328
10
Th. Spörri, Die Basis des Oekumenischen Rates und
unser
19f.
Bekenntnis zur Gottheit Jesu Christi (Zurich, 1949),
11
Minutes of the Enlarged Meeting and the Committee of
the International Missionary Council, Willingen, Germany,
5.7-21.7.1952. (London and New York n.d.), 116; Theurer,
loc. cit., 189.
12
13
Uppsala Report (Geneva, 1968), 26.
G. Khodre, Christianity in a pluralistic world. The
The Son of Man in the
BY PAULINE GILES, M.A., MANCHESTER
IN He 2~ the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews
quotes these words from Ps 8&dquo;
4. What is man that thou art mindful of him,
or the son of man, that thou carest for him?
5. Thou didst make him for a little while lower than the
angels,
thou hast crowned him with glory and honour,
6. putting everything in subjection under his feet.
The presence or absence of a Son of Man Christology
in the Epistle to the Hebrews is a question frequently
debated. O. Cullmann states that our author applied
Ps 8 to Jesus as the Son of Man and had precise
information about the Son of Man doctrine. In
contrast J. Moffatt states categorically that neither
here nor elsewhere does he use the term Son of Man.22
This essay supports the former opinion.
It is important that we first look at the context in
which Ps 8 is placed and the precise stage of the
argument at which the quotation is used. In the first
chapter the author has stated the uniqueness of Jesus
as a Son who is both heir and partner with God in
creating and sustaining the universe. He bears the
very stamp of Gods nature and thus is superior to
angels. This superiority is testified to in the Old
Testament. He is Son (Ps 2 7; 2 S 7~4), worshipped by
angels (Dt 32 43 ) and is addressed in kingly terms
when Kingdom, sceptre and anointing are used in the
quotation of Ps 456-7. Finally, Ps 110 claims that
Christ, unlike the angels, is now seated at the right
hand of God, having made purification for the sins of
the people (He 13).
Chapter 2 begins with a warning of the just
retribution to be expected if we ignore the message of
Jesus. The writer then reminds us that God did not
subject the world to come to angels but to Christ
about whom Ps 8 testifies that he was made man.
Because Jesus was made for a little while lower than
the angels he was able to taste death for every one
Economy of the Holy Spirit, Ecumenical Review 23/2,
April 1971, 118-128.
14
H. P. van Dusen and N. Ehrenström (ed.), The
Christian Hope and the Task of the Church. Six Ecumenical
Surveys and the Report of the Assembly prepared by the
Advisory Commission on the Main Theme (Evanston, 1954)
(New York, 1954), 44.
The Lordship of Christ over the World and the Church.
15
Study Documents. Under the Auspices of the Division of
Studies (Geneva, 1957), 19.
Epistle to the Hebrews
(29). Both sanctifier and sanctified have all one origin
and are thus brethren (2&dquo;). Our kinship to Jesus
seems to be expressed in 2 12-13 where Ps 22 22 and
Is 8~-g are quoted. As children share in flesh and
blood, Jesus likewise partook of the same nature
(2~). In his redemptive work it is not with angels that
he is concerned (TTLaJ.Lf3vETat) but with the
descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be
made like his brethren in every respect (2~~), so
that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the
sins of the people (2~). 1TtJ.Lf3avoJ.LaL (2~) may
mean to take hold of, to help, to take up, to
assume, or, as in 89 to take by the hand. Most
translators adopt the first meaning. B. F. Westcott
comments that this interpretation is in accordance
with the usage of the word and falls in perfectly with
the argument.3 The majority of commentators agree
with this view.
It is evident that our author emphasized the
humanity of Jesus and his solidarity with his brethren
as carefully as he did the superiority of Jesus over
angels because of his Sonship. Furthermore, it is not
until he has emphasized both these aspects that he
calls Jesus a High Priest, the central theme and most
important Christological statement in his exhorta-
tion.
