"Son of Man"

Wednesday, July 26, 2006 -- Week of Proper 11 (the Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Discussion Blog
To comment on today's reflection or readings, go to http://lowellsblog.blogspot.com, find today's reading, click "comment" at the bottom of the reading, and post your thoughts.

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 977)
Psalm 119:49-72 (morning) // 49, [53] (evening)
Joshua 8:30-35
Romans 14:13-23
Matthew 26:57-68

In Matthew's version of Jesus' trial, we have a culminating moment as Jesus speaks and his words are clearly judged as blasphemy.

Part of the power of the monotheistic tradition of Judaism is infinite gulf between God and humanity. There is only one God and that God is holy. Only God is holy. Human beings are called to be a holy people by following the commandments of God. But God alone is divine, a jealous God to be praised, honored, worshiped, and obeyed. The gulf between the human and divine is an infinite chasm. Only Moses could look upon God face to face and not be consumed. For any human being to claim intimacy or relationship with God would be blasphemy. That's one reason we see so much of the lyrical language of love and devotion in the Hebrew scripture directed toward God's law and God's word. Psalm 119 is a love song to God's statutes and commandments. There is a powerful tradition that it would be presumptuous to love the being of God who is so far beyond our being. That's the tradition under which Jesus is being tried.

In Matthew's account of the trail, Caiaphas the high priest says, "Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God." Jesus answers, "From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." The response is instantaneous. "He has blasphemed!"

But note. Jesus did not say he was the Son of God. His words are "you will see the Son of Man." It is a phrase that apparently was Jesus' favorite self-designation, used by him 81 times in the Gospels. Son of Man. Some translations have rendered it "Mortal" or "Human Being." The epithet appears significantly in the book of Ezekiel where God addresses Ezekiel as "Son of Man/Mortal" more than ninety times. And one of Daniel's visions describes a son of man who is presented to the "Ancient of Days" who gives him power and authority.

The words are a modest, humble title. Jesus used them consistently to describe himself. "Son of Man" reminds us of our orthodox faith that Jesus was fully human, fully a Son of Man, the son of Mary whose parents we celebrate today. We also see in the Son of Man a human being who is one with God. In Matthew's account Jesus was accused of blasphemy for claiming a place "at the right hand of Power." "Human Being" in intimate relationship with God, the mortal taken into the divine.

John's gospel elaborates with several passages about the oneness between God the Father and the Son, and the oneness between the Son and us. The message is clear. The great gulf and divide between humanity and God is crossed. We also -- sons and daughters of man and woman -- are taken into God's being. "Divinization" was the theological word the church fathers used. In Christ, God assumes our full humanity and raises it to full divinity. That is our purpose and end. Mortality is to take on immortality. Human beings are intended to be one with God. That is your essential identity.

Lowell
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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR