Son of God vs Son of Man

[TonyChanYT]

The titles "Son of God" and "Son of Man" refer to Jesus. The meanings of these titles overlap. These titles are not interchangeable.

The phrase "sons of God" appears 6 times in the OT. It could refer to humans or angels.

In the OT, the phrase "son of God" occurs exactly once in Dan 3:

25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

The Son of God above was a supernatural being who protected Daniel's 3 friends from the fire.

The phrase “Son of God” occurs 43 times in the New Testament and it always refers to Jesus. He is the unique Son of God. The angle spoke to Mary in Luke 1:

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."

Its special significance was not lost to Jesus' enemies, John 19:

7 “The Jews insisted, ‘We have a law, and according to that law He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God’”.

The title Son of God refers to the status of Jesus as the one and only divine son of God the Father.

Now, in the OT, the phrase “Son of Man” occurs 107 times but 93 times in the book of Ezekiel. Each time the phrase refers to a human, Numbers 23:

19 God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Jesus rarely referred to himself as the Son of God. His favorite title was “Son of Man”. He used this title 84 times in the New Testament. Jesus was the ultimate human. He was God in human flesh. He fulfilled Daniel 7:

13 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.

Matthew 9:

6a I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

Luke 9:

58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

The title Son of God identifies Jesus as the unique Son who is one with the Father. Son of Man is also a divine title and it carries Messianic nuance.

 

[Randy Kluth]

The titles "Son of God" and "Son of Man" refer to Jesus. The meanings of these titles overlap. These titles are not interchangeable.

The phrase "sons of God" appears 6 times in the OT. It could refer to humans or angels.

In the OT, the phrase "son of God" occurs exactly once in Dan 3:


The Son of God above was a supernatural being who protected Daniel's 3 friends from the fire.

The phrase “Son of God” occurs 43 times in the New Testament and it always refers to Jesus. He is the unique Son of God. The angle spoke to Mary in Luke 1:


Its special significance was not lost to Jesus' enemies, John 19:


The title Son of God refers to the status of Jesus as the one and only divine son of God the Father.

Now, in the OT, the phrase “Son of Man” occurs 107 times but 93 times in the book of Ezekiel. Each time the phrase refers to a human, Numbers 23:


Jesus rarely referred to himself as the Son of God. His favorite title was “Son of Man”. He used this title 84 times in the New Testament. Jesus was the ultimate human. He was God in human flesh. He fulfilled Daniel 7:


Matthew 9:


Luke 9:


The title Son of God identifies Jesus as the unique Son who is one with the Father. Son of Man is also a divine title and it carries Messianic nuance.

That was a really helpful post, Tony! Thanks.

I would just add my 2 cents on the "Son of Man." Although I agree with everything you said about it, I do think Jesus used the title "Son of Man" in an obvious reference to the "Son of Man descending from the clouds of heaven" in Dan 7 and also in reference to the Prophet Ezekiel, whose prophecies Jesus wished to fulfill.

So anybody can be a "son of man," but Jesus used a technical application of "Son of Man" to its biblical references in the OT Scriptures.

I liked, very much, your study, in particular how you saw the "Son of God" uniquely in Dan 3. That was enlightening for me. Jesus was surely aware of that passage when he assumed the label for himself! And yes, the critical element is that Jesus is the unique, one and only, Son of God, God made flesh.