John 1 - Jesus, the Son of Man

These pulpit notes are provided unedited and will thus contain some grammatical or typographical errors.

Good morning, everyone. Please open your Bibles to John 1, Genesis 28 and Daniel 7.

Introduction: Stated Goal in our Study of John

When we began our study in the gospel of John, we said that one of the hoped-for results was that we would develop an exalted Christology. That is, that we would better understand just who Jesus is, and what this means to us. After all, if we are followers of Jesus, and claim to believe in him, it is essential that we have a Biblical understanding of just who he is, and what it is we are to believe about him.

This desired outcome of our study of the gospel of John stems from John’s stated purpose in his writing:

              John 20:31   but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of   God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John wants us to know and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that through believing in him we receive the promise of eternal life.

It is for these reasons that over the span of the four lessons we’ve received thus far in our study, we’ve considered Jesus as

1. The Incarnate Word
   
   That is, he is God’s word of revelation; God’s word of creation; God’s word of self-expression; and God’s word of salvation, become flesh.
   
   
2. Our Divine Deliverer
   
   That is, Jesus is the promised deliverer of Isaiah 40 whom the Lord would send to free us from the captivity of our sin.
   
   
3. The Lamb of God
   
   That is, Jesus is the promised Spirit-filled servant from Isaiah’s servant songs who would offer himself as sacrifice for us, in order to take away our sins.
   
   
4. The Messiah
   
   That is, he is the promised King who would ascend the throne of David and rule over a worldwide Kingdom of righteousness, justice, and peace for all of eternity.

Well, this morning our study of the person of Jesus continues. In addition to understanding Jesus as the Incarnate Word, and our Divine Deliverer, and the Lamb of God, and the Messiah, this morning we are going to explore what it means that Jesus is the Son of Man.

Look at John 1:43-51.

John 1:43-51   ¶ The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."  44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."  47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"  48 Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."  49 Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"  50 Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these."  51 And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Thus far, following John the Baptist’s testimony regarding Jesus, a few men have begun to follow Jesus. Two of John’s disciples, including Andrew began to follow. Andrew ran to get his brother Cephas, or Simon, whose name Jesus would later change to Peter, began to follow.

Later, Jesus found a man named Philip and called him to follow. Philip in his excitement ran to find a man named Nathanael, exclaiming “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote.” He then tells Nathanael, it is “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Nathanael is a bit skeptical since Nazareth was a small, insignificant town with a population less than a thousand. Besides this, it is not mentioned in the Old Testament and no prophecy indicated that the Messiah would come from it. So, Philip responds “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Ultimately, Nathanael would have to see for himself, so he joins Philip and returns with him to Jesus.

When Nathanael and Philip came near Jesus, Jesus greets Nathanael in an unusual way:

John 1:47   Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"

Ahh, it’s Nathanael! A true Israelite indeed! One in whom there is no deceit. What exactly does Jesus mean by this? It’s a commentary on Nathanael’s character. Nathanael, an honest man. No deceitfulness, no duplicity, no falsehood. A little skeptical? Sure. But honest and upfront about it.

With this statement, Jesus begins his exchange with Nathanael in a curious way. It’s not a coincidence that Jesus says “An Israelite indeed!” and coupled that with “in whom there is no deceit!” The first Israelite was a man named Jacob and he was known for his deceit! A lying cheat, that was what his own brother Esau called him in Genesis 27.

Here, Jesus begins an interesting comparison and contrast between Nathanael and that first Israelite, Jacob. Why? For the ultimate purpose of revealing something amazing about himself. This will become clearer as we continue.

Nathanael responded to Jesus as if Jesus must have hit the nail on the head. “How do you know me?”, he says. Jesus responds in a way which has challenged commentators:

“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

This statement bore much more significance to Nathanael than it does to the reader. For some reason, Jesus referring to Nathanael under the fig tree was enough to elicit a tremendous profession of faith from Nathanael:

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Nathanael may have been quick to express his skepticism, but he was equally as quick to express his faith. He believes that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the one of whom Moses and the prophets wrote. He believes that Jesus is the promised King, the Son of God! By the way, notice that Nathanael confessed exactly what John has written his gospel to cause others to confess, that Jesus is the Christ (that is, the King of Israel), the Son of God.

