Son of Man Meaning: Why Jesus Used This Title (Daniel 7)

· Gospel Studies

For March 4

Quick answer: “Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite way of referring to himself. It comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where “one like a son of man” receives an everlasting kingdom from God. Jesus used the title to show that he is truly human, that he came to suffer and serve, and that he will return in glory as King and Judge.

Key passages: Daniel 7:13-14; Mark 8:31; Mark 10:45; Mark 14:61-62 · Read it first: read Daniel 7:9-14, then Mark 14:53-65. Watch how Jesus’ words to the high priest echo Daniel’s vision.

Introduction

If you were trying to tell people you were the promised Savior, what title would you choose? “Messiah”? “King”? “Son of God”?

Jesus’ favorite title for himself was none of these. In the Gospels he calls himself “the Son of Man” more than eighty times, more than any other title. Almost no one else in the Gospels ever uses it of him. Why did he choose it, and what does it mean?

The answer takes us back to a vision in the book of Daniel, and forward to the day Jesus returns.

1. What “Son of Man” Means in the Old Testament

In Hebrew and Aramaic, “son of man” often simply means “a human being.” In Psalms and Ezekiel, the phrase emphasizes how small and mortal humans are before God. So at the most basic level, when Jesus calls himself the Son of Man, he’s identifying fully with us. He is truly human.

But there’s one Old Testament passage where the phrase means far more.

2. Daniel’s Vision (Daniel 7:13-14)

“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” (Daniel 7:13, ESV).

Context: Daniel 7 describes four terrifying beasts rising from the sea, pictures of brutal human empires. Then the scene shifts to heaven. God, “the Ancient of Days,” sits on his throne. And someone arrives “with the clouds of heaven,” which in the Old Testament is how God himself travels.

God hands this figure authority, honor, and royal rule. People of every nation and language will worship him, and his reign will never end or be overthrown (Daniel 7:14).

This “son of man” is human in appearance and yet shares God’s glory. He receives a kingdom that will outlast every empire and the worship of every nation. Jewish readers longed for him.

3. The Son of Man Who Serves and Suffers

Here’s what surprised Jesus’ first followers: the glorious Son of Man would come first to suffer.

Jesus started teaching his disciples that he, the Son of Man, had to suffer greatly, be turned away by Israel’s leaders, be put to death, and rise again three days later (Mark 8:31).

Peter was so shocked that he rebuked Jesus. A suffering Son of Man didn’t fit anyone’s expectations. But Jesus explained why he came: he, the Son of Man, arrived to serve others rather than to be waited on, and to pay with his life the price that sets many free (Mark 10:45).

He knows what it’s like to be human

The title also reminds us that Jesus lived a real, humble human life. Even wild animals have dens and birds have nests, Jesus said, yet he himself had no home to rest in (Matthew 8:20). The King of an everlasting kingdom lived as a homeless traveling teacher.

He came for the lost

The Son of Man arrived to search for lost people and rescue them (Luke 19:10). Jesus said this in Zacchaeus’ house, to a despised tax collector. The Son of Man who will rule the nations came looking for people everyone else had written off.

4. The Son of Man Lifted Up (John 3:14-15)

In John’s Gospel, Jesus connects the title to the cross: just as Moses raised the bronze snake in the desert, Jesus has to be raised up, so that all who trust him receive eternal life (John 3:14-15).

In Numbers 21, Israelites bitten by snakes were healed by looking at a bronze serpent lifted on a pole. Jesus says he’ll be raised high on the cross, and everyone who looks to him in faith will live. The path to the Son of Man’s glory runs through Calvary.

5. The Son of Man on Trial (Mark 14:61-62)

The title reaches its climax at Jesus’ trial. The high priest demands to know whether Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God (Mark 14:61).

Jesus answers plainly that he is, and warns them they will one day watch the Son of Man enthroned beside the Almighty and arriving on heaven’s clouds (Mark 14:62).

Jesus combines Daniel 7 (the figure who arrives “with the clouds of heaven”) with Psalm 110 (the King enthroned at God’s side). He’s claiming to be the divine King of Daniel’s vision, the one who shares God’s throne. The high priest understood exactly what Jesus meant: he tore his robes and accused Jesus of blasphemy.

So “Son of Man” isn’t a humble title instead of a divine one. It’s a title that holds both: true humanity and divine glory in one Person.

6. The Son of Man Who Will Return

Jesus says he will come back with his angels, shining with his Father’s glory, and will reward every person for what they have done (Matthew 16:27).

The story isn’t over. The Son of Man who suffered will return as Judge and King. Jesus’ great picture of the final judgment opens with the Son of Man arriving in splendor, surrounded by angels, and taking his royal throne (Matthew 25:31).

After the resurrection, Stephen saw him there. As he was being stoned, he cried out that heaven had opened and that Jesus, the Son of Man, was there, on his feet at God’s right side (Acts 7:56).

Why Did Jesus Prefer This Title?

  • It avoided political misunderstanding. “Messiah” made many people think of a military king who would overthrow Rome. “Son of Man” let Jesus define his mission on his own terms.
  • It held his humanity and his deity together. It means “a human being,” and it also points to the divine figure of Daniel 7.
  • It made room for the cross. Jesus filled the title with suffering and service before glory.
  • It points to the future. As the Son of Man, Jesus will come back to rule and judge.

“Son of Man” and “Son of God”

People sometimes assume “Son of Man” means Jesus is human and “Son of God” means he is divine. There’s some truth to that, but both titles are richer. “Son of Man” points to Daniel’s divine King, and “Son of God” points to Jesus’ unique relationship with the Father. Jesus is both fully God and fully man, one Person and one Savior.

Application: Living Under the Son of Man

  1. Worship him as King. Every empire will fall; his kingdom won’t. Let that steady you when the news is frightening.
  2. Follow his pattern of service. If the Son of Man arrived to serve rather than be served (Mark 10:45), where can you serve someone this week?
  3. Look to him and live. Like the Israelites looking at the bronze serpent, trust Jesus, lifted up on the cross for you.
  4. Remember you’re never too lost. He went looking for the lost so he could rescue them. Pray for someone you know who seems far from God.
  5. Live ready. Jesus is coming back. Let that hope shape your choices today.

Discussion & Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think Jesus chose “Son of Man” as his favorite title?
  2. What stands out to you in Daniel 7:13-14?
  3. How does Mark 10:45 change the way you think about greatness?
  4. Why was the high priest so angry at Jesus’ answer in Mark 14:62?
  5. How does knowing Jesus is coming back affect your life now?

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Son of Man” mean?

“Son of Man” can simply mean “a human being,” but Jesus used it mainly to point to Daniel 7:13-14, where “one like a son of man” comes with the clouds and receives an everlasting kingdom. In Jesus’ mouth the title expresses both his true humanity and his divine authority as the King who will reign forever.

Why did Jesus call himself the Son of Man?

Jesus used the title to show who he is on his own terms. It avoided the political expectations attached to “Messiah,” it emphasized that he is truly human, and it pointed to Daniel’s heavenly King. He also filled it with his mission: he came to serve, not to be served (Mark 10:45).

Where does “Son of Man” come from in the Bible?

The key background is Daniel 7:13-14, where Daniel sees “one like a son of man” arriving “with the clouds of heaven” before the Ancient of Days and receiving authority, honor, and an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:14). The phrase also appears in Psalms and Ezekiel, where it emphasizes human frailty before God.

Does “Son of Man” mean Jesus was only human?

No. The title does affirm Jesus’ full humanity, but in Daniel 7 the son-of-man figure arrives with the clouds and shares God’s eternal kingdom, which points to his divinity. When Jesus applied Daniel 7 to himself at his trial (Mark 14:62), the high priest called it blasphemy because Jesus was claiming divine authority.

What is the difference between “Son of Man” and “Son of God”?

Both titles describe Jesus, and each says something rich. “Son of Man” draws on Daniel 7 and highlights his humanity, his suffering, and his coming glory as King. “Son of God” highlights his unique, eternal relationship with the Father. Together they confess that Jesus is fully God and fully man.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, Son of Man, you are the promised King Daniel saw, and your kingdom will never end. Thank you for becoming truly human, for having nowhere to lay your head, and for coming to serve rather than be served, giving your life to set many free. Thank you for seeking me when I was lost. Help me to look to you, to follow you, and to live ready for the day you come with the clouds of heaven. I worship you. Amen.

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Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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