On your whiteboard: Write down all the names/titles that are used to refer to Jesus

Titles we need to know: Messiah Son of God Son of Man

Messiah We already know the meaning and implications of this term from our earlier topic. Literal meaning? Relevant Bible passages? How different people would have understood it? Implications of using it to describe Jesus? Fill in as much as you can from memory. Then use your notes to check/correct and add anything you missed.

“Son of God” in the Old Testament There are several references to sons of God in the Old Testament. The term is used for people with a special relationship with God. Angels, just and pious men, the descendants of Seth, and the kings of Israel are all called "sons of God."

“Son of God” in the Old Testament Genesis 6 “1When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them… 4the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.” Daniel 3 “24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.””

“Son of God” in the Hellenised world The term ‘son of god’ is not unique to Christianity and was a common concept throughout the Greek and Roman worlds. “Son of God” in the Hellenised world Hercules - Greece Mithra - Persia Apollo - Greece

“Son of God” in the Roman Empire In 42 BC, Julius Caesar was formally deified as "the divine Julius" (divus Iulius) after his assassination. His adopted son, Augustus, thus became known as divi Iuli filius (son of the divine Julius) or simply divi filius(son of the god).

“Son of God” in the New Testament In Christianity, the title Son of God refers to the status of Jesus as the divine son of God the Father. Jesus is God’s Son in the sense that He is God made manifest in human form (John 1:1, 14). Luke 1:35 declares, “The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’” During His trial before the Jewish leaders, the High Priest demanded of Jesus, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63). “’Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven’”

“Son of Man” in the Old Testament The Hebrew expression "son of man" (ben-adam) appears 107 times in the Hebrew Bible, the majority (93 times) in the Book of Ezekiel. It is used in three main ways: as a form of address (Ezekiel); to contrast the lowly status of humanity against the permanence and exalted dignity of God and the angels (Numbers 23:19, Psalm 8:4); and as a future eschatological figure whose coming will signal the end of history and the time of God's judgement (Daniel 8:17).

“Son of Man” in the New Testament Jesus favourite description of himself. According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus referred to himself as "Son of man" in three contexts: his earthly work and its humble condition (Mark 2:10) - human his coming suffering, death, and resurrection (Mark 9:9,12 ) - sacrifice his future coming in heavenly glory to act with sovereign power at a final judgement (Mark 8:38).