If it seems to you that such a full, and exuberant profession of faith is a little odd coming after Jesus’ simple statement that he saw Nathanael while he was under the fig tree, you would be right. Jesus responds:

“Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,” do you believe? You will see greater things than these!”

You believe based upon this alone Nathanael!? In following me, you are going to see greater things than this! You will have much greater reason to believe!

Jesus then goes on to give a clue of what sort of things Nathanael and those who follow him will see:

John 1:51   And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Now I said earlier that since Nathanael came on the scene, Jesus has chosen to begin invoking thoughts and comparisons to the patriarch Jacob. He does this explicitly here. When Jesus tells Nathanael that he will see the heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” he is clearly alluding to an important and formative incident in Jacob’s life, back in Genesis 28. Turn there so we can see the significance of it and what it has to do with us, and how we should understand Jesus.

Jacob’s Ladder

Genesis 28 opens with Jacob on the run. He has deceived his father and cheated his brother and now he fears for his life.

Genesis 28:10-19   ¶ Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran.  11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep.  12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!  13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.  14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." 

When Jesus says “you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending” he is referring directly to this passage.

As Jacob slept, he had a dream in which he saw a ladder, or staircase connecting heaven and earth. At the top of that stairway was God himself, and traveling up and down on that staircase were angels.

As Jacob beheld this sight, God spoke to him and affirmed to Jacob the promises that he had first made to Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham.

• I will give land to you and your offspring.
• You will have innumerable descendants
• Through you and your offspring, all nations of the earth will be blessed.
• I am with you, and will never leave you, and I will fulfill all of my promises.

These are amazing promises. So amazing, and undeserved by Jacob, that God accompanies these promises with the vision of a stairway connecting heaven and earth. The stairway symbolized God’s presence coming to earth. It represents a link between heaven and earth. Practically, it represents the fact that God is active on earth, fulfilling his promises out of faithfulness to his people.

What’s the point?

God would have Jacob understand that he is not a distant God. The angels coming and going up and down the staircase represent God’s power and activity in the affairs of men. He makes promises and keeps promises. He has all power to not only fulfill his promises but to sustain his people so that they will certainly experience the fulfillment of those promises.

Jacob can be confident that God will fulfill all the promises he has made first to his grandfather Abraham, and now to him, because God is present, and God is powerful and God protects, and God always fulfills his promises.

Look at Jacob’s response:

16 ¶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."  17 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."  18 So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.  19 He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.

Jacob wakes up in fear. In seeing the angels ascending and descending upon this stairway, and upon hearing God’s voice, Jacob recognizes God’s presence in that place. He calls it “the house of God” and “the gate of heaven.” He set up a monument of remembrance there and called the place “Bethel” or “the house of God.”

Later in the history of Israel the Tabernacle and even later the Temple would be the place were God’s presence would be known to descend to earth, but here in this early precursor, Jacob experiences God’s presence and power on earth here at Bethel.

So, here’s the question: Why does Jesus appeal to this passage and say to Nathanael that he will have a similar experience to Jacob? That he, like Jacob would witness the angels of God ascending and descending on Jesus?

Parallels – Jacob/Nathanael; Jesus/Stairway

Well interestingly, he doesn’t invoke this story to compare himself to Jacob. I think the parallel to Jacob here is Nathanael. Instead, Jesus compares himself to what? To the ladder, or the staircase.

• Whereas in Jacob’s vision the stairway is what connected heaven and earth, Jesus is now what connects heaven and earth.
  
  
  • 1 Timothy 2:5   For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
    
    
• Whereas the stairway was the channel through which God’s power came to earth, Jesus is now the channel through which God’s power has come to earth.
  
