Though the expression "the Son of Man" is found also in the Old Testament, it is, theologically speaking, one of the most important designations used by Jesus in reference to His messianic role.
In the OT the expression (ben 'adam, used 96×) can simply mean "human being," as is evident in Num 23:19 ("God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being [ben 'adam], that he should change his mind") or Jer 49:18, 33; 50:50; & 51:43. While retaining in many cases this sense in Daniel and Ezekiel (as when they were themselves so addressed by God (e.g., Dan 8:17; Eze 2:1; 3:1) the expression begins also to attain a more exalted "spiritual" sense as in the figure that Daniel saw in his night vision of the "son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven" (7:13) who "was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed" (v14). There is little else in ancient Jewish literature—limited, as far as can be ascertained, to only two sources, "the Parables" or "Similitudes" of 1 Enoch 37-71 and 4 Ezra (13)—to suggest any development of this idea afterwards.
"The Son of Man" (ho huios tou anthropou) was, for Jesus, a very deliberate self-designation. "It is the phrase used more frequently than any other (except 'Jesus' itself) to refer to Jesus in the Gospels" (I. H. Marshall, DJP). Jesus alone uses this expression (over 65× in the four Gospels) and always as a self-definition; it is almost His way of saying 'I' instead. Interestingly, the designation never became a way by which others—including the early church—to refer to Him, either confessionally or doctrinally. It "never became a messianic designation for Jesus in the early church" (G. E. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, 146). Outside of the Gospels it is found only in Acts 7:56 (in Stephen's vision of Jesus), Heb 2:6 (where the author is quoting Psm 8:4-6) and Rev 1:13 & 14:14 (in both cases quoting Dan 7:13).
After an indepth analysis of the biblical data, G. E. Ladd concludes regarding Jesus' use of the designation:
. . . by the use of the term Son of Man, interpreted in the light of its historicl and religious background, Jesus laid claim both to the messianic dignity and to the messianic role. In fact, the claim involved implicitly more than mere messianic dignity, for it carried overtones of essential supernatural character and origin. He did not call himself the Messiah, because his mission was utterly different from that connoted to the popular mind by this messianic term. He called himself the Son of Man because this title made an exalted claim and yet at the same time permitted Jesus to fill the term with new meaning. This he did by coupling the role of the Son of Man with that of the Suffering Servant. Once the disciples were convinced that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, although a Messiah of a novel sort, he instructed them in the larger aspects of the destinity of the Son of Man. He was first to suffer and die and then he would come in the glory as Daniel 7 prophesied to inaugurate the Kingdom of God . . .
By designating himself the Son of Man, Jesus claimed to be the Messiah; but by the way he used the term, he indicated that his messiahship was of a very different order from that which was popularly expected. The 'Son of Man' permitted him to lay claim to messianic dignity but to interpret that messianic office in his own way. It was a claim, therefore, that would not be readily recognized by the people who possessed an erroneous concept of the Messiah, but which nevertheless was designed to alert those who were spiritually responsive to the actual presence of the Messiah, although in an unforeseen messianic role. (A Theology of the New Testament, 157-8).
Further Reading:
Kim Seyoon, The Son of Man As the Son of God. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983.
B. Lindars, Jesus Son of Man. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983.
Samuel Whitefield, Son of Man. The Gospel of Daniel 7, Vol 1 & Son of Man. The Apostles' Gospel, Vol 2. One King, Inc., 2019. Of this book, Dr Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., says, "Rarely in the history of theological writing and biblical exegesis has a book emerged that makes its point so clearly, yet one that is most foundational to the content of the Gospel: namely, that Jesus wanted His people Israel and the nations of the world to recognize Him as "the Son of Man" as announced in Daniel 7 and repeated some 78 times in the Gospels with an added 53 associated themes that also came from Daniel 7. I was personally enriched and corrected as this title of The Son of Man was biblically shown to take precedence over all other titles and functions of our Lord in Scripture, such as Messiah or the Son of God. Surely, this book will offer one of the richest rewards for all who will carefully follow the truth of this title from Daniel 7 as demonstrated by Jesus. I can hardly find the adequate words to commend this book as highly as I think it should be received and shared broadly in our day and age."
Note: The articles in Eaton's and ISBE are obsolete, and are not reproduced here.
Resources:
F.F. Bruce, "The Background to the Son of Man Sayings," Christ The Lord. Studies in Christology presented to Donald Guthrie. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1982. Hbk. ISBN: 0851117449. pp.50-70
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Edward Adams, "The Coming of the Son of Man in Mark's Gospel," Tyndale Bulletin 56.2 (2005): 39-61.
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Andrew Angel, "The Son of Man: Jesus, Eschatology and Mission," Anvil 26.3 & 4 (2009): 219-230.
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George R. Beasley-Murray, "Resurrection and Parousia of the Son of Man," Tyndale Bulletin 42.2 (1991): 296-309.
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Richard N. Longenecker, "'Son of man' as a self-designation of Jesus," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 12.3 (Summer 1969): 151-158.
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Richard N. Longenecker, "Son of Man imagery: some implications for theology and discipleship," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 18.1 (Winter 1975): 3-16.
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Robert S. Snow, "Daniel's Son of Man in Mark: A Redefinition of the Earthly Temple and the Formation of a New Temple Community," Tynale Bulletin 60 (2009) 305-309.
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Edward J. Young, Daniel's Vision of the Son of Man. London: The Tyndale Press, 1958. pp.28. BiblicalStudies.org.uk
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