Christ is the Greek-based equivalent of the Hebrew-based word messiah, which literally means anointed one.[i] In the OT, messiah is generally used when referring to a savior or a liberator of people. For example, when a new Jewish king or priest was installed, they were anointed with oil to sanctify them and make them holy. More specifically, the OT refers to a specific future Messiah from the lineage of David who would deliver Israel from foreign bondage and restore her to glory. Christians believe that Jesus Christ incarnate was the fulfillment of this messianic prophesy. The Doctrine of Christ is sometimes referred to as Christology.
The first time Jesus uses a title for Himself in the Bible is in Matthew. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 7:21). Here Jesus refers to His heavenly status as Lord rather than his earthly status as Messiah. But Jesus referring to himself as Heavenly Lord is the exception rather than the rule. By far the most common term Jesus uses when referring to himself is Son of Man (Huios Anthrōpou). Jesus does this 30 times in Matthew, 16 in Mark, 29 in Luke, and 13 in John. The first instances in each Gospel include “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Mt 8:14); “But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mk 2:10); “But should you know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Lk 5:24); and “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (Jn 1:51).
The use of Son of Man by Jesus is commonly thought to be a reference to Dan 7:13, which refers to the son of man descending from the clouds of heaven. This view is debatable due the generic usage of the term in Daniel which refers to something with the form or appearance of a man.[ii] Although Jesus referring to himself as the Son of Man may hint at his messiahship, He is very secretive about this throughout His ministry. This is evident through a direct instruction to his disciples. “Then He gave disciples strict orders that they were to tell no one that he was the Christ” (Mt 16:20). In academic literature, Jesus’s intentional concealment of His messiahship is called the “messianic secret.”
Why did Jesus refer to himself as the Son of Man rather than the Messiah? There is a general hiddenness aspect and a specific messiah aspect to the answer. In terms of hiddenness, Christ was trying to keep a low profile during his ministry because notoriety could become problematic in terms excessive crowds and premature punitive actions by Jewish officials. In terms of messiah, it was a loaded term in which Jews had a specific interpretation and its use would almost certainly result in confusion. Jews expected the messiah to be a warrior king who would deliver them from Roman occupation. Jesus needed sufficient time to instruct His disciples on the true divine role of His Messiahship, particularly the need for the Messiah to suffer and die. This message was not to be preached to the broader community until Christ’s death and resurrection.
The doctrine of Christ (i.e., Christology) addressed topics such as Christ as a person, Christ as a God-man, the states of Christ, the offices of Christ, and the atoning work of Christ.
[i] The original Hebrew word for the English translation of messiah is mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ). The original Greek word for the English translation of Christ is Chrīstós (χριστός).
[ii] Exegesis on “Son of Man” is fascinating but beyond the scope of this book. Those interested in scholarly treatment are referred to the following journal articles: Paul Danove, “The Rhetoric of the Characterization of Jesus as the Son of Man and Christ in Mark,” Biblica, 84 no 1, 2003: 16-34; and Elizabeth Malbon, “Narrative Christology and the Son of Man: What the Markan Jesus Says Instead,” Biblical Interpretation, 11 no 3-4, 2003: 373-385.
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