Week 28: THE Son of Man
Week 28 | Gospel Texts (cf. Daniel 7:13-14, 27)
Days 1-2 Father, open my eyes to see the truth in Your Word that I may know and love you more deeply.
Let’s remember how the original readers, both Jews and the Gentiles, all Aramaic speakers, would have read “one like a son of man” in Daniel 7. He rides into the courtroom on a cloud and receives worship. Yet He is a son, meaning His “class” category is human. He arrives after four beasts and one little horn emerged from the sea and violently seized authority and kingdoms for themselves. Yet He seized nothing and is simply given universal dominion lasting forever, forever and ever. Somehow His rule is connected to the saints of the Most High, for they shall possess this kingdom as well. Yet He is a son of man whom all dominions will serve and obey (Daniel 7:13–18, 27). What kind of man is this (cf. Matthew 8:27)?
Most Jews would have connected this one like a son of man to the Messiah because by Daniel’s time a universal everlasting kingdom had already been promised to David for his future descendant (2 Samuel 7:13). This Son of David was regarded by the Jews as the Messiah, an anointed King sent to save the nation of Israel from oppressors and establish a kingdom. Likely, the Jewish original readers in exile would have been struggling with an obvious problem with this promise ––there was no king on the throne. Daniel, though, does not connect this one like a son of man here to the Son of David. However... in chapter 2, we do have this Stone “cut out by no human hand,” that “struck” kingdoms opposed to God and grew into a kingdom none would destroy. That may have brought to the Jewish readers’ minds a young man who, believing the battle is the LORD’s, struck with one decisive stone a boasting giant defying the God of Israel (1 Samuel 17:41–49).
Now, let’s consider the first-century Jews living under fourth beast Roman rule. Since the Babylonian captivity in 586 BC, no Davidic king ruled on the throne. For at least 586 years, then, the Jews waited for the One to save them. Imagine the intense messianic expectation among the first-century Jews of Jesus’ time who studied the Hebrew Scriptures. How would such faithful scholars “read” one who referred to Himself not as one like a son of man, but as THE Son of Man?
Read John 1:35–51.
1. Make a list identifying how Jesus is “read” by John the Baptizer, Andrew, Philip, and especially Nathanael.
2. Make a list identifying how Jesus is revealing Himself as THE Son of Man of Daniel 7:13–14, especially to Nathanael.
Background Information –– John the Baptizer also had disciples; two of these were another John and Andrew. Part of John the Baptizer’s role as the forerunner was to identify the Messiah and point the repentant to Him, so John and Andrew leave the forerunner to approach Jesus. In first-century Israel when a wanna-be disciple followed a rabbi around and then asked, “Where do you live?” this was code for “I want you to teach me.” Inviting John and Andrew to “Come and you will see,” indicated Jesus accepted them as His disciples, as learners. This begins His gathering of the Twelve, all invited to come see if He was the real deal.
The second day after John the Baptizer identifies Jesus as Messiah, Philip becomes Jesus’ disciple and tells Nathanael to “Come and see” Jesus. When Jesus sees Nathanael, He contrasts him to Jacob and to all Israel by identifying him as “a true Israelite with no deceit.” The people of Israel were named after their forefather Jacob who deceived his father so that Isaac would bless him. This is Jacob’s one act of deceit recorded in Scripture. Some preachers teach that Jacob cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright; however, the verbal agreement Esau made to sell his birthright to Jacob for a pot of stew was of his own free will and binding. Moses describes Jacob as a tam, meaning a blameless man. “Blameless” is how the Old Testament often describes a true believer (Gen 25:27). In contrast, Hebrews identifies Esau as an unbeliever because he despised his birthright (Heb 12:16-17). The contract for the birthright did indeed include the father’s blessing, so Esau despised his father’s blessing as well. Jacob deceived his father to get what was lawfully his, yet God does give grace to Jacob, despite all that.*
Now let’s get back to Nathanael. The shady fig tree was the meditation tree of choice for students of the Scriptures. That in His omniscient mind Jesus saw Nathanael studying was impressive, but then Jesus says something else –– not only did Jesus see Nathanael under a fig tree, but He also knew the very Scripture this true Israelite was meditating upon! When Jacob flees Esau, who had vowed to kill him, he spends the night at Bethel. Here God gives Jacob a dream of angels ascending and descending on a ladder from earth to heaven and also promises that his line is indeed the line through which the Messiah would come. In a time ripe with Messianic hope studying this Scripture under a fig tree would be just the sort of thing one hoping to know the Messiah when He comes would do.
