Son of man

Son of man (also written Son of Man) is used in the Bible in the following senses:

(1.) Denotes mankind generally, with special reference to their weakness and frailty (Job 25:6; Psalms 8:4; 144:3; 146:3; Book of Isaiah 51:12, etc.).

(2.) It is a title frequently given to the prophet Ezekiel, probably to remind him of his human weakness.

(3.) In the New Testament it is used forty-three times as a distinctive title of Jesus. It emphasizes that he had human as well as divine nature.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)

Additionally, the Biblical book of Daniel mentions the prophet's vision of the coming of one 'like a son of man'; possibly implying that this is not actually a man but a divine figure.

"I beheld therefore in the vision of the night, and lo, one like a son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and he came even to the Ancient of days: and they presented him before him. And he gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes, and tongues shall serve him: his power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away: and his kingdom shall not be destroyed" (7:13)

Modern Biblical scholars associate this term with apocalyptic Judaism in Daniel. Whether 'son of man' is used this way in the Gospel is a matter of debate.

It must be remembered that when interpreting the Bible one cannot exclusively rely on English translations. Thus, "son of man" in Job 25 is "ben adam," and "son of man" in Psalms 144 is "ben enosh."

Geza Vermes (1924-), professor emeritus of Jewish studies at Wolfson College, Oxford, has argued that "the son of man" in the Gospels is unrelated to these Hebrew Bible usages. He begins with the observation that there is no example of "the" son of man in Hebrew sources. He suggests that the term originates in Aramaic— "bar nasha." Based on his study of Aramaic sources, he concludes that in these sources and in the Christian Bible, "son of man" is simply a synonym for man, and a substitute for the indefinite pronoun ("one"). Based on context, he claims that one should translate "bar nash(a)" as "someone," "anyone," or "I." He further argues that "son of man" is in no way a "title."

Although the Aramaic "bar enash" can be translated generically, e.g. as "somebody" or "anyone", the expression would readily be recognized as a title if it were used within a Hebrew sentence.

See Randall Buth, "A More Complete Semitic Background for bar-enasha 'Son of Man'" in Craig Evans and James Sanders, eds. The Function of Scripture in Early Jewish and Christian Tradition (JSNT Suppl 154) Sheffield Academic Press, 1998: 176-189.

See Hugh J. Schonfield, "The Passover Plot: A New Interpretation of the Life and Death of Jesus", Harper Collins - UK, first published October 1965 (Hutchinson & Co.): Part Two, The Sources and Growth of the Legend, Chapter 3 "The Suffering Just One and the Son of Man"