He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:15-16
Here is Peter’s historic confession of Christ. But just a few verses later Jesus shifts to the cost of discipleship and concludes with this:
“For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Matthew 16:27-28
Why did Jesus seem to prefer this title “Son of Man,” or the Hebrew “Son of Adam”? As the Bible Project points out in the video, Jesus is calling back to Genesis 1 and God’s desire to rule all of creation alongside a son of Adam. But instead of exercising dominion over the garden and the world along with God, Adam and Eve chose to reject God’s rule and take matters into their own hands.
Still, God promised a son of Adam would one day crush the head of the serpent, though the serpent would strike his heel. But instead of ruling the beasts, the beasts enticed humans to rule themselves and Cain’s murder of his brother became the way of the beast, leading up to Babylon (Babel) and then the flood.
Fast forward to when Babylon conquered Israel and Daniel represented faithful Israel in exile. His dream in chapter seven provides the primary basis for Jesus’ title, “Son of Man.”
“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
“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. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:11-14
The beastly rulers of evil kingdoms are suddenly defeated by God, and then comes this Son of Man riding on the clouds, and He takes the empty throne beside God the Father to reign over the world as God had always intended.
Now, as those who believe in and follow the Son of Man, we are a renewed humanity called to join in the rule of Christ the King.
Dr. Jonathan Gibson of Westminster Theological Seminary summarizes the whole Bible story in this sentence:
- “God’s kingdom in a new creation, under his Son and bride, awaiting the sabbath rest.”
This is a perfect description of Genesis 1 and God’s intention for Adam and Eve. It was God’s desire for humanity and then for Israel in particular. Now it is God’s will for the church as God’s new creation prayerfully bringing His kingdom reign on earth as we await our sabbath rest. And this describes the eternal state when God makes all things new and the Bride of Christ reigns beside the true Son of Man forever, enjoying our sabbath rest forever!
This Sunday (3/23/25) we are again in the throne room of God, waiting with bated breath for someone to open the seals of the scroll in God’s hand. Finally One who is worthy steps forward who is called the Lion of Judah but looks like a lamb that was slain. This is the Son of God and Son of Man who has been given an eternal throne and is worthy of all worship and praise forever!