A true Israelite trusted the Messiah would come through the line of Jacob (v.49). Jesus, calling Himself the Son of Man (Dan 7:13-14) states here that He is the greater Jacob. He is the greater ladder on whom angels will ascend and descend.
3. In this lesson we are going to watch Jesus mysteriously but progressively reveal Himself as THE Son of Man. At this point He is inviting seekers living in tumultuous times to “Come and see.”
How might this story of the Son of Man and those He is inviting to know Him minister to a person living in our tumultuous times?
What one person could you invite to Come & See Jesus? What specifically would you want to tell about Him?
Write this person’s name down on the last page of this lesson under the Duos or Trios Praying Together.
God does discipline Jacob, for He disciplines every true believer (Hebrews 12:7-11). God’s sovereign hand leads Jacob straight to Laban, an unbeliever and master deceiver. After twenty years of divine discipline, Jacob returns home, bringing his two wives and children. He knows he will face Esau, and he is afraid. The God of grace again meets with him and again at Bethel. Here the angel of the LORD, the incarnate Jesus, wrestled with Jacob through the night. In the morning, Jacob refuses to let go of the angel of the LORD until He blesses Jacob. Remember the object of Jacob’s one deceit was to procure the first-born son’s blessing from his father. Jacob, whose name literally means “heel grabber,” grasps now the One worth grasping. For this reason, the angel of the LORD answers Jacob’s prayer by changing his name to “Israel” because he “wrestled with God.” As Jacob’s Creator, the angel of the LORD had all authority to change his name, and this name Israel, “God wrestlers,” is how the Hebrew people chose to identify themselves.
Are you in angst right now? Are you seeking to know God more deeply? Consider the worth in wrestling with the Son of Man On your calendar, schedule a chunk of time to wrestle with the Son of Man.
Day 3 Father, open my eyes to see the truth in Your Word that I may know and love you more deeply.
Read Mark 2:1–12.
1. Make a list identifying how Jesus is “read” by the four men carrying their friend, the scribes, and gathered crowd.
Background Information –– When Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven you,” He speaks in the passive voice. The active voice would be stated in this way: “God has forgiven your sins.” The Hebrew form of this passive statement is used only in Leviticus 4 – 6 in the Old Testament. In these chapters, it describes the blood sacrifices necessary for atonement, the forgiveness of sins in a salvific sense. When a person offered the required sacrifice, he acted in faith to God. He was not saved by the work of making the offering, but because of his faith. In Hebrew this passive statement meant God was doing the forgiving. Jesus chose to speak to the paralytic as only God Himself could speak.
And who knew this better than anyone else in the room besides Jesus? The Pharisees and Scribes. They knew Leviticus 4-6, so they knew that Jesus was stating He forgave the paralytic’s sins in a salvific sense.
Jesus answers their unspoken questions with a question of His own using the rabbinic logic of moving “from light to heavy,” “easy to difficult” (kal v’chomer). The purpose of this logic was to give your student time to determine the answer to his own question himself (Mark 2:9)
2. Make a list identifying how Jesus is revealing Himself as THE Son of Man of Daniel 7:13–14.
3. When the paralytic’s own people saw him, they saw him as a sinner under judgment to the degree that his ailment visibly proved to all that he was bound for eternal destruction. Therefore, each gospel writer states that Jesus “saw” the four friends’ faith, but told the paralytic his sins were forgiven.
How might this story of the Son of Man minister to those suffering in shame under false teaching?
What one friend in your life needs to hear Jesus tell them, “I have the authority to forgive your sins”?
Write this person’s name down on the last page of this lesson under the Duos or Trios Praying Together.
In Days 1–2, we learned the disciples were walking in the Come & See stage of knowing Jesus, yet they were bringing those they loved to Jesus. At the time of this story, Jesus is teaching disciples in the stage of Come & Be with Me. They were to watch and learn how to shepherd those enslaved to shame. How specifically could you imitate Jesus and act with urgency with your friend needing to live under the authority and mercy of the Son of Man?
Extra Credit –– Read Mark 2:23–28. This is another story where Jesus identifies Himself as the Son of Man and defends His authority and shows His mercy.
Day 4 Father, open my eyes to see the truth in Your Word that I may know and love you more deeply.
Read Mark 8:27–9:8.
1. Make a list identifying how Jesus is “read,” especially by Peter.
Background Information –– The highest mountain in Caesarea Philippi is Mount Hermon, and it provided the perfect seclusion for Jesus to reveal His glory to His three closest apostles. The glory of God is referred to as the Shechinah glory. When Peter sees Jesus in His glory and the glory of Moses the lawgiver and Elijah the prophet, he believes the Messianic Kingdom, the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, is here. So logically he suggests the building of tabernacles.
