Tuesday: Son of Man
Although Jesus was fully conscious that He was both the Son of Man and the Son of God (Luke 22:67-70), Son of Man
was our Savior’s favorite way of self-designation. The only other instances that the title appears are in Daniel 7:13, in Stephen’s speech (Acts 7:56) and in Revelation 1:13 and Rev. 14:14. The term appears more than 80 times in the Gospels and 25 in Luke.
Image © Darrel Tank from GoodSalt.com
Luke’s usage shows the author’s deep interest in the humanity of Jesus as the universal man who was sent by God to proclaim the good news of salvation.
The humanity of the Son of God is everything to us. It is the golden chain that binds our souls to Christ, and through Christ to God. This is to be our study. Christ was a real man; He gave proof of His humility in becoming a man. Yet He was God in the flesh.
-Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 244.
The use of Son of Man
in Luke provides various insights into the nature, mission, and destiny of the Incarnate Jesus.
First, the title identifies Him as a human (Luke 7:34), with no worldly address or security (Luke 9:58).
Second, Luke uses the title to assert Christ’s divine nature and status: for the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath
(Luke 6:5, NKJV). Therefore, He is also the Creator, with the power to forgive sins (Luke 5:24).
Third, to accomplish this redemptive mission ordained by the Godhead before the foundations of the world (Eph. 1:3-5), the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost (Luke 9:56, Luke 19:10). But redemption itself cannot be completed until the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected . . . and be killed, and be raised the third day
(Luke 9:22, NKJV). This self-awareness of the Son of Man about the path He had to trod, and the price He had to pay for the Redemption of humankind from sin, reveals not only the divine origin of the plan of Redemption but also Christ’s submission in His humanity to that plan.
Fourth, note how complete a picture of the suffering Messiah Luke portrays in the following passages: His foreknowledge of the Cross(Luke 18:31-33), betrayal (Luke 9:44), His death as a fulfillment of prophecy (Luke 22:22), His Crucifixion and Resurrection (Luke 24:7; compare with Luke 11:30), and His role as the Mediator before the Father (Luke 12:8).
Fifth, Luke sees the Son of Man in last-day terms as the One who returns to earth to reward His saints and to wrap up the great controversy (Luke 9:26; Luke 12:4; Luke 17:24, Luke 17:26, Luke 17:30; Luke 21:36; Luke 22:69).
In short, the title Son of Man
incorporates the multifaceted aspect not only of who Christ was but of what He came to do and what He has accomplished and will accomplish for us in the plan of salvation.
(43)
what happened to us after we die?
Jesus as the 'Son of man' has shown us what happens when we die. "Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day." Luke 9:22 (KJV)
When we die nothing happens- Ecclesiastes 9:5.
The life of Jesus ministry was filled with action that John wrote if all that Jesus did was to be written there would not be enough paper to contain it (John 21:25). But when it came to His death we are simply told that He was "...slain and be raised the third day." No record is given us of any action that took place in Jesus' grave.
Nothing happens when we die because nothing happened to Jesus when He died. We simply wait for our resurrection as our Lord waited for the third day to come when He shall rise from His tomb unto a new life never to die again. Jesus is our example-
Paul, what a wonderful statement concerning the "state of the dead"... Thanks!!
These verses may help you.
For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.Ecclesiastes 12:7;
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
and all their plans die with them.Psalm 146:4 &
They are gone forever from their home—
never to be seen again.
Job 7:10.
I believe by then you'll have known something on the state of the dead. May God bless you as you learn from His Word.
Your dead will live. Their corpses will rise. Those who lie dead in the dust will wake up and shout for joy, because your dew is a refreshing dew, and the earth will revive the spirits of the dead.
Isaiah 26v. 19
We stay in the grave until Christ's second coming when our fate is decided. We either are caught up to meet him and go home with him or left here with Satan for final destruction later. This is the simple version.
Why is God more strict on a person who sins against the holy spirit than against Jesus? Lk. 12:10 Eph. 4:30 Is one greater than the other? Also, do we have 2 mediators? Jesus and the holy spirit Romans 8:26-27? When praying can i also address both Jesus and the holy spirit so they can plead 4 me well before God? Or i just pray to God? And finally, who or what is the holy spirit? Can the spirit appear to people like Jesus came to earth?
Hi Kidaaga,
You have asked some very valid questions. What I hear you asking is what is the nature of the Godhead and what are the various roles of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Could I suggest you tap into the resources on this website, if you go to the top of the page to "SSNET blog search" and type in Holy Spirit it will take you to many good posts & U tube links on the Holy Spirit.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 - For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. so they are resting waiting for the resurrection day.
Hi Lyane,
In addition to the above info from others, 1 Corinthians 15 - is a great chapter to answer a lot of your questions.
It tells us that, those who love the LORD, when they die they sleep in the grave until Jesus' second coming when they are resurrected and given immortality. Just like Jesus died and slept in the tomb until the third day when he resurrected and went to see his Father in heaven.
This particular bible study (see link) was VERY helpful to me on what happens after death. May you continue to be blessed as you search God's word! Click on the link or copy & paste into your web browser.
http://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4987/t/are-the-dead-really-dead.aspx
Jesus understood that His power to live, to be, was totally dependent on the will of God the Father. Ours is, too. We just don't understand that yet. Satan has tried, through 'science' to convince us that we have 'independent' power, not 'dependent' power. It strokes our ego more to think we are the most significant being on Earth.
But Jesus, knowing His Source of power, came to show us what really happens when we refuse to acknowledge the Source. And, as importantly, what happens when we DO acknowledge the Source. Mountains move, and winds cease, dead are raised, sickness healed.
As the Son of God, Jesus has unlimited power, intrinsically. But as the Son of Man, Jesus was totally dependent on God, as we are. Only He could understand the terrible consequences of separating Himself from that power, so only He could come and save us.
And in the process of saving us, He demonstrates how we are connected, and the wonderful things in store for us as we strive to make that connection stronger.
Jesus was the sacrifice for humanity, and the Holy Spirit is the way we can continue to receive the power in our lives. So a sin against the Holy Spirit is cutting off our power line. We sin against Jesus, as our sacrifice, many times each day, but when we actively fight against the Holy Spirit in our lives we risk a permanent disconnection.
you guys the comments you posted on this subject are not valid they have nothing to do with the lesson in discussion ,The lesson is talking about the Son of Man, not about the dead like some of you commented i think we need to keep focused and dwell on the lesson not going off topic thank you
Hi Tadaira, you are right there are so many aspects about Jesus the Son of Man in addition to His death & resurrection and its implications for us.
What fascinates me about Jesus was His compassion for the people. I understand compassion as co-passion meaning Jesus understood and felt the people's pain and joy, he empathized with them, but it didn't stop there he went further he took action to relieve their pain, sorrow or hunger, physically and spiritually. He also took time to socialize with them and celebrate their joys.
Tadaira and others what aspects of Jesus the Son of Man are there that interest you, that you would like to share with us or what questions do you have that we can consider together?