There are several names for Jesus in the New Testament – Jesus of Nazareth, Christ[i], Word, Lord, The Son of David, The Son of God and The Son of man. Jesus Christ called himself “Son of man.” Many scholars indicate that using this title is connected with the book of Daniel 7:13[ii], where the “Son of man” is a heavenly figure, both an individual yet the ideal representative of the people of God. In addition, using this title, John emphasizes Jesus’ pre-existence and his descent into the world in a humiliated state His role is to unite heaven and earth and to judge men in the Gospel of John.[iii] In Mark 9:12 and 10:45, the language is used that the Son of man undergoes the experience of the “righteous sufferer.” Several passages in the Old Testament[iv] were regarded as providing the pattern for the destiny of Jesus as the suffering, vindicated and authoritative Son of man.[v] This title “Son of man” is used to refer both to the humanity and divine origin of Jesus. Jesus represents Himself as God, the human Second Adam, and the mediator when he calls himself “Son of man.” As the mediator he propitiate for us with the Father to reconcile our relationship.
How Jesus can be divine and human and still one? In the Athanasian Creed, Christ’s two natures are explained. “The Son of God is at once God and man: … perfect God and perfect man… one, that is to say, not by changing the Godhead into flesh but by taking on the humanity into God, one, indeed, not by confusion of substance but by unity in one person. For just as the reasonable soul and the flesh are one man, so God and man are one Christ.”[vi] The concept of “the communion of properties of the two natures of Christ (communicatio idiomatum)” is about the interaction of deity and humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. It maintains that in view of the unity of Christ’s person, his human and divine attributes and experiences might properly be referred to his the other nature so that we may speak of “the suffering of God.[vii]”
Colossians 2:9 states that, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Jesus saved humanity from death and eternal punishment. To conquer the power of death and the devil Jesus must be divine. Otherwise he would not have been able to redeem and to save humans.
Jesus is the face of God[viii] revealing God to humanity. This allowed humanity to discover God. Through this revelation we can learn how to worship and love in our daily existence. Namely, Jesus’ life is a model for us to showing how to live a good life with God’s presence.
[i] “The word ‘Christ’ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Mashiah (‘Anointed’). It refers to individuals with a divine mission such as priests, prophets, and kings. The Messiah was conceived as a human figure who would bring about the resurrection of the dead, the ingathering of the exiles, and a golden age of history.” Dan Cohn-Sherbok, A Dictionary of Judaism and Christianity, 1st Trinity Press ed. (Philadelphia, PA: Trinity Press International, 1991), 99.
[ii] “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men 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.” (Dan.7:13-14)
[iii] John3:13, 6:62, 1:51, 5:27 Everett F. Harrison, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Carl F. H. Henry, eds., Wycliffe Dictionary of Theology, 2nd ed. (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999), 118.
[iv] Psalms 22; 69;118:22, Is. 52:13-53:12
[v] Joel B Green, Scot McKnight, and I Howard Marshall, eds., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 1997), 775-781.
[vi] Theodore Tappert, The Book of Concord (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989), 20.
[vii] God understands human sufferings, pains and limits since He once endured these things.
[viii] “He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being.” (Heb. 1:3)
How Jesus can be divine and human and still one? In the Athanasian Creed, Christ’s two natures are explained. “The Son of God is at once God and man: … perfect God and perfect man… one, that is to say, not by changing the Godhead into flesh but by taking on the humanity into God, one, indeed, not by confusion of substance but by unity in one person. For just as the reasonable soul and the flesh are one man, so God and man are one Christ.”[vi] The concept of “the communion of properties of the two natures of Christ (communicatio idiomatum)” is about the interaction of deity and humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. It maintains that in view of the unity of Christ’s person, his human and divine attributes and experiences might properly be referred to his the other nature so that we may speak of “the suffering of God.[vii]”
Colossians 2:9 states that, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Jesus saved humanity from death and eternal punishment. To conquer the power of death and the devil Jesus must be divine. Otherwise he would not have been able to redeem and to save humans.
Jesus is the face of God[viii] revealing God to humanity. This allowed humanity to discover God. Through this revelation we can learn how to worship and love in our daily existence. Namely, Jesus’ life is a model for us to showing how to live a good life with God’s presence.
[i] “The word ‘Christ’ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Mashiah (‘Anointed’). It refers to individuals with a divine mission such as priests, prophets, and kings. The Messiah was conceived as a human figure who would bring about the resurrection of the dead, the ingathering of the exiles, and a golden age of history.” Dan Cohn-Sherbok, A Dictionary of Judaism and Christianity, 1st Trinity Press ed. (Philadelphia, PA: Trinity Press International, 1991), 99.
[ii] “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men 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.” (Dan.7:13-14)
[iii] John3:13, 6:62, 1:51, 5:27 Everett F. Harrison, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Carl F. H. Henry, eds., Wycliffe Dictionary of Theology, 2nd ed. (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999), 118.
[iv] Psalms 22; 69;118:22, Is. 52:13-53:12
[v] Joel B Green, Scot McKnight, and I Howard Marshall, eds., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 1997), 775-781.
[vi] Theodore Tappert, The Book of Concord (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989), 20.
[vii] God understands human sufferings, pains and limits since He once endured these things.
[viii] “He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being.” (Heb. 1:3)