The Son of Man
Ezekiel is addressed as “son of man.”
Discussions concerning this phrase have been extensive, in part due to its use
in other passages. In Job 25:6 it refers to mankind as lowly, as a maggot; in
Numbers 23:19 it designates a human being who would and would lie in distinction
from God who is absolutely truthful. Isaiah speaks of mortal men who are as
grass (Isa. 51:12), while Jeremiah in a general sense points to people who live
in cities such as Sodom and Gomorrah (Jer. 49:18; 50:40). These passages could
be cited to support Walther Eichrodt’s statement that “the weakness of the
creature to whom the Mighty Lord shows such condescension.” But the occurrence
of the phrase son of man in Psalm 8:4 (MT 8:5) and Daniel 8:17 as well
as its use by Jesus as a self-designation have given other scholars reason to
consider the phrase as referring to mankind form a broader perspective. Andrew
B. Davidson notes that the phrase expresses the contrast between the prophet and
the majesty of God. Or in the opinion of Zimmerli, it expresses the thought
that Ezekiel is addressed as an individual within the created order. This idea
of an individual created in God’s image and given a royal mandate surfaced in
Psalm 8:4-8 (MT 8:5-9). Mankind has fallen; the rest was weakness and
mortality. But the main emphasis in Ezekiel is that the prophet, confronted by
the majesty of God, falls prostrate (2:1). As son of man, but the Spirit’s
enabling presence and power, he is to stand before the majestic Yahweh, give
expression to his own human, royal status, and as such serve as Yahweh’s
spokesman.
As the modern debate continues about the
phrase, it should be remembered that the reference to mankind as “son of man”
may at times refer to mankind in its fallen state, but when used of an
individual person, who is spoken of as Yahweh’s agent, it points to mankind
created royal, restored to a regal position, and called to serve as Yahweh’s
human representative on behalf, of human beings. Ezekiel the priest-prophet,
but also watchman, is reminded when he is addressed as son of man, of his original
royal status. He, by the Spirit’s enabling presence, can serve as the royal
priest-prophet. He will have to endure humiliating experiences (cf. chaps. 4-5,
24), but at all times he is to conduct himself as “son of man.” In this
respect, it can be understood why Ezekiel is indeed, a type of Christ and why
Jesus Christ himself was prepared to take the phrase Son of man as a
suitable ascription for himself.(Gerard Van Groningen, Messianic Revelation
in the Old Testament, 2 vols. [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1990
repr., Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock, 1997], 2:529-30, emphasis in bold added)
