The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 182

fosth· ref,,rrecl tn-the union between h!"RVen eimplci paraphmsis for "man" in his wonk- nnd ·enrth. bl'lwecn God find mRn, which ness, nnd often in his depression 11nd sin. 1lRwnecl liken ,-j,ion of fl beUer time upon The 'Ilook of Hcnoch,' in numerous plo.ces, the old pRt,rinrcbRI life. ThRt "'hich mtB the identifies "Son of nmu" with the l\fossi11h dreRrn of R troubled night mRy now be the (eh. xlvi. and xlviii.), but it cannot be c-onstant experience of the di~ciplc>s of the clenrly proved thnt the torm wns popularly Lord. The Rscenaion of the e.ng-elic ministers current for the l\fossinh. Christ seems, in is here said to precede their descent. This one place, to discriminate tho two tonne in is due to the original form of the dr<'nm of Populnr expectntion (Mo.lt. xvi. 13. 16); e.nd .Tacob, but must be supplemrntccl by the 1n l\fott. viii. 20 ho discrimi1111tcs Ilia Lord's own statement (eh. iii. 13), "No enrthly ministry ns t.hnt of Son of me.n, one bath R~cended into heaven, but he that from the dispen~ation of the Holy Spirit, descended out of heaven." The free access though the dispensation of his hume.n life, tn the heRrt of the Fnthor, e.nd to the centre and of his eternal Spirit, constitute thnt of of all Authority in heaven and enrth, is due the one Christ. (2) Another very remark- only to those who have come already thence, able fact is that, though Jesus calls himself who belong to him, " who go and return as " the Son of me.u" no fewer the.u seventy the appenrance of e. flash of lightning." times, the apostles never attribute the The'!" 11.'lcend with the desires of the Son of favourite expression to him. The only me.n·; they descend with e.11 the faculty instances of its use by other than the Lord needed for the fulfilmeut of those desires. himself, is by the dying Stephen, who thus He, " the Son of me.n," is now on e.arth to describes his power and exalted majesty commence his ministry of reconciliation, (Acts vii. 56), e.nd John in the Apocalypse, and is thus now equipped with e.11 the who .se.ys the vision of the Lord we.a of one powers needed for its realization. The like unto the Son of man-a phrase clearly same truth is taught by our Lord. when he built upon the passage in De.n. vii. (3) The said (of. notes on eh. iii. 13) thnt "the Son of Saviour did not throughout the Gospel of man is in heaven," even when he walked the John proclaim himself openly to the people earth. The e.ng-elic ministry attendant upon e.s the Christ, a.voiding e. term which was so our Lord is so inconspicuous the.t it does not miserably degraded from hie own conception fulfl the notable description of this verse, of it; but he used a multitude of expressions nor fill out its sugge8tions. The miraculous to denote the spiritual force 11nd significance energies, the Divine revela,tions, the consum- of the Messianic dignity. Thus he described mate heavenliness of his life, the power himsclf"e.s he that came down fromhee.ven;" which his persone.lity supplied to see e.nd e.s the "Bread of heaven;" as the "Light of believe in heaven-in heaven opened, heaven the world ; " e.s " the good Shepherd ; " "I nm near, heaven accessible, heaven propitious, he;" "that which I said from the boginning," heaven le.vi.sh oflovc-----auswers to the meaning etc.; e.nd therefore, "11hen be adopted the of the mighty words. Thome.(' Die Genesi11 phrase, " the Son of me.n," he attributed to dee Johanues-Eve.n.') sees the Johe.nnine it very specie.I powers e.nd dignities. The interpretation of the angels who ministered word seems to involve the Me.n, the perfect to Jesus e.fter the conclusion of his tempta- Man, tlie ideal Man, the second Ade.m, the tion. But why does he cell himself "the supreme Flower engrafted on the barren Son of man," in sharp response to, or in atock of hnmanity, the Representative of comment on, the ascription by John the the whole of human-kind. Chronologically, Baptist and Nathanael of the greater title this must he.ve been the prim11,ry revelation. " Sou of God" (see Matt. viii. 20; Mark Through humanity the.t was o.rchetypal e.nd ii. 28)? (I) The phrase is one that our Lord perfect, answering God's idea of me.n, the cnrrently used for himself, e.e especially thought of the race has risen to e. conception descriptive of his position. It he.a been said of Divine eonship. But metaphyeic111ly, that its origin must be looked for in the logically, he could only fulfil the functions prophecies of Daniel (vii. 13), where of Son of man, of the Man, because he we.a angelic powers e.re seen in loving lowly essentially the Son of God. (4) The domi- attt:ndance on "one like to the Son of man," nant thought of the term has fluctuated one whose human-hearted force contrasts between that which connotes hie ee.1ihly with the " beast forces," the uncouth, ministry and humiliation, and lays stress on sphynx-like blending of animal faculties the privationH and sufferings of the Son of which characterizes e.11 ihe kingdoms e.nd man, and the.t which recites his highest dyne.sties which the empire of the one like claim to reverence and homage. Seeing the Son of man would supersede. The term, that he claims to be the link between heaven "Son of man," is used repeatedly by Ezekiel e.nd earth, Judge of quick e.nd de11d, the for humanity set over age.inst the Divine Head of the kiugdom of God, who will corue voice e.nd power. There it corresponds with in his glory, with his holy angels, to divide the Aramaic " Be.r-Enosh," Son of man-a sheep from goats, etc., a.s 8cm of man; and OH, I. 1-ol.] Tim GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 43