As usual when he quoted from the Old Testament,
the writer of Hebrews used the Septuagint. Here he
quotes accurately although, according to the more
reliable texts, he omits the words and didst set him,
over the works of thy hands (Ps 86d). He also changes
the original meaning of the Psalm. For the Psalmist
son of man was synonymous with man, and he is
marvelling at the power of man who is but little less
than God (M.T.) or, in the LXX, a little less than
angels. When our author applies these words to
Christ, he is describing the humiliation of the Son of
Man.

Two variants in the text need to be considered. In
some manuscripts, notably P46, the first line reads
rig (nol 7-t) 4Ea-rtv avOpw7ros-. G. Zuntz takes this to
be ris EQTCV 6v0pwwoc and in commenting on this
he points out that this reading gives the argument a
greater coherence. Zuntz believes that our author is
arguing for the unique prerogative of the &dquo;Son of
Man&dquo;, the Messiah, and to make this point altered
Ti to T~y. Thus we should translate who is the man
whom thou mindest? The following words would
then be in answer to the question: Truly the Son of
Man, for him thou visitest (Zuntzs translation). He
maintains that this is evident from 29 referring to 2 ,
where him resumes son of man. Zuntz concludes
that the variant is correct. This view is challenged by
R. V. G. Tasker who considers it unlikely that the
author of the Epistle to the Hebrews would have
played havoc with the parallelism of the Psalmist
in this way in the interests of a Son of Man
6
Christology
The sentence here omitted from Ps 86 is present in a
number of manuscripts. Zuntz considers that our
author omitted it because it conflicted with his
argument? J. H. Davies concludes that it was
omitted because it emphasized mans rule over the
material world whereas the intention was to apply the
Psalm to Jesuss rule over the world to come. This,
says Davies, is the reason for the emphasis on the
inclusiveness of the phrase ra 7Tavra (everything),
even angels. Both reasons for the omission are
debatable for the words thou hast set him over the
works of thy hands seem to be paralleled by thou
hast put all things under his feet.
The significance or otherwise of the use of Ps 8~ in
the Epistle to the Hebrews has been subject to a
variety of views. A. J. B. Higgins claims that the
context in which Ps 8 is placed shows that our author
was not only familiar with the Psalm but that he could
assume this knowledge among his readers. The
reference is, Higgins believes, to Jesus as the Son of
Man.9
F. H. Borsch takes Higgins to task on this point
citing the brevity of this Christology in Hebrews and
the fact that it is so unlike the Son of Man sayings
preserved in the gospels. Hebrews quotes a Psalm in
the midst of a catena of Old Testament quotations
where, unlike the gospels, Son of Man is
anarthrous. Borsch contends that our author ap-
plied Ps 85 to Jesus on the basis of his own typology
and that the quotation first referred to man with
whom he contrasted Jesus in 21J. If our author had a
knowledge of the Son of Man Christology then,
argues Borsch, he would have made a more exact
identification of Jesus and the Son of Man. He
concludes, Thus there is little enough reason in this
passage and none elsewhere in the Epistle which
could be a cause for believing that the author was
329
inclined to worship Jesus as the Son of Man.1
Although he considers that our author probably
knew Jesuss self-designation as the Son of Man and
that this may have influenced his choice of tes-
timonium, Montefiore denies that he applied the Son
of Man to Jesus at all.2
In contrast J. H6ring says most emphatically that
though the Psalmist was thinking of man in general,
in our Epistle it is a case of man with a capital M, that
is, of Christ, regarded in His capacity as &dquo;Son of
Man&dquo; in the technical and theological sense of the
Gospels, or of the &dquo;heavenly Adam&dquo; in the Apostle
Pauls terminology.&dquo; B. F. Westcott thinks that the
Psalm was used to express the true destiny of man
which can only be accomplished for him by the Son. 14
In his commentary on this Epistle F. F. Bruce points
out that here there is probably a tacit identification
of &dquo;the Son of Man&dquo; in Ps 8~ with the &dquo;one like unto a
