understanding would have introduced into his work. See viii. 94, 25; x. 24, 25.
Moreover, the phrase Son of man was not generally applied to the Messiah. On the contrary, v. 27 and xii. 34 show that it was set off against that term. Compare Matt. xvi. 13, 15. Son of God is the Messianic title, which, with one exception, appears in confessions (i. 34, 49; xi. OTe exk AGA! an
In Daniel the reference is exclusively to the final stage of human affairs. The point is the final establishment of the divine kingdom. Moreover, Daniel does not say “the Son of man,” but “one ike a@ Son of man.” Compare Apoc. i. 13; xiv. 14, where also the article is omitted.
II. The second, and correct explanation is that the phrase Son of man is the expression of Christ’s self-consciousness a8 being related to humanity as a whole: denoting His real parti- cipation in human nature, and designating Himself as the rep- resentative man. It thus corresponds with the passage in Daniel, where the earthly kingdoms are represented by beasts, but the divine kingdom by a Son of man. Hence, too, the word dvSpwros is purposely used (see on a man, ver. 30, and compare John viii. 40).
While the human element was thus emphasized in the phrase, the consciousness of Jesus, as thus expressed, did not exclude His divine nature and claims, but rather regarded these through the medium of His humanity. He showed Him- self divine in being thus profoundly human. Hence two aspects of the phrase appear in John, as in the Synoptists. The one regards His earthly life and work, and involves His being despised ; His accommodation to the conditions of hu- man life; the partial veiling of His divine nature; the lov- ing character of His mission ; His liability to misinterpreta- tion; and His outlook upon a consummation of agony. On the other hand, He is possessed of supreme authority; He is about His Father’s work ; He reveals glimpses of His divine
* In John ix. 35, where Jesus himself formulates a confession, the reading is disputed; three of the leading MSS. reading Son of man. See on that passage.