I’ve been enjoying a monograph entitled “The Son of Man as the Son of God“ by Seyoon Kim which looks at the meaning and significance of Daniel 17:13-14 for Jesus’ self-designation as the Son of Man.  A summary statement is found on page 36,

With “the ‘Son of Man'” then Jesus intended to reveal himself to be the divine figure who was the inclusive representative (or the head) of the eschatological people of God, i.e. the Son of God who was the head of the sons of God.

I recently came across this statement in Herman Bavinck’s “What is Christianity?” where he addresses Jesus as Son of Man.  I really appreciated how well it agrees with Kim’s understanding (as partially summarized above and more fleshed out in his book), Bavinck wrote,

This name [the Son of Man] was taken by him, as is now generally accepted, from Daniel 7:13, and demonstrates, in the first place, that Jesus took himself to be the Messiah promised in the old Testament.  In the second place, the fact that he chose this very name [the Son of Man] – avoiding the title of Messiah or king – seems to indicate that he was and wanted to be the Messiah in a different sense from how the Jews at that time generally expected their Messiah to be.  He did not come to set up an earthly kingdom, to be at the forefront of Israel’s people, to defeat all its enemies, and raise it to the head of all nations.  On the contrary, he came to serve and give his soul as a ransom for many, to seek and redeem the lost, to be delivered over and crucified, to establish in his blood a new covenant between God and Man [Matthew 18:11; Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10; 22:20; 24:7; Heb. 9:15]. That is why Jesus calls himself the Son of Man every time he speaks of his humiliation.  In that humiliation, he sees a divine “must,” a work assigned to him by the Father, a way he must travel to enter his glory.

The Bible references are so worthwhile to look up and meditate upon! Seyoon Kim follows the same path connecting the Messiahship of Jesus to the necessity of His suffering in the place of His people! Thanks be to God for sending the Son of Man Who performed His work perfectly and now reigns over all!