What does ‘Son of God’ mean? Is it different from ‘Son of Man’?
Question 3012
Two titles appear throughout the Gospels that can cause confusion: “Son of God” and “Son of Man.” Some assume they mean the same thing; others think “Son of God” emphasises deity while “Son of Man” emphasises humanity. The truth is both richer and more theologically profound than either simplistic explanation. Understanding these titles properly helps us grasp who Jesus truly is and what He came to accomplish.
The Title “Son of God”
In the Old Testament, the phrase “son of God” or “sons of God” appears in several contexts. Angels are called “sons of God” in Job 1:6 and 38:7. Israel as a nation is called God’s son in Exodus 4:22: “Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son.” The Davidic king is promised a father-son relationship with God in 2 Samuel 7:14. So the title itself does not automatically imply deity in every Old Testament usage.
However, when applied to Jesus, the title takes on a unique and far more significant meaning. At Jesus’ baptism, the Father’s voice declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The Greek word for “beloved” here is ἀγαπητός (agapētos), indicating a unique, one-of-a-kind relationship. Jesus is not a son of God in the way angels or Israel or David were called sons. He is the Son of God in an ontological sense, meaning He shares the very nature and essence of the Father.
John’s Gospel makes this explicit. In John 5:18, the Jewish leaders sought to kill Jesus because “he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” They understood exactly what Jesus was claiming. When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), they picked up stones to execute Him for blasphemy, saying, “You, being a man, make yourself God” (John 10:33). The title “Son of God” on the lips of Jesus was a claim to deity, to sharing the divine nature eternally with the Father.
The writer to the Hebrews opens his letter by declaring that the Son is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). The Greek word χαρακτήρ (charaktēr), translated “exact imprint,” refers to an exact representation, like a seal pressed into wax. Jesus as the Son of God perfectly represents and shares in the divine nature. This is why Thomas, upon seeing the risen Jesus, exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
The Title “Son of Man”
This was Jesus’ favourite self-designation, appearing over eighty times in the Gospels. Many assume it simply emphasises His humanity, as if “Son of God” points to His deity and “Son of Man” points to His humanity. But this misses the primary significance of the title.
The background lies in Daniel 7:13-14, one of the most remarkable messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. Daniel sees a vision: “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.”
Notice what happens in this vision. This “son of man” comes with the clouds of heaven, which in Old Testament imagery is associated with divine presence (Exodus 13:21; Psalm 104:3). He approaches the Ancient of Days, a title for God the Father. He receives universal dominion, glory, and an everlasting kingdom. All peoples serve Him. This is not merely a human figure; this is a divine-human figure who will rule forever.
When Jesus used this title, He was claiming to be the fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy. At His trial before the Sanhedrin, the high priest demanded, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus replied, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61-62). The high priest tore his robes and declared it blasphemy. Why? Because Jesus was combining Daniel 7:13 with Psalm 110:1, claiming to be the divine figure who would sit at God’s right hand and come in glory to judge the world.
So while the title does include the idea of humanity, identifying Jesus with mankind, its primary significance is eschatological and royal. Jesus is the Son of Man who will return in glory, judge the nations, and establish His everlasting kingdom. Far from being a humble title, it is one of the most exalted claims Jesus ever made.
The Relationship Between the Two Titles
Both titles affirm the deity of Jesus, though from different angles. “Son of God” emphasises His eternal relationship with the Father and His sharing in the divine nature. “Son of Man” emphasises His role as the eschatological King from Daniel 7 who will reign forever. Together they present Jesus as the God-Man, fully divine and fully human, who came to redeem His people and will return to establish His kingdom.
The early church father Athanasius wrote extensively on this topic during the Arian controversy of the fourth century. Against those who denied the full deity of the Son, Athanasius argued that both titles, properly understood, affirm what the church confessed: Jesus is “true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father,” as the Nicene Creed would later declare.
Charles Ryrie helpfully notes that “the title Son of Man emphasizes the humanity of Christ but also His deity as the One who came from heaven and will return in glory to judge and reign” (Basic Theology, p. 249). Similarly, J. Dwight Pentecost observes that Jesus’ use of “Son of Man” deliberately evoked Daniel’s prophecy, signalling His identity as the coming King whose kingdom would have no end (The Words and Works of Jesus Christ, p. 95).
Conclusion
When we call Jesus the Son of God, we confess that He is eternally God, sharing the divine nature with the Father from before time began. When we call Him the Son of Man, we confess that He is the promised King of Daniel 7, the One who became human, lived among us, died for us, rose again, and will return in glory to establish His everlasting kingdom. Both titles belong together, pointing us to the wonder of the incarnation: God became man so that men might be reconciled to God.
“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Bibliography
- Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999.
- Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981.
- Walvoord, John F. Jesus Christ Our Lord. Chicago: Moody Press, 1969.
- Morris, Leon. The Lord from Heaven. Downers Grove: IVP, 1974.
- Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
