Does Jesus’ Claim to be “the Son of Man” Mean He Wasn’t the Son of God?

Some claim that because Jesus Christ describes Himself as "the Son of Man" (instead of “the Son of God”) in three of the gospels about Christ's life and ministry (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), this proves he was not the Son of God, and thus not God. They also argue that those who claim He is the Son of God are doing so as a complete misinterpretation and misrepresentation. They say that John, who wrote the fourth gospel, and people like the apostle Paul, made up the idea of Jesus being the Son of God in order to deify Him and advance the Christian movement. 

However, those who argue that Jesus did not mean He was the Son of God, and thus equal to God, when describing Himself as the Son of Man, must then dismiss the climax about this very expression, "Son of Man," in each of the three gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 

In Matthew 26, we read about the high priest asking Jesus directly if He is the Son of God:

• But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I place You under oath by the living God, to tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
• Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? See, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”

The reaction from the high priest and others cannot be explained in any other way than that they interpreted Jesus’ answer to be blasphemy, which the high priest announced. 

Why would they consider this blasphemy? Let's listen to what others have said. Out of the Believers’ Bible Commentary, we read:

• “The assertion is sometimes made,” writes Lenski, “that Jesus never called Himself ‘The Son of God.’ Here (in v. 64) He swears that He is no less.” 
• “Caiaphas [the high priest] did not miss the point. Jesus had alluded to a Messianic prophecy of Daniel."

Daniel 7:13–14: “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a son of man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Honor, and a kingdom, so that all the peoples, nations, and populations of all languages might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.

• "The high priest's reaction proves that he understood Jesus was claiming equality with God (see John 5:18). He tore his priestly clothes, a sign that the witness had blasphemed. His inflammatory words to the Sanhedrin assumed Jesus was guilty. When asked their verdict, the Council answered, ‘He is deserving of death.’”

What have others said?

From Bible Knowledge we read:

• Caiaphas insisted that Jesus answer if He was the Christ (the Messiah), the Son of God (Mat 26:63). Jesus answered in the affirmative, adding that in the future He would sit at the right hand of the Mighty One (cf. Mat 25:31) and He would return on the clouds of heaven (cf. Mat 24:30). Here was a clear statement of His deity, clearly understood as such by the high priest, who immediately tore his clothes, which he was forbidden to do by the Law (Lev 21:10), and declared that Jesus had spoken blasphemy (Mat 26:65). He said there was no further need of witnesses, for the Lord’s lips had revealed His guilt.

Concerning Matthew 26:64, the Life Application Bible says:

• Jesus declared his royalty in no uncertain terms. In calling himself the Son of Man, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, as his listeners well knew. He knew this declaration would be his undoing, but he did not panic. He was calm, courageous, and determined.

The Preacher Commentary revealed even more: 

• Caiaphas had what he wanted. When it appeared that the trial was breaking down, he had conceived an expedient but illegal approach: to apply the Oath of Testimony to which even silence was an unforgivable offense. 
• Jesus' response "It is as you said" is the traditional form in which a cultivated Jew responded to a question of grave import, courtesy forbidding a direct yes or no. There is no question that Jesus' answer was understood.
• Jesus underscored His answer with the messianic mystery, "You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." This messianic picture from Dan 7:13-14 was known and unmistakable to the high priest. 
• Now Caiaphas shouted, "Blasphemy!" and tore his clothes, a symbolic expression of horror, after which he called for the verdict. The Sanhedrin cried out, "He is guilty of death."

Finally, the Pulpit commentary said:

• "Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said;" or, in the equivalent words of St. Mark, "Jesus said, I am." Standing bound before his judge, knowing that he was pronouncing his own death warrant, he asserted in simple majesty the tremendous truth. He was the Son of God. Caiaphas should one day know it—in that day when "he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him." Caiaphas should see him then, the Son of God, but manifested as the Son of man (for it is as the Son of man that he shall execute judgment, Mat 25:31; Joh 5:27; Dan 7:13), "sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

That is what multiple Bible scholars have said about the three gospels in which Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man. What about Jesus’ statements in John's gospel about being the Son of God? 

• “The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (3:18)
• “Truly, truly, I say to you, a time is coming and even now has arrived, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” (5:25)
• “Are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?” (10:36)
• "But when Jesus heard this, He said, ‘This sickness is not meant for death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.’” (11:4)

John's gospel is dismissed by the critics as untrue quotes of Jesus. To them, John wishes to deify Jesus. To the cynic, the man closest to Jesus, the apostle John, was wrong. Because the idea that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God in John's gospel does not fit the skeptic's narrative, the doubter sets aside what John claims as quotes of Jesus referring to Himself as the Son of God. To the critic, the correct interpretation of Jesus is their interpretation. John's interpretation is wrong. How interesting and convenient! Apparently the critic knows better than John who walked with Jesus for three years and had the distinction of being the disciple Jesus loved. 

Those who do not want to believe in Jesus as the Lord of lords and King of kings will find ways to circumvent following Him. They have to find excuses. From the get-go, they say to themselves, "I know Jesus is not the Son of God or God so I will prove it cannot be so by presenting myself as an expert on what the Bible actually says. He was only the Son of Man."

They have to twist what Luke makes quite clear:

• “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask a question, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” And they all said, “So You are the Son of God?” And He said to them, “You say correctly that I am.” And then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth!” (22:67–71)

They must ignore the point of Mark's account of this episode:

• But He kept silent and did not offer any answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and said to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (14:61–62)

Pastor and evangelist F.B. Meyer said about this, “The court instantly recognized that in His reply He claimed to be equal with God.”