son of man&dquo; in Dn 7~.~ C. H. bodd would make
some distinction between these two Old Testament
Son of Man passages. He says, To put it broadly, Ps
85 is applied to Christ as the representative Head of
humanity (of ideal, or redeemed humanity), and Dn
713 is applied to him as the &dquo;Coming One&dquo; to whom
everlasting dominion is given, &dquo;at the right hand of
God&dquo; .~ We can, however, discern the pattern of
mans exaltation after previous degradation in Ps 8,
as interpreted by our author, which may also be
implicit in Dn 7 and, what is more important in our
study of this Epistle the same theme can be found in
Ps 110. C. F. D. Moule considers that there is a
common fund of thoughts behind them, and a chain
of linked ideas, which runs: obscurity, humiliation,
oppression -
vindication by God - triumph over
subjected foes.&dquo;
The fact that the Son of Man is not used outside the
gospels as a title for Jesus, except in the passage
under consideration, in Stephens vision recorded in
Ac 755-5(&dquo; and in the Apocalypse, does not necessarily
imply that it was unknown or unimportant. Further-
more, there is an absence of the article in the Son of
Man references in Jn 5 27 , Rev 113, 14~, as indeed
there is also in the Greek of Dn 7 13 . The belief that
Jesus used the title of himself would make it
important to the early Church. It appears in all
the Gospel traditions, Q, Mark, M, L and that
underlying the Fourth Gospel, which seems to
indicate that there was a wide knowledge of this
tradition. In whatever form the writer and his readers
knew the Gospel tradition they would almost certain-
ly know that Son of Man was Jesuss self-designation.
It would, therefore, appear almost inconceivable that
they would fail to see in Ps 8 a reference to Jesus as
the Son of Man or the Second Adam. J. A. T.
Robinson comments, It is also possible that He 2~9
may contain the sole echo in the epistles of the
memory of Jesus as the &dquo;the Son of Man&dquo;, and that as
330
title of humiliation leading to
a
story, as in Dnthis
(cf. Mk 8 31, 1462; Mt 8~; Lk 9m, etc.) ...
significant evidence since &dquo;the Son of Man&dquo; evidently
played no part in the later theology of the church. It
may be a further indication that in the Epistle to the
Hebrews we stand near to a source for the memory of
the historical Jesus -
though obviously the writerz
was himself dependent on the tradition of others. &dquo;
Furthermore, a study of our writers use of the Old
Testament shows that he chose his quotations with
the utmost care, which suggests a deliberate choice of
this Psalm. It should, however, be remembered that
when our author comments on the quotation his
exegesis is concerned only with Ps 8 51
Other commentators add their support to this view
and believe that Jesus is seen here not merely as Son
of Man but as representative man.9 According to V.
Taylor this theme is found in the Epistle to the
Hebrews to a degree unparalleled elsewhere in the
New Testament, and there can be little doubt that
this is so, as is shown particularly in the quotation
now under consideration, for our author sees in Jesus
the realization of the ideal man, the representative of
all mankind who, as such, fulfills Ps 8.~ This is why
the humanity as well as the divinity of Jesus is of the
utmost importance in this Epistle. As Chapter 1 gives
scriptural proof of the divinity of Jesus, so in the
second chapter we have evidence of his humanity,
and his solidarity with his fellow men. This is within
Gods purpose; Jesus was made man in order that by
the grace of God he might taste death for every one
(29). T. W. Manson suggests that in the mind of Jesus
the Son of Man was primarily a corporate personality
rather than an individual.2 This is probably correct
for the Son of Man in Dn 7 and Ps 8 and 80 is a
corporate rather than an individual figure. That Ps 8
is referred to by Paul in his exposition on Christ as the
Second Adam in 1 Co 15 would seem to support this
view and may indicate that such an interpretation was
part of an early tradition. A. Richardson says that the
context in which Ps 8 is placed in the Epistle to the
Hebrews points to the writers belief that the saints
are made one with Christ through suffering, death
and exaltation. Thus he brings many sons to glory.
