Jesus made frequent use of the title "Son of man" when speaking of himself, while it is the others who call him "Son of God".

The title "son of man" is from Daniel. The following is the text which describes a vision which the prophet had at night, "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. And to him was given dominion and glory and 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" (Dan 7,13-14).

When the prophet seeks an explanation of this vision, he receives the following reply, "the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever and ever . ." (Dan 7,18-27).

That which refers to the person of the Son of man is found in the Angel's words in the annunciation to Mary, "he shall reign forever . . . and his kingdom shall have no end" (Lk 1,33).

It must be noted, however, that the expression "son of man" (ben-adam) had become in the Aramaic of Jesus' time an expression to mean simply "man" (bar ethas).

Jesus. therefore, in calling himself "Son of man", was able to conceal as it were behind the veil of the common meaning of the term its messianic significance in prophetic teaching.

Texts in which Jesus refers to himself as the ASon of Man includes Mt 8,20; Mk 2,28; Mk 2,10-11; Lk 11,30; Lk 17,22. Some note an interesting parallel between Ezekiel's prophecy and the statements of Jesus: Ez 2,3-4; Ez 12,2; Ez 4,1-7; Ez 17,2.

Echoing the words of the Prophet, Jesus teaches, "The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost" (Lk 19,10). "For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as ransom for many" (Mk 1,45; cf. also Mt 20,29). The "Son of manY when he comes in the glory of his Father", will be ashamed of whoever is ashamed of him and of his words before men (cf. Mk 8,38).

He himself says when speaking to Nicodemus, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life (Jn 3,14-15).

It is a clear announcement of the passion which Jesus repeats, "And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again" (Mk 8,31). No less than three times we find this forecast in Mark's Gospel (cf. 9,31; 10,33-34), and on each occasion Jesus speaks of himself as "Son of man".

Before the tribunal of Caiphas Jesus uses the same term in reference to himself. In reply to the question, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" he answers. "I am; and you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven" (Mk 14,62).

These words echo Daniel's prophecy on the "Son of man who comes with the clouds of heaven" (Dan 7,13) and Psalm 110 which sees the Lord seated on the right hand of God (cf. Ps 109 [110],1).

Jesus repeatedly speaks of the lifting up of the "Son of man", but he does not conceal from his hearers that this includes the humiliation of the Cross. This constitutes the content of life, passion, death and glory of which the Prophet Daniel had offered a faint outline.

If as "Son of man" Jesus fulfilled by his life, passion, death and resurrection the messianic plan outlined in the Old Testament, at the same time he takes his place with that same name as a true man among men, as a son of a woman, Mary of Nazareth.