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Jesus
His Favorite Name
Names matter. Jesus’ friends, family, and neighbors would have called him Yeshua (YEH-shoo-ah), a common name back then. When the New Testament was written down, Yeshua was translated to Jesus.
Some people think "Jesus Christ" is a first and last name — like Abraham Lincoln or Luke Skywalker. But the word Christ is actually a title. It's a translation of the word Messiah, which means “anointed one” (more about that in Jesus – Messiah and King). When people heard "Messiah" back then, they would have expected a powerful and victorious leader. They probably wondered how Jesus, the son of an ordinary carpenter, could possibly be the Messiah.
Even though others called him the Messiah, Jesus usually used a different name for himself, "the Son of Man." It's from a weird and crazy dream in the Old Testament that sounds like an end-of-the-world movie with a larger-than-life hero.
What does it mean that Jesus Christ is "the Son of Man," and why does that matter for us who follow him?
Talk about the questions below, watch the video, and read the Bible passages to learn more about Jesus, the Son of Man.
Warm-Up
- What are some common titles we use for people (things like "doctor" or "coach" or "teacher")? What do those titles tell us about them?
- Think about the most crazy apocalyptic end-of-world movie or book. Describe the heroic rescuer who saves the day. Were they what you expected? Why or why not?
- If you had to describe Jesus in just three words, what would they be?
Watch
“Son of God” [5:50] *This video mentions Eden, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Daniel, Babylon.
Read
Daniel 7:1-14 (Don’t worry about “cracking a code.” Just listen for the plain and obvious message.)
Respond
- Talk about the “big story” elements of Daniel 7 (things like good versus evil, power and oppression, fear and hope, danger and rescue, a good ending). What do you think the main “big idea” is?
- What kind of character is the Son of Man within the “big story” of Daniel 7? If he were a real person in a real situation, how would you expect him to look and act? Why?
Engage
- Read some of these verses to see how Jesus describes the Son of Man.
- Matthew 8:20, 9:6, 16:27, 17:9, 17:22-23, 20:18, 20:28, 25:31, 26:2
- John 3:13, 5:26-27, 6:27
- Revelation 1:13, 14:14
- What descriptions in these verses show a strong hero (e.g., he’ll sit on a throne)?
- What descriptions show the opposite (e.g., he’ll be rejected)?
- What do you learn about Jesus, the Son of Man, from these verses and descriptions?
- What do you think that means for his followers?
End
Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, is our savior and King. He loves and rescues his followers. He reigns over the universe. He came to earth as a man. He is the Son of Man. He is the Son of God. And he is God himself. He is all those things. We are called to follow all of Jesus with all of ourselves. Will you accept that challenge?
P.S.
- For more about the story of the Old Testament, check out B.C. Flyover.
- For more about God and names, check out God – His Real Name.
- The book of Ezekiel (he was an Old Testament prophet) often uses “son of man” to mean an ordinary human being. So when Jesus used this title for himself, he was speaking the truth on two levels — he truly was a flesh-and-blood human being. But he was also "the Son of Man," God’s chosen and anointed redeemer, our Messiah.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2103 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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