The Risen Son of Man

{This is the fifth part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}


The Risen Son of Man

What is this appellation "Son of Man"? Jesus uses this title for himself numerous times throughout the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). I have read it argued that this title emphasizes his humanity, yet is also a claim to divinity. I tend to agree with this statement because Jesus called himself both Son of Man and Son of God. Christians believe that Jesus was both fully human and fully God, thus the titles Son of Man and Son of God, while not interchangable, are both appropriate.

The way in which Jesus uses "Son of Man" tends to show that he is not just any son of man, but THE Son of Man, the one who would be the expected Messiah.


Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." (John 9:35-37)


And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Luke 9:22)


Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." (Luke 18:31-33)


Some people get confused as to why Christ had to be killed, or why he had to die. In fact, those at his crucifixion wondered the same things.


The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (Luke 23: 35-39)


As we will see in tomorrow's installment "The Savior and Redeemer/The Holy Lamb", Christ had to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. In his death, God's wrath was satisfied once for all; no further sacrifice was necessary.


Why then, is Jesus's resurrection important? It is important because if he lives, death has lost it's sting. Death has no victory or power over Christ or his followers. It is important because Christ said it would happen; he said he would be killed and then raised to life. This is a remarkable thing. If he promised his own resurrection and it came true, then the other promises he made are also true. Christ, and his believers, can share in eternal life. If his resurrection did not happen, then Christ was a liar and faith is useless. So, the entirety of the gospel hinges upon Christ's resurrection. It hinges upon him being the Risen Son of Man.


There is a story in Luke that Jesus tells about a man who finds himself in hell and wishes to send somebody back from the dead to warn his family that hell is real.


"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house; for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
"'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" (Luke 16:27-31)

Jesus told this parable as he was travelling to Jerusalem to die. At that point in time, the Jews had Moses and the Prophets to believe; if they did not believe them, then even Jesus's resurrection would not convince them otherwise. In the time after Jesus's death and resurrection, we have both the promises or prophecies and the fulfillment of the promises to witness and learn about. Jesus rose from the dead, yet some still choose disbelief.


If you believe the tomb is full, then Christianity is empty. If you believe the tomb is empty, then the fullness of Christ is manifest.