  
  • Hebrews 1:3   He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power…
    
    
• Whereas the stairway represented God’s heavenly presence on earth, Jesus is now the source of God’s presence one earth.
  
  
  • This is why the angels in announcing Jesus’ birth called him Immanuel or “God with us.”
    
    
• Whereas Jacob recognized that place as the house of God, or the gate to heaven, Jesus is now the dwelling place of God’s presence on earth, and the only means to heaven.
  
  
  • John 14:6   Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
    
    

There are parallels in the purpose of Jacob’s vision as well.

• Whereas God provided for Jacob the vision of the stairway in order to bolster Jacob’s faith in God’s promise keeping abilities, Jesus is saying to Nathanael and the other disciples that they can have confidence that God will fulfill all of his promises, through him. As Paul said:
  
  
  • 2 Corinthians 1:20   For all the promises of God find there Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

So, all of this raises another question. How can it be that a man, Jesus, could be a mediator between God and man? How can he be the gate between heaven and earth? How can it be said that through him, God’s presence has come to earth? The answer to this is seen in how Jesus referred to himself in his statement to Nathanael back in John 1.

The Son of Man

John 1:51   And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Jesus calls himself “the Son of Man.” This is by far and away Jesus’ favourite designation for himself. Using this moniker served Jesus very well because it carried a dual meaning. First, for some of his hearers it could simply be a humble term referring to Jesus’ humanity. However, for those who were theological astute and familiar with the Old Testament scripture, it brought with it another whole world of meaning.

I hope I don’t lose any of you here but to fully understand the strength of what Jesus is saying we have to pursue this final phrase. Whereas Jesus was making allusion to Genesis 28 and Jacob with the first portion of his response to Nathanael, here he is making allusion to an entirely different portion of scripture. He is referencing Daniel 7.

Like our passage in Genesis 28, this passage also features a vision seen in a dream. This time however it is not a vision granted to Jacob at a time before his descendants Israel were a nation, but a vision given to a man named Daniel some 900 years later when the nation of Israel is held captive in Babylon.

Daniel 7:1-12   ¶ In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 

Daniel goes on to describe his vision full of apocalyptic imagery. In it he sees strange beasts. Predators who are devouring. We won’t read it for the sake of time but suffice it to say, Daniel’s vision was meant to communicate the future rise and fall of mighty Kingdoms. Kingdoms which would oppose God and oppress God’s people.

Daniel’s vision is a vision of hope however. It sees a future day when all the wicked nations would stand before God himself and receive a just and right punishment from his hand:

9 ¶ "As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.  10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.  11 "I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.  12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

Daniel’s vision was about more than wicked nations losing dominion however, it was also about another one coming to receive dominion. Look at verse 13:

Daniel 7:13-14   "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.  14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel sees a figure come to God, the Ancient of Days, and this figure is described as what? “One like a son of man.” This figure, appears to be human. But there is a reason Daniel is using this language. He appears “like a son of man” but must be much, much more. Why? Notice how this figure arrives. “With the clouds of heaven.” It is God and God alone who arrives with clouds.

Psalm 104:1-4   ¶ Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,  2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.  3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; 

Isaiah warned Egypt:

Isaiah 19:1   ¶ Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

The imagery of the cloud rider is reserved for God alone. It represents his majesty, his dominion and his might in judgment. In Daniel’s vision however the one coming with the clouds of heaven appears like “a son of man.”

In Daniel’s vision God then gives this cloud-riding figure dominion and glory and a kingdom. A universal kingdom so that all peoples and all nations and all languages should serve him. Not only a universal kingdom, but an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away. Not only a universal kingdom, and an everlasting kingdom but an almighty kingdom which will never be destroyed.

Look at Daniel’s response to this vision in verse 15:

Daniel 7:15-18   ¶ "As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me.  16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things.  17 'These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.  18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.'

