The title that Jesus used for himself most in the Bible was “Son of Man.” How incredible that Jesus is a flesh-and-blood reality! His humanity opens up the possibility of a sweet, tender, warm relationship with God.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada sharing hope.
Years ago, when I was on my feet and used to play field hockey in high school, our coach had a thing about running laps after practice. We’d scrimmage for an hour, do drills, and then it was, “Okay, girls,” our coach would shout, “ten laps around the field, then head to the showers!” I would groan, “Aw man!” I was already dog-tired, and by the fifth lap, I would be dragging, but that is when I’d kick in with this little habit of mine to help keep me focused. As I would run, I would half-sing in rhythm of my stride. Now I know this is going to sound funny, but I used to really do this. I would run and sing to the beat of my stride and I’d use Bible verses: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, for there is one God and one mediator, the man Christ Jesus.” Okay, it’s strange, but it kept me focused on my remaining laps; it helped me memorize 1 Timothy 2:5.
And now, so many years later, I still know that verse by heart—little wonder after three years of hockey and a zillion laps around the field, right? But there’s another reason that 1 Timothy 2:5 sticks in my heart – it’s that part about the Lord being referred to as “man.” “The man Christ Jesus,” wow! I love that Jesus’ favorite name for himself, the one title he most often used for himself in Scripture, was not “the Son of God,” as you might think. He did not most often refer to himself as “Lord,” or “teacher,” or “master,” or even “the righteous one.” No, his favorite title for himself was “Son of Man.” Oh, and I’m so grateful that the Lord of the universe was a man—a flesh and blood reality. His heart felt the sting of sympathy, he understood what a backache felt like, he wept real tears, scratched where he itched, and his eyes glowed with real tenderness. He was the one who took your place on the cross.
You should have died there, but he said, “No, let me do it. I love you too much for you to bear that penalty of sin alone. For you it would be too hard; you couldn’t do it. So here, let me take your place. I want to die instead of you.” Wow. And because of it, because Jesus is fully man, we can relate to him with affection and warmth and love. It would be hard to trust God if he were only a “Prime Mover” or a “Divine Cause.” It’d be impossible to love a Lord who was only a hazy, vague, theological concept—this is why I have such a hard time believing people when they say they love God and they only mean him as a divine being. You can’t do that. God is much, much more than a bunch of doctrines all rolled up into one Grand Designer. He is the Son of Man! He knows us, identifies with us, and this means you and I can trust him even when things get hard because, what do you know, he even bears that burden. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” Oh my goodness, do I love that verse!
You know, the essence of Christianity is knowing Christ Jesus as Lord, as Priest, as King, as Creator and Sustainer of life. We can know him as the Righteous One, as our atonement and propitiation for sin. Can a man do all that? Be all that? Well, yes, he can. For Jesus was 100% man, and knowing the Son of Man in all of his humanity opens up such a sweet, tender, warm relationship with him. We can love him because the Son of Man loved us.
© Joni and Friends