The Son of Man

Who is this man we call Jesus?

Is he a prophet? a good man? healer? from God? The Lord himself reveals the answer to us, backing his claim not with theoretical reasoning or careful argument, but with power. Sometime after healing a man born blind, an undeniable miracle, Jesus sought out this once-blind, now seeing man. ¹ This scrappy beggar had been kicked out of the halls of religious establishment for his salty words in support of his healer, the man called Jesus. And now Jesus sought him out.

Referring to himself in the third person for emphasis, Jesus asked the man if he believed in the Son of Man. This seems an odd question. I might have asked him, "How are you? Sorry you got kicked out of the temple." Or, "How does it feel to see now?" But John, the author of this account, points out what is important to this story, what we need to see: a man born blind was now growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. ² The spiritually blind can have their sight restored.

C.S. Lewis writes, regarding the Son of Man who became human for us,

"The result of this was that you now had one man who really was what all men were intended to be ..." ³

Jesus, born of a woman, a son of man, with a distinctive laugh and unique timbre in his voice, one who walked and tired, one who learned, one who bled when cut and felt the burden of betrayal was also the Son of Man - the perfect model of what we were created to be. This second Adam was the perfectly righteous Adam.

In word and deed, he put on display that which we are meant to be as those being conformed into the image of this man par excellence: the Son of Man. ⁴ This is why Paul instructed the Corinthian church to follow him as he followed Christ. ⁵ He didn't say, "Follow me," and stop there. He wanted us to look beyond him and see in his writings, words, and actions, not him but the One who he was following.

The same question Jesus posed to the blind man can be asked of us today, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" Do you know that Jesus is in a class by himself, that there is no one like him? Do you believe he walked where you walk, felt what you feel, and understands every temptation that you face? This Jesus is fully God and fully man. Both perfect and compassionate.

May our hearts respond in the same way as that of the once blind beggar whose desire was to know the Son of Man and once finding him, worshipped him.

References

¹ The account of the man born blind can be found in John chapter 9.

² 2 Peter 3:18 - But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

³ Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, page 179, © 1952

⁴ Romans 8:29 - For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

⁵ 1 Corinthians 11:1 - Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.