Biblical Meaning of “Son of Man”

The term is used in various ways in Scripture. In the Old Testament, for example, “son of man” is used as a metaphor or idiom to refer to a human being or a mere mortal (Num. 23:19, Job 25:6, Psalms 8:4, Sirach 17:30). And it’s also used to refer to prophets such as Ezekiel and Daniel (Dan. 8:17).

Jesus also uses the term to describe himself in the New Testament. In some ways, he uses it to show his solidarity with humanity, including that in becoming truly man he needs rest (Matt. 8:20) and also eats and drinks (Luke 7:34).

It is also used as a term for the prophesied Messiah (Dan. 7:13-14; see 7:1-28) and one who looks for a divine Messiah in glory at that. Jesus conveys that he is the fulfillment of this verse, “the son of man” (emphasis added), clearly identifying with this prophetic figure (Matt. 19:28, 24:30, 25:31). He also uses this title elsewhere to illustrate he has divine prerogatives, including the authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:10), suspend the Sabbath (Mark 2:28), judge men (John 5:27), and even provide eternal life through the our consuming his flesh (John 6:53-54).