The Pioneer of our salvation is made perfect through
suffering (210).22
Although the representative ministry of Christ is
generally emphasized through the High Priest Christ-
ology (for this is a title which implies a representative
office) there are passages where other christological
titles are used in which the meaning may or may not
be synonymous with that of High Priest. Christ, it is
said, was faithful over Gods house as a son. And we
are his house (36). The session on high is mentioned
in 13, 1012, 122 and is implied in 924 where it is said that
Christ has entered ... into heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of God on our behalf. The
7 13-22
is
representative ministry of Christ, as our author saw
it, was the way by which sinful man might approach
God. V. Taylor says that our author brings into
prominence the thought of One who comes to us out
of the depths of Gods Being, and yet is able in virtue
of His humanity, to represent Man before Him.~
The representative nature of Christs work may be
described as an act of obedience and submission to
the judgment of God and a voluntary endurance of
the consequences of mans sin. Both aspects are
present in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
A further reference to the corporate nature of
Christ may be found in He 10 where our author
quoted from the LXX version of Ps 406-8, A body
hast thou prepared for me. He then related this
to the setf sacrifice of Christ, which was perfect
obedience, through which we are sanctified (10).
Christs obedience is therefore inclusive and once for
all.
Throughout the Epistle we can find evidence that
our author considered Jesus to be corporate man
both before and after his exaltation. We may
conclude therefore that Ps 8 was used not so much
with the christological title Son of Man in mind as
with the representative ministry of Christ which in
turn is very closely connected and introductory to our
authors High Priestly Christology.
The quotation of Ps 8 in our Epistle and other
evidence has led A. J. B. Higgins to suggest that the
High Priestly Christology originated from a Son of
Man Christology in the gospels. 24 This is an in-
teresting suggestion that cannot be easily dismissed.
Higgins points out that the concept of Jesus as Son of
Man in the quotation of Ps 8 appears to be an
intrusion of this concept into that of the Son of God
expressed in the catena of Old Testament quotations
in chapters 1 and 2. In support of his theory he
reminds us that Ps 2 is quoted twice (1, 55). The
former quotation is preceded by the words To which
of the angels did he ever say. A similar introduction
(2M) precedes the quotation of Ps 8. Higgins adds,
The following verses make it clear that the author, in
quoting Ps 8, has in mind a Son of Man Christology,
for the promise of sovereignty held out to man has
been fulfilled in Jesus as the Son of Man.-5 The
second quotation of Ps 2~ in He 55 is followed by Ps
1104. Higgins says, The result is, on the one hand,
the intrusion of the Son of Man into the Son of God
concept; on the other, the association of the idea of
the Son of God with that of High Priest. 26
Psalm 8, however, may not be an intrusion for we
shall see that it is very closely associated with Ps 110,
a Psalm which, at first sight, seems to be only
concerned with a Priestly, Kingly Messiah. Psalm
110 is used frequently throughout the New Testa-
ment without reference to 1104 by any writer other
than the author of Hebrews, but we cannot assume

that they were unaware of the significance
of the rest of the Psalm. Also, it needs to be
emphasized, verse 1 is of the utmost importance to
our author even though it does take second place to
verse 4. Although it is quoted only once (113) it is
referred to on four occasions (13, 8, 10~,
According to Mk 12~ (and parallels Mt 224; Lk
1221
20Z~~) the use of Ps 110 purports to go beyond the
primitive Church to the words of Jesus himself and
was used specifically of the Davidic issue. Mark,
however, differs from other users of this text which,
in all other quotations, presupposes the fact of the
Ascension and does not refer to the descent of Jesus
from David, apart from Ac 2~ which seems to imply a
Davidic descent.
