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Showing posts with the label Son-Man

Unexpected, Rejected, Crucified

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The Son of Man is revealed and comprehended in his sufferings and self-sacrificial death for others, including his enemies .  This theme is found several times in the Gospel of Mark , namely, the inability of men to recognize Jesus as the Son of God until AFTER his crucifixion and resurrection, and most paradoxically, the first man to identify him as the “ Son of God ” was the Roman centurion on duty at his execution. His self-identification as the suffering “ Son of Man ” made him unrecognizable and distasteful to unregenerate men. He was the kind of Messiah no one expected or wanted.

His Authority

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After defeating Satan, Jesus began proclaiming the “Good News” of the Kingdom in Galilee – “ The season is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel .” The term “Kingdom of God” is a summary statement that meant different things to different people, but the man from Nazareth identified his mission with the glorious “ Son of Man ” figure described in the  Book of Daniel .

Authority over the Sabbath

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Religious leaders from Jerusalem began to object to the looseness of Jesus to their Sabbath traditions, but he used the opportunity to show that the “ Son of Man ” is “ Lord ” even over that day. God did cease His creative activities on the seventh day, but its formal establishment as a regulated day on which no work was to be done did not occur until the Torah was given through Moses at Mount Sinai (“ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy ”).

Discharging Sins

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The literary unit in chapters 1 and 2 of the  Gospel of Mark  includes five stories highlighting the authority of Jesus as the “ Son of Man .” It also shows the growing conflicts between him and the religious authorities based in the Jerusalem Temple, especially over issues of ritual purity and Sabbath regulations. There are parallels between the present story and the preceding one about the cleansing of the leper.

THAT Son of Man

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In the three synoptic gospels, the term “ Son of Man ” is the self-designation found most often on the lips of Jesus. It is derived from Daniel’s vision of the one “ like a Son of Man ” who received the “ dominion and kingdom ” from the “ Ancient of Days .” According to Jesus, “ All the tribes of the Earth ” will mourn when “ they see the Son of man coming on the clouds of Heaven .”

The Suffering Servant

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Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the role of the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ described in the  Book of Isaiah . Unlike Adam, he did not attempt to grasp the “ likeness of God .” Instead, he humbled himself and submitted to a shameful death on the Roman cross. For this reason, God highly exalted him and made him “ Lord ” over all things. His exaltation did not precede his death – His enthronement followed it, and he died utterly alone.

Sower and Seed

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The  Parable of the Sower  provides the key to understanding the parables of Jesus. The story’s point is that the Kingdom of God began to invade the present age starting with the proclamation of the Gospel by the “ Son of Man .” That process commenced with his announcement of the Good News when he was in “ Galilee of the Nations .” Ever since then, the Kingdom has been advancing across the Earth though largely unnoticed by humanity and even by many of his followers.

Kingdom Parables

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The  Gospel of Mark  provides only a few examples of the many parables taught by Jesus (“ Apart from a parable he did not speak to the crowds ”). In them, the dominant theme is the Kingdom of God that invaded the Earth in the ministry of Jesus and continues to grow and produce fruit wherever the Gospel is preached. The “ Son of Man ” taught the Jewish people in parables, but only as they “ were able to hear ,” and this clause stresses the responsibility of the listener to hear and heed his words.

Coming on the Clouds

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After describing the destruction of the Temple, Jesus went on to the subject of his return. How much time would pass between the Temple’s demise and his arrival he did not say, but in the intervening period, he warned his disciples to steer clear of deceivers and “ false prophets ” who would disseminate false information about his coming.

Little Horn - Interpretation

The second half of Chapter 7 of  Daniel  interprets the vision of the “ fourth Beast ” with the “ little horn ” that concluded in a judgment scene and with the declaration that the figure “ like a Son of Man ” received “ dominion ” and kingship from the “ Ancient of Days. ” Consequently, “ all peoples, races and tongues rendered homage to him. His dominion was an everlasting dominion, which should not pass away ” - (Daniel 7:9-14).

Priestly Son of Man

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The first vision centers on Jesus in his role as the High Priest who oversees the congregations of Asia. The vision begins in Chapter 1 and continues to the end of Chapter 3. It consists of the image of the Risen Christ walking among “ Seven Golden Lampstands ,” and the seven messages that he sends to the seven “ Messengers ” of the Asian congregations.

His Impending Death

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In the  Gospel of Mark , we see Jesus “ on the way ” to Jerusalem and his death. This theme occurs se veral times in Mark's account, beginning with the Baptist who was sent to “ prepare THE WAY before the Lord .” The Nazarene would complete his mission as the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ portrayed centuries earlier in  Isaiah . He would be tried by the priestly leaders from the Temp le, and face death outside the walls of the City of David at the hands of Rome.

Transfiguration

The Transfiguration confirms his status as the Messiah and the necessity for Jesus to suffer before receiving glory  - Mark 9:2-13.  In  Mark , the Transfiguration begins with the clause “ after six days ,” a link to the  preceding story  where Peter acknowledges Jesus is the Messiah. In response, Christ explains the true meaning of discipleship. To follow him, a man must “ deny himself and take up his cross ” just as the “ Son of Man ” did.