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This question of utter bewilderment negatives the supposition that it was equivalent to the Messiah. The two names do not cover the same ground; for our Lord avoided the one and habitually used the other. The name is found on no other lips, and no man applied it to Christ but Stephen. The two apparent instances in which it occurs — in Revelation — probably read a, not the Son of Man. It has been supposed to be taken from Daniel. No doubt there is a connection, but the Prophet speaks of "one like a Son of Man," in contradistinction to the bestial forms. What, then, is the force of the name?

I. CHRIST THEREBY IDENTIFIES HIMSELF WITH US.

1. The name declares the fact of the Incarnation and the reality and fulness of His humanity. It is employed where special emphasis is to be placed on our Lord's manhood.

(1) As, e.g., when He would bring into view the depth of His humiliation — "Foxes have holes," etc. "Not merely am I individually homeless, but I am so because I am truly a Man, the only creature who builds houses, and the only creature that has not a home. Foxes can rest any. where; any bough will do for birds; I, as the representative of humanity, wander a pilgrim." We are all restless and homeless: the creatures correspond to their environment. We have desires and needs that wander through eternity; our Representative "hath not where to lay His head."(2) When He would emphasize the completeness of His participation in our conditions. "The Son of Man came eating and drinking" — having ordinary dependence on external things: nor unwilling to taste whatever gladnesses may be found in man's path through the supply of natural appetites.

(3) When He would emphasize this manhood as having truly taken upon itself the whole weight and weariness of man's sin. "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto," etc.

2. All these instances suggest to us —

(1) How truly and blessedly He is "bone of our bone" etc. All our joys, sorrows, wants were His. The Son of Man is our Brother and Example.

(2) Is it not beautiful that this name, which emphasizes humiliation, and weakness, and likeness to ourselves, should be always on His lips. Just as if some teacher who went away into savage life might adopt some barbarous designation and say, "That is my name now."

II. CHRIST THEREBY DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF FROM US, and plainly claims an unique relationship to the whole world. How absurd it would be for one of us to perpetually insist on the fact that He was a man, and the very frequency and emphasis with which the name comes from our Lord's lips lead one to suspect that there is something behind it. The impression is confirmed by the article the.

1. Appropriately, then, the name is used with suggestions of authority and dignity, contrasting with those of humiliation. "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath," "hath power on earth to forgive sins," etc. And it is significant that the designation occurs more frequently in the first three Gospels than in the fourth, which is alleged to present higher notions of Jesus. In substance Christ claims, what Paul claimed for Him, to be the Second Adam. "Aristotle is but the rubbish of an Adam," and Adam is but the dim outline sketch of a Jesus. The one man as God meant him, the perfect humanity, is He who claimed that for Himself, and as He did so said, "I am meek and lowly of heart." "Who is this Son of Man?" A perfect Son of Man must be more than a Son of man — "the Christ the Son of the living God."

2. The name is employed in connections in which He desires to set Himself forth as the solitary medium of all blessing to mankind — "The Son of Man came to give His life a ransom for many," "the angels of God ascending and descending," etc., — the Medium of all communication between earth and heaven. He who is perfect manhood touches all men, and all men touch Him, and the Son of Man whom God hath sealed will give to every one of us bread from heaven.

III. THE PREDICTIVE CHARACTER OF THIS DESIGNATION. If not a quotation from it is an allusion to the prophecy of Daniel. Hence we find the name occurring in passages which refer to Christ's second coming — "Hereafter ye shall see," etc. "He hath given Him authority," etc. "Standing at the right hand of God."

1. The name carries with it a blessed message of the present activity and perpetual manhood of the risen Lord. Stephen does not see Him sitting, but standing, as if He had sprung to His feet on response to the cry of faith from the first of a long train of sufferers. He is the ever-present Helper.

2. That perfect manhood will be our Judge. It could not end its relationship on the cross or at the Ascension. That He should come again is the only possible completion of His work. That Judge is our Brother. So in the deepest sense we are tried by our Peer. With the omniscience of Divinity will be blended the sympathy of humanity. Conclusion: Let us lay hold by true faith on the mighty work which He has done on the cross, then we shall rejoice to see our Brother on the throne.

(A. Maclaren, D. D.)

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KJV: The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

WEB: The multitude answered him, "We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up?' Who is this Son of Man?"