In two other passages, Mk 14 62 (par. Mt 26~) and
Ac 755f. ~ words from Ps 110 are conflated with Dn 7~,
an important Son of Man text. Lk 22 69 , a to
~arallel
Mk 1462, omits a direct reference to Dn 7 although
this does appear to be implicit. Barnabas Lindars
thinks that in the earliest period the Daniel passage
was used to express the vindication of Jesus in the
Resurrection which was regarded as the moment of
the declaration of his Messiahship. 27 If this is so, then
it describes a coming to God which is contrary to the
usual interpretation of the verse when it is used as a
Messianic text. It generally refers to the coming of
the Son of Man to set
up his kingdom. If the early
Church first used Dn 71. in terms of ascension and
vindication then its meaning is equivalent to Ps 110:
Jesus, the Son of Man declared Messiah by virtue of
his exaltation. E. M. Sidebottom points out that in Ps
80 17 the Son of Man is the man of thy right hand and
thinks that this may have suggested the connexion
between Dn 73 and Ps I 10 1. 28 This original use of the
two equivalent texts is implied in the account of the
Ascension (Ac 19). It also seems to be preserved in
Ac 755.
In Mk 14 62 the first half of the verse and you will
see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power
is, in part, a quotation from Ps 1101 and the
concluding words of the verse, and coming with the
clouds of heaven from Dn 7. A further quotation of
Ps 110 in Peters speech on the Day of Pentecost (Ac
234-35) may also witness to a primitive use of these
testimonia. Further allusions to this verse appear in
Ro8~; 1 Co 15~: Eph 1; Col 3 1 P 3 22.29 These last
four quotations of Ps 110 are set in an exposition
of the corporate nature of Christ. We see this
particularly clearly in 1 Co 15~ where Christ has been
The Christology of the New Testament (London, 1959),
1 5
188.
2 6
A Critical and Exegetical Commentary onthe Epistle
to the Hebrews, International Critical Commentary
(Edinburgh, 1924), 23.
The Epistle to the Hebrews (Grand
3 Rapids, 1970
edition), 55.
331
described as the Second Adam and in Eph 1 where
the context is that of the Church as the body of Christ.
Some of the passages appear to be
part of a creed.
E. Stauffer considers that Ro 8 is part of a
pre-Pauline passion formula. 30 1 P 3 18-22 is regarded as
a christological hymn and Eph 12 also appears credal
in form. All the passages with the possible exception
of Col 3 appear to emphasize the ascension and
triumph of Christ.
In 1 Co 1525, Eph 120 and 1 P 322 the words of Ps I 101
are conflated with Ps 8, although some would
with Lindars in finding a use of Ps 8 in 1 P
disa ree
322.3 We have now noted that Ps 1101 is conflated
with Dn 7 and Ps 8, the two major Son of Man texts.
Although in both Ps 110 and Ps 86 the idea of the
subjection of enemies occurs and in the LXX the
same verb lwordaaeiv is used, there is a difference,
for in Ps 110 the enemies are awaiting subjection
whilst in Ps 86 all things are already subjected.
We may see a significance in the fact that before the
quotation of Ps 8 in He 2 the way has been prepared
in 13 by the unexpounded citation of Ps 110. It is
notable that nowhere in the New Testament is Ps 87
expounded without the aid of Ps 110 . The only other
allusion to it in Ph 3 21 depends on the Christology
formulated by means of linking these passages.32
Unless Paul and the authors of 1 Peter and
Hebrews have a literary interdependence, which
seems unlikely, we must conclude that they are
drawing on a common stock of testimonia. If this is
so, the frequent use of Ps 110 with Dn 7 and Ps 8 does
suggest that at an early date a link already existed
between Ps 110 and the Son of Man texts. Our author
may or may not have been aware of this. Should
Montefiore be correct when he sees a reference to Ps
8 in He 103, which has a more direct reference to
Christ as the High Priest, then this could offer further
evidence for our authors knowledge and use of a Son
of Man Christology, which may then have influenced
his High Priest Christology.33 The qualifications for
the High Priest, as for the Son of Man, particularly as
representative man, depend upon his humanity as
well as his divinity, for the work of both is to
represent man in heaven. However, it seems almost
certain that Montefiores assumption is incorrect and
that He 103 is a continuation of a quotation, begun in
the previous verse, of Ps 110. Nevertheless, in our
opinion, there is sufficient evidence to warrant the
belief that, in quoting from Ps 8, our author gave the
title Son of Man to Jesus.
