A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40 The Question The Promise The Miracle

The Question  The term “Son of Man” as a Semitic idiom  huios tou anthropou – Greek  bar-nasha – Aramaic  ben-ish or ben-adam – Hebrew  ben or bar means “son of”  Example: a liar would be “son of a lie” or “the lie”  Therefore, ben-ish or ben-adam taken literally, would be Jesus calling Himself a man A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

The Question  The term “Son of Man” as a Semitic idiom  This shows Jesus’ humility  It also shows the joy Jesus found in being made one with us  Obviously, He was also God  Jesus could have referred to Himself in this way  Jesus thought God becoming man a magnificent display of love  Jesus knew that, in becoming like us, He would open a way for us to become like Him A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

The Question  The Jewish understanding of “Son of Man”  Daniel 7 – four great beasts 1. Like a lion – Babylon 2. Like a bear – Medes and Persians 3. Like a leopard – Greece 4. Too terrible to compare to any animal – Romans In Rome there are four kings competing for prominence – the winner represented by a “little horn” A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

The Question  The Jewish understanding of “Son of Man”  Daniel 7 – four great beasts  Vision now shifts to heaven and thrones are set up  The “Ancient of Days” takes His place on one of the thrones and renders judgment  The last of the beasts is killed and the kingdoms taken away  Daniel then writes of a final conquest and of a new and everlasting kingdom – Daniel 7:13-14 A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

Daniel 7:13-14 (NASB) 13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

The Question  The Jewish understanding of “Son of Man”  From Daniel to the Apocryphal writings “Son of Man” became a term linked to the Messiah  This is different from the literal meaning “man” and was most often taken as “The Man,” an archetype  The Apocryphal ideas here vary  Jesus used this term of Himself probably because all the other terms had definite and yet convoluted meanings like “Messiah” A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

2 Samuel 7:12-13 (NASB) 12 When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. Isaiah 9:7 (NASB) 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the L ORD of hosts will accomplish this.

What Jesus taught in calling Himself “Son of Man” 1. He was pre-existent – John 3:13; John 6:62 A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

John 3:13 (NASB) 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. John 6:62 (NASB) 62 What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?

What Jesus taught in calling Himself “Son of Man” 1. He was pre-existent – John 3:13; John 6:62 2. He was to suffer humiliation and death – John 3:14-15; 8:28 A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

John 3:14-15 (NASB) 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life John 8:28 (NASB) 28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

What Jesus taught in calling Himself “Son of Man” 1. He was pre-existent – John 3:13; John 6:62 2. He was to suffer humiliation and death – John 3:14-15; 8:28 3. He was to become a vital (personal) part of all who should believe on Him – John 6:27, A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

John 6:27 (NASB) 27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” John 6:53-54 (NASB) 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day;

What Jesus taught in calling Himself “Son of Man” 1. He was pre-existent – John 3:13; John 6:62 2. He was to suffer humiliation and death – John 3:14-15; 8:28 3. He was to become a vital (personal) part of all who should believe on Him – John 6:27, Connected to the final judgment – John 5:26-27 A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

John 5:26-27 (NASB) 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.

What Jesus taught in calling Himself “Son of Man” 1. He was pre-existent – John 3:13; John 6:62 2. He was to suffer humiliation and death – John 3:14-15; 8:28 3. He was to become a vital (personal) part of all who should believe on Him – John 6:27, Connected to the final judgment – John 5: Jesus’ current rule over the church – Rev. 1:12-14 A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40

Revelation 1:12-14 (NASB) 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; 13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.

Application Have you responded to the drawing and calling of the Savior? A Question, a Promise, and a Miracle John 12:34-40