2. Make a list identifying how Jesus is revealing Himself as THE Son of Man of Daniel 7:13–14, especially to Peter. Consider why Jesus is identifying Himself as the Son of Man in 8:31 and 8:37.
Background Information –– Peter well represents the Jews who anticipated the Old Testament prophecies about a Messiah who would come in glory to reign, but did not know what to make of the Old Testament prophecies about a Messiah who would suffer described in these texts: Isaiah 53; 50:6; Psalm 22; Zechariah 12:10; 13:7; Daniel 9:26.
Jesus promised He would come a second time to earth, but this time in all His glory. At His incarnation, Jesus added humanity to His deity making Him both fully God and fully man; however, His deity was physically veiled. If it were not, Jesus’ glory would have radiated a great light for all to see. Revealing this glory at this time, however, would have hindered Jesus’ work as the suffering Messiah.
3. Why would revealing the glory of the Son of Man hinder Jesus’ work at His first coming?
Day 5 Father, open my eyes to see the truth in Your Word that I may know and love you more deeply.
1. Before we read today’s texts, consider ––
o Does Jesus anchor His identity in Daniel’s vision of one like a son of man? In other words, does He speak with total consciousness that He is the Son of Man?
o Does He ever say directly, “I am the Son of Man”?
Why does Jesus speak of the Son of Man in the third person even though He knows this is who He is?
What patterns do you see so far as to when Jesus chooses to refer to Himself as the Son of Man?
2. Jesus in these next passages is speaking during what we call Passion week. Consider why He refers to Himself as the Son of Man with even greater frequency. Take notes about whatever you notice about Jesus’ use of “the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:21–31; 36–44
Matthew 26:1–5; 42–46
Mark 14:55–64
Background Information –– When the high priest asks Jesus, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus answers with “I am.” And then He adds, combining imagery from both Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13, “And you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” We have read Daniel 7:13, so we know Jesus is telling the high priest, “I am one like a son of man; I am the Messiah, the Son of God and the Son of Man.” These are His last words to the Jewish leadership before He goes to the cross.
3. How did Jesus turn a moment of human vulnerability into triumph, of human humiliation into glory?
Enjoy a time of prayer with your Savior. He spoke for you that day.
APPLICATION
In this lesson we focused only on Jesus revealing Himself as the Son of Man before He went to the cross. (We have more to read about the Son of Man that is revealed after He died, was buried, rose again, and ascended to heaven, but we shall save those texts for future lessons.)
1. Likely you have read these gospel passages before. How did reading these familiar stories through the lens of Jesus revealing Himself as “one like a son of man” to whom the Ancient of Days gave all dominion strengthen your love for Him?
Background Information –– In Days 4 and 5, we read that Jesus first would suffer as the Son of Man before He was vindicated. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45. In the context of this verse, James and John have requested to sit on the right and left hand of Jesus when He comes into His kingdom. Jesus asks them if they would be able to drink from the same cup He is about to drink, meaning the cross. They assured Him they were able. Jesus then says, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,” meaning they would suffer greatly as followers of the Son of Man
2. Following the Son of Man
Who are you serving in a sacrificial “life laid down” kind of way for the kingdom?
Describe in a general way a time you suffered for one you were serving for the kingdom
What joy came from your suffering even in the midst of it (Hebrews 12:1–2)
If it has passed, what further joy have you experienced?
3. Think of one person you disciple (friend, sibling, child). What could you teach him or her about your experience of suffering for the gospel specifically that would actually strengthen their resolve to live for the gospel as well? Schedule a time to share your story and this teaching.
PRAYING TOGETHER –– Duos and Trios
People whom God brought to mind during this lesson.
You can also consider those from Day 5 Q2.
October Prayer Requests for the Church
“His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:14
1. Our Spiritual Growth –– Ask God to deepen our allegiance to Christ and strengthen us to stand firm when following Him comes at a cost, confident that His everlasting kingdom will prevail.
2. Children & Families –– Pray that God would use our Fall Festival, Regalos de Amor, and Heart Gallery to reveal His love and care for children and families. Ask Him to provide places of refuge and belonging, meet practical needs, and move hearts to care for children who need a family.
3. The Persecuted Church –– Pray that God would help them obtain Bibles, training materials, and necessary aid (food, shelter) without being discovered.
God’s joy and strength to you,