T. Austin-Sparks · 1 of 4

The Son of Man

Reading: Psalm 2:1-9; 8:1,6-9; Dan. 7:13-15; Heb. 2:1-3:1; 12:2.

Keep the Word open at Hebrews 2. Note the quotation from Psalm 8:6-9. World dominion in union with the Son of Man through the Cross; this covers a wide range in the Word of God. The two main sections in which we shall move in connection with this thought, are the gospel according to Luke and the letter to the Hebrews.

That phrase 'the son of man' is a title which the Lord Jesus took on Himself, which He assumed with definite purpose. We have it prophetically in the Old Testament, in a peculiar and significant connection between Ezekiel and the Lord Jesus. And the conditions and situation show a closer link between him and the Lord Jesus. That title 'Son of Man' put the Lord Jesus in a representative position. Now, Ezekiel is said by the Lord to be constituted a sign, "I have set thee for a sign"; and he is called 'son of man' very many times by the Lord. The very term 'son of man' embodies the principle of representation. He is called by that name as representative of God's thought and God's mind. And the Lord Jesus assumed that title Himself.

In Luke's gospel we see He is the representative Man according to God's thought. And it is significant and important to see there is a definite period in which He deliberately took that title. Luke 9:18-22: "Who do the multitudes say that I am? ....but who do ye say that I am? Thou art the Christ the Son of God... but He charged them and commanded them to tell this to no man, saying, The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected... and be killed, and the third day be raised up." "The Son of Man" - that was His assumed title for the first time. He does not deny the title "Son of God", but charges them not to tell that to any man, it is something deeper. He took that title at a point where the Jews definitely rejected Him. He had been offered to the Jewish nation as their King, and on being rejected by that nation as its King, He takes the title of Son of Man - a racial term which embodies the whole race, and not just the Jewish nation. And at the point where one nation, the Jewish, reject Him, He embraces all nations; that is Psalm 2. It is a vain thing to meditate to cast Him out; they did attempt it. And in Acts 4 that very thing is taken up and they relate the second Psalm to Pilate and the Jews - something which these people fulfilled. But when Psalm 2 was carried out on the rejection side, it leads on to Psalm 8, where He is seen as the Son of Man. From one nation's rejection of Him, all nations are captured for the sovereignty of the Lord Jesus.

The point which has to be kept in view in all this is that the Lord Jesus has been constituted God's representative Man in glory in whom God has vested sovereignty and universal dominion, and the whole new race is gathered up into Christ to share that dominion with Him: "What is man that thou takest account of him? Thou madest him to have dominion" (Ps. 8:5-7; Heb. 2:6-8). In order for God to secure His end in Christ certain things are necessary. And it is important to see that the object and design of the death of the Lord Jesus is seen after He has been crowned with glory and honour. He is crowned with glory and honour before He is crucified and that gives colour and meaning to His death. And it explains the meaning of His transfiguration. When in the holy Mount He is crowned with glory and honour unto the suffering of death, glory was His personal transformation. What is the glory? The perfecting of His humanity. Christ as Man is spiritually and morally perfect before God and therefore capable of being glorified; for nothing imperfect will ever be glorified, to be glorified there must be spiritual and moral perfection.

Peter unwisely, not knowing what he said, put Him on a level with Moses and Elijah. He is honoured above them, "Hear My Son" is God's answer to this. Moses and Elijah are representatives of dispensations, the law and the prophets; so the whole of the dispensations are gathered up and excelled and surpassed in the Lord Jesus and that prior to His crucifixion. It means this One who is crucified is crucified as a perfect Man, and has already been glorified on the ground of His perfect humanity.

Now, there is a great deliverance for us here, this is a message for the overcomer at the end-time. When He was crucified He had already been glorified on the ground of perfection as Son of MAN. What is the value of all this? "Since then the children are partakers of blood and flesh, He also Himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death He might destroy him that had the hold of death, that is the devil" (Heb. 2:14,15). "He partook of blood and flesh". This is the literal Greek translation and means 'humanity, human nature'. "That through death... destroy him that had the hold [Gr. kratos] of death and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage". In what way had Satan the hold of death? This takes you on to Revelation 12:11: "They overcame him because of the blood of the lamb." That overcoming is at the point where the accuser of the brethren is cast down. Now this in Hebrews 2 links with that of Revelation 12. That is the way the enemy has the hold of death; he accuses man before God, and on God's own ground. He faces God with His own eternal word. He says, "You have said, 'the soul that sinneth it shall surely die.'" And he accuses them before God day and night as having sinned. See the cruelty of the enemy. He first provokes them to sin, and then charges them before God as having sinned, and in effect says to God, "You, to be true to Your own word and nature, must pronounce judgment and death upon them according to Your own law".