4:

[3] YHWH, what is man (אדם), that You care for him?

Or the son of man (בן–אנוש), that You think of him?

[4] Man (אדם) is like a breath,

His days are like a shadow that passes away.

  • Psalm 146:3-4:

[3] Don’t put your trust in princes,

Each a son of man (בן–אדם) in whom there is no help.

[4] His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth.

In that very day, his thoughts perish.

Jeremiah

  • Jer 49:18 :

As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man (בן־אדם) dwell in it.

  • Jer 49:33 :

And Hazor shall be a dwelling for dragons, and a desolation for ever: there shall no man abide there, nor any son of man (בן־אדם) dwell in it.

  • Jer 50:40 :

As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man (בן־אדם) dwell therein.

  • Jer 51:43 :

Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelled, neither doth any son of man (בן־אדם) pass thereby.

Isaiah

  • Is 51:12:

I, even I, am he who comforts you:

who are you, that you are afraid of man (אנוש) who shall die,

and of the son of man (בן־אדם) who shall be made as grass.

  • Is 56:2:

Blessed is the man (אנוש) who does this,

and the son of man (בן־אדם) who holds it fast;

who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it,

and keeps his hand from doing any evil.

Ezekiel

  • Ez 2:1 [passim, 94 times] :

He (i.e. God) said to me, Son of man (בן־אדם)...

  • See 2:1,2,6,8; 3:1,3,4,10,17,25; 4:1,16; 5:1; 6:2; 7:2; 8:5,6,8,12,15,17; 11:2,4,15; 12:2,3,9,18,22,27; 13:2,17; 14:13; 15:2; 16:2; 17:2; 19:10; 20:3,4,27,46; 21:2,6,9,12,14,19,28; 22:2,18,24; 23:2,36; 24:2,16,25; 25:2; 26:2; 27:2; 28:2,12,21; 29:2,18; 30:2,21; 31:2,5; 32:2,18; 33:2,7,10,12,24,30; 34:2.

Job

  • Job 16:20b-21 :

[20] ...My eyes pour out tears to God,

[21] That he would maintain the right of a man (גבר) with God,

Of a son of man (בן–אדם) with his neighbor!

  • Job 25:4-6 :

[4] How then can man be just with God?

Or how can he who is born of a woman be clean?

[5] Behold, even the moon has no brightness,

And the stars are not pure in his sight;

[6] How much less man (אנוש), who is a worm!

The son of man (בן–אדם), who is a worm!

  • Job 35:8 :

[8] Your wickedness may hurt a man (איש) as you are;

And your righteousness may profit a son of man (בן–אדם).

Genesis Apocryphon

  • 1QapGen XXI.13 (Aramaic) :

And I will multiply your seed like the dirt of the earth which no son of man (בר אנוש) can count.

Book of Daniel

  • Dan 7 (Aramaic) :

As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire... The court sat in judgment and the books were opened... And as I watched, the beast was put to death and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire... As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a son of man (בר אנש) coming from the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away...

  • Dan 8:16-17 (Hebrew):

[16] I heard a man's voice (קול–אדם) between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, "Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision." [17] So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was frightened, and fell on my face: but he said to me, "Understand, son of man (בן–אדם); for the vision belongs to the time of the end."

Parables of Enoch

I saw one who had a “Head of Days”: his head was white, like wool, and with him was another, who face had the appearance of a man: it was full of graciousness, a face like one of the angels… Before even the sun or the heavenly signs were created… his name was named before the Lord of the Spirits... He will be the light of the Gentiles and the hope of those who are troubled in heart. All who dwell on the earth will fall down and worship before him… His glory is for ever and ever, and his might from generation to generation. In him dwells the spirit of wisdom… He will judge the things that are secret… The Lord of the Spirits seated him on the throne of his glory… For from the beginning the Son of Man was hidden and the Most High preserved him in the presence of his power, but he has revealed him to the chosen…

Early Christian Sources

Gospel of Mark

Gospel of Matthew

Gospel of Luke

Gospel of Thomas

Letter to the Hebrews

  • Hebrews 2:6-9:

What is man that You are mindful of him,

Or the son of man that You take care of him?

You have made him a little lower than the angels;

You have crowned him with glory and honor,

And set him over the works of Your hands.

You have put all things in subjection under his feet."

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Gospel of John

  • John 1:51 (NRSV) -- And he [i.e. Jesus] said to him [i.e. Nathanael], "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
  • John 3:13-15 (NRSV) -- [13] No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. [14] And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
  • John 5:27 (NRSV) -- The Father… has given [the Son] authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
  • John 6:27.53.62 (NRSV) -- [27] Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal... [53] Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you... [61] ...Does this offend you? [62] Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
  • John 8:28 (NRSV) -- When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.
  • John 9:35-38 (NRSV) -- [35] Jesus... said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" [36] He answered: "And who is he, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in him." [37] Jesus said to him: "You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he." [38] He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him.
  • John 12:23.34 (NRSV) -- [23] Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified"... [34] The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"
  • John 13:31 (NRSV) -- Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him"

Revelation of John

  • Revelation 1:13-14 -- I saw one like the Son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire.
  • Revelation 5-7 -- Then I saw… a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered… He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne… Then I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne… Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing… And the elders fell down and worshiped… Then I saw the Lamb open one of seven seals… After this I looked and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb… and the Lamb at the center of his throne will be their shepherd.
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