Daniel is anxious and alarmed. He is given a partial interpretation. The Lord is giving him a vision of hope. The beasts who will be destroyed are kings of the earth. But, despite their ferocity and their intent to dominate, “the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.”

So, who is this divine cloud-rider who appears in the form of a man? Who is this son of man who secures an eternal kingdom for the saints?

Matthew 24:30   Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 25:31-34   ¶ "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.  34 Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Jesus answered the High Priest when asked if he was the Son of God:

Matthew 26:64   Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Jesus is the one like the son of man. Jesus is the divine cloud-rider. Jesus is the one who has received power and dominion and a kingdom. Jesus is the one who has secured this kingdom for his saints. Jesus is the one before whom all nations will one day have to stand, and receive judgment.

It is because of Daniel’s vision in Daniel chapter 7 that Jews were expecting a powerful ruling figure who would one day establish an everlasting dominion, who could be described simply as “Son of Man.” Jesus took this title upon himself throughout his earthly ministry asserting his divine status and authority.

Jesus can be the mediator between God and man; the one who connects heaven to earth; the fulfillment of the stairway in Jacob’s vision because Jesus is both God and man.

So now, back to John 1. Why does Jesus combine both of these visions together in responding to Nathanael?

Remember that the initial vision given to Jacob was about God’s promises to Abraham. The promise to give land, and descendants and to bless all nations through his offspring. The vision of the ladder was given to assure Jacob that God will fulfill all of his promises and was capable to do so. His power and presence was active on earth accomplishing all of his purposes.

Jesus would have Nathanael and the other disciples know that all the Abrahamic promises would be fulfilled in and through him. He was the very presence of God on earth, exercising divine power, and accomplishing all of God’s purposes flawlessly.

The disciples would get a front row seat to this power as they followed him. They would hear his authoritative, heart-rending words. They would see his nature-defying miracles. They would witness his dominion over the spiritual and demonic realm. They would be eye witnesses to his divine character.  They would experience his life-giving grace. They would get a glimpse of his glory on the mount of transfiguration, and they would all be witnesses of his resurrection.

In seeing the power of God on display, and the presence of God manifest, and the promises of God fulfilled, it would be as if they were seeing the angels of God ascending and descending upon him.

But why the “Son of Man?” Because Jesus would have them know that as they observed his earthly ministry, displaying the power of God, and manifesting the presence of God, and fulfilling the promises of God, it was all leading to one significant end.

No matter what happened, up to and including his own death, they could be assured that he was the Son of Man who would receive all dominion and glory and a kingdom. No matter how he was rejected by men here, all nations and languages and peoples would one day serve him. No matter who exercised dominion in their day, he would receive an everlasting dominion which would never pass away and they, his saints, would come to possess that same kingdom, forever and ever.

Would they have understood all of this in this moment? Absolutely not. However, Jesus is beginning to establish a foundation that will be built upon throughout his earthly ministry and which would provide cause for reflection after his death and resurrection.

CONCLUSION

What is our take away this morning? Besides standing in awe of the person of Jesus and all that God is accomplishing through him?

Remember that Jacob was given this vision of God’s power and presence while he was running for his life from his brother Esau whom he had cheated.

Daniel was given a vision of God’s power and might and the promise of a future deliverer while everything seemed hopeless around him while captive in Babylon.

The point is, whether in the face of our own failures or trials and struggles all around us, we can be confident that God is not absent but that if we could peal the curtain back, we would be able to see him working and active all around us. He is not distant, or absent, nor has he forsaken those who are his, but he is working all things for our good at all times and he is doing so through Jesus Christ.

Every promise which you have in Jesus will be fulfilled for your good, even when your circumstances cry out something entirely different. He who promised is faithful and has proven it to you by sending Jesus, the Son of Man, in the flesh. Through him he has united heaven and earth together, and has brought you into his presence. Through Jesus he will satisfy every promise and all these promises will one day culminate in you and I inheriting an eternal kingdom over which Jesus will rule for eternity.