son of man: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Religious
Quick answer
What does “son of man” mean?
A biblical and theological title, primarily used in the New Testament to refer to Jesus Christ, signifying his humanity and messianic role.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A biblical and theological title, primarily used in the New Testament to refer to Jesus Christ, signifying his humanity and messianic role.
In Christian theology, it emphasizes Jesus as the prophesied messianic figure (from Daniel 7:13-14) who embodies both human nature and divine authority. In broader religious or literary contexts, it can refer more generically to a human being or a representative of humanity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical. The phrase is a fixed religious/literary term with no regional variation in its application.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries strong biblical/theological connotations. Secular use is extremely rare.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, confined to specific contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “son of man” in a Sentence
[The] Son of Man + verb (e.g., came, has, will come)[Jesus] as the Son of ManVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “son of man” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- In his sermon, the vicar focused on the humility of the Son of Man.
- Scholars debate the Aramaic origins of the title 'Son of Man'.
American English
- The pastor explained that 'Son of Man' was Jesus's favorite self-designation.
- The book's chapter analyzes every 'Son of Man' saying in the Gospels.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Used in theological, religious studies, and biblical literature papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used as a technical term in systematic theology and Christology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “son of man”
- Using it in everyday conversation to mean 'a man's son'.
- Capitalisation errors: it must be capitalised as a title 'Son of Man'.
- Omitting the definite article 'the' when it is part of the title.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
While its original Aramaic/Hebrew background can mean 'human' generically, in its primary English use (the Bible), it is a specific title for Jesus with messianic significance, not a synonym for 'person'.
Not exactly opposite. In Christian theology, they are complementary titles: 'Son of God' emphasizes divinity, 'Son of Man' emphasizes humanity, but both refer to the same person, Jesus, who is believed to be both fully God and fully man.
It is very rare and would be considered archaic or poetic, meaning something like 'a mortal human'. For clarity, modern English uses 'human being', 'person', or 'mortal'. Lowercase use is not standard in contemporary prose.
It is capitalised because it functions as a specific title or epithet, similar to 'the President' or 'the Duke'. This distinguishes it from a simple description.
A biblical and theological title, primarily used in the New Testament to refer to Jesus Christ, signifying his humanity and messianic role.
Son of man is usually formal, literary, religious in register.
Son of man: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsʌn əv ˈmæn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsʌn əv ˈmæn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms use this exact phrase.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Son of Man' = 'The Human One' from Heaven. The phrase itself is the key biblical title.
Conceptual Metaphor
HUMAN IS REPRESENTATIVE (The figure represents and embodies all humanity before God). AUTHORITY IS GIVEN (The son of man is given dominion and glory).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the phrase 'Son of Man' be LEAST appropriate?