The Coming of the Son of Man
In Matthew 24:27-30, we read of the phrase "Son of Man" was used.
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Mat 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.
The real Messiah is going to come as a lightning. Lightning is not secretive, like in verse 26, where people do not know where He is. Lightning can be seen by everyone.
The false messiahs on the other hand, are localized appearances. They are bound by location and space, and only some will know where they are. But the real Messiah will be seen by all.
From verses 27-30, we have come across several interpretations through the last 2 centuries. Some say that the Son of Man had already came in the past. Some say that the Son of Man will be coming in the future. Some say that the Son of Man had come in the past but will come again in the future.
If we look into the Context of Matthew 24, and understand that Jesus was not just speaking randomly, but in answer to the disciples questions in verse 3, then we can conclude that the coming of the Son of Man is in the past, and will happen before the great judgement of God on Jerusalem in AD70. All these events were meant to be happening in their generation, in their timeline.
It was only about 200 years ago, that the modern Church believed otherwise. From the 2nd Century writers until now, the Church has always looked at Mat 24:27-30 as events that had already taken place in the past.
John Calvin, one of the early 16th Century church fathers, wrote in his Bible Commentary Volume 1, about Matthew 24:26-27.
[ The meaning therefore is that everyone who collect his forces into a secret place in order to regain the freedom of the nation by arms, falsely pretends to be the Christ. For the Redeemer is sent to diffuse His grace suddenly and unexpectedly through every quarter of the world. But these two things are quite contrary, to shut up redemption within some corner and to spread it through the whole world. The disciples were thus reminded that they must no longer seek a redeemer within the small enclosure of Judea because He will suddenly extend the limits of His kingdom to the uttermost ends of the world. And indeed this astonish rapidity with which the gospel flew through every part of the world was a manifest testimony of divine power. For it could not be the result of human industry that the light of the gospel as soon as it appeared darted from one side of the world to the opposite side like lightning and therefore it is not without reason that Christ introduced this circumstance for demonstrating and magnifying His heavenly glory. Besides by holding out this vast extent of His kingdom, He intended to show the desolation of Judea would not hinder Him from reigning. ]
The phrase "lightning from the east to the west" is a metaphorical expression of how quickly Jesus is going to reveal His justice and His grace upon the earth. And He did it in AD70.
This apocalyptic language of "lightning from the east to the west" is also found in Zechariah 9:14.
Zec 9:14 Then the LORD will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord GOD will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.
This metaphor means that "God will arrive or appear over them". It is an image of the coming of God.
The phrase "coming of the Son of Man" was a unique answer to the disciples question in verse 3:
Mat 24:3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Jesus was answering the disciples that He is the Son of Man, and that He will appear and reveal Himself to them.
Q: Why did Jesus called Himself to be the "Son of Man" in this reply?
A: The answer can be found in Daniel 7. This is an important passage:
Dan 7:13 “I (Daniel) 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.
Dan 7:14 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.
Here the "Son of Man" (Jesus) is appearing before the "Ancient of Days" (God), and the "Ancient of Days" gave the "Son of Man" a kingdom that will last forever and ever and will never be destroyed. It speaks of a divine coronation ceremony for a new Ruler is beginning an all encompassing kingdom.
Note in v13, that the arrival of the "Son of Man" is on the clouds of heaven and the purpose of the arrival is to appear before the "Ancient of Days".
Do you see the similarity or parallel here with Matthew 24:30 where Jesus said the "Son of Man" is gong to come on the clouds of heaven?
Mat 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.
Jesus is telling His disciples at Mount Olives that they are going to see the manifestation of Daniel 7:13, the coming of the "Son of Man" and will be given an everlasting kingdom.
"Coming in the cloud" is a Hebrew metaphorical image in their language. It is not a physical cloud like what you see in biblical artwork.
The full phrase "Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven" refers to Jesus coming to receive an eternal kingdom from God, a kingdom that is full of power and great glory. This is the full manifestation of God's kingdom that was taken away from Israel and now made available to everyone.
This was confirmed in Acts 7:55-56 when Stephen was being stoned to death.
Act 7:55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Act 7:56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Stephen saw the "Son of Man" standing at the right hand of God. Stephen saw it with his naked eyes what Daniel saw in a vision in Daniel 7.
The crowd that was present at the stoning comprised of religious figures like the Pharisees understood what Stephen meant because they know their scripture in Dan 7:14. So when Stephen drew reference and said he saw Jesus as the "Son of Man" standing at the right hand of God, they just could not take it anymore and killed Stephen.
At the time of Stephen stoning until AD70, the job of establishing God's kingdom on earth was given to Jesus disciples. They were seeing a New kingdom being established. The New Covenant was overtaking the Old Covenant and climaxed at the destruction of the Temple.
After AD70, the task of establishing God's kingdom and enforcing that power and glory of His kingdom in our lifestyle is now given to ALL, for we are now in the New Covenant Age.
Thus the term "Son of Man" does not just refer to Jesus humanity while He was on earth but it is much more about Jesus exaltation at the right hand of God. And as He is exalted, the expansion and the power and glory of His kingdom will be for eternity and will never end.
When Jesus said that "the time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (John 12:23), He was referring to Daniel 7:13-14, that through His sacrifice at the Cross, He is going to be exalted by the Father and given an everlasting kingdom.
In recap, Jesus "coming in the cloud of heaven" means "receiving His everlasting kingdom from God with all power, authority and great glory".
The disciples of Jesus saw that "Coming of Jesus" in His Father's glory and kingdom just as what Jesus promised them in Matthew 16:27-28. They saw it in their generation and their lifetime.
Mat 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
Mat 16:28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
The climax is the Son of Man becoming king over an eternal kingdom.
That eternal kingdom that was ushered in by Jesus is continuing until now and forever more.
