Son of Man

The term “Son of Man” is a Greek
rendering of an Aramaic term which means “I” (first person singular), but which is almost always used in
connection with humiliation, suffering, impending danger, or even death. No doubt, Jesus uses the term
as a reference to his coming humiliation. It is also a term which is used in Daniel 7:13, where it is
clearly a messianic title. In any case, it is a self-designation used by Jesus (some fourteen times in theGospel of Mark), and is clearly the title that Jesus himself preferred to all others. It not only refers to his coming suffering and humiliation, it also has strong messianic implications. In using this selfdesignation,
Jesus is tying together Old Testament messianic expectations, while at the same time
stripping them of the false political expectations then popular in Israel. In using this term, Jesus also
connects himself to that which was foretold by the prophet Isaiah in the 52nd and 53rd chapters of his
prophecy, namely that the coming one would also be a suffering servant, who would lay down his life so
that God’s people could be delivered from the guilt and power of sin. We read of this remarkable
suffering servant in our Old Testament lesson, a passage widely-known in Jesus’ day. But having just
confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, the disciples have no category for seeing the Messiah and the
suffering servant as one in the same. Jesus must tie these two images together. Using the title “Son of
Man” helps Jesus do exactly that. --Kim Riddlebarger commenting on Mark 8:31