4
The Text of the Epistles (London, 1953), 48.
Loc. cit.
The Text of the Corpus Paulinum, New Testament
Studies, Vol. 1 (1954-5), 185.
7
8
Op. cit., 172.
The Epistle to the Hebrews, Cambridge Bible Commen-
taries (Cambridge, 1967), 27f.
332
9
Jesus and the Son of Man (London, 1964), 146. The Atonement in New Testament Teaching
20 (London,
10
The Son of Man in Myth and History (London, 1967), 1963 edition), 110.
237. The Teaching of Jesus (Cambridge, 1967), 232.
21
11 22
Op. cit., 238. An Introduction to the Theology of the New Testament
12
The Epistle to the Hebrews, Blacks New Testament (London, 1958), 139.
23
Commentaries (London, 1964), 57. Op. cit., 115.
13 24
The Epistle to the Hebrews (London, 1970), 15. The Old Testament and some aspects of New Testa-
14
15
Hebrews, 43. ment Christology in Promise and Fulfilment, ed. F. F.
The Epistle to the Hebrews (Edinburgh, 1964), 35. Bruce (Edinburgh, 1963), 136ff.
25
The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel (Cambridge,
16 Ib. , 136.
26
1953), 241. Ib., 136.
17 27
From Defendant to Judge and Deliverer: An
—
New Testament Apologetic (London, 1961), 48.
28
enquiry into the use and limitations of the theme of The Christ of the Fourth Gospel (London, 1961), 75.
29
vindication in the New Testament, Bulletin of the Mk 1619, the appendix to the gospel, also alludes to Ps
Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, Bulletin III (1952), 41. .
1
110
18 30
The Human Face of God (London, 1973), 78, n. 45. New Testament Theology (London, 1963), 245.
19 31
E.g., W. Neil, The Epistle to the Hebrews, Torch 32
Op. cit., 48.
Commentary (London, 1955), 39; T. Hewitt, The Epistle 33
Op. cit., 50.
to the Hebrews, Tyndale New Testament Commentary Hebrews, 56.
(London, 1960), 66.

From Desk to Pulpit

The Junior Church A beautiful smart, clean, fine body on the outside;
but inside, all worn and useless.
The Motor Car - 1. What to Look For This is just what God once said not about cars,
-

BY THE REVEREND F. H. WOOD, B.D.,

but about people. To his prophet Samuel he once
BROUGH, YORKSHIRE said, You must anoint to be king, a son of such and
such a man. Samuel went to the mans house. The
Men judge by appearances, but the Lord judges by the
eldest son was a fine strapping good-looking man. It
heart. 1 Sam 16~ (N.E.B.).
-

is sure to be him, thought Samuel. No! Not this

HAVE you ever bought a real motor car? I know you
havent, but perhaps you have been with your father
to buy one. You go to the showroom. You cannot
afford a new one, so will have to buy one second-
hand. Over there is a gleaming car all polished,
-
one, said God. And so on, right down through six
men. Then the youngest son was brought in. He was a
sheep-herdsman. This is the one, said God. But,
but, but ..., said Samuel. Men judge by appear-

ances, said God, but the Lord judges by the heart.

handsome, no sign of rust, clean body, the chrome
(the shiny silver bits) as bright as a mirror. Look
inside -
the seats are smart and clean, and all around
looks fine. How much is it? The salesman tells you.
It sounds O.K.; Ill buy it. As you drive off, you are
thinking to yourself, Ill soon be swanking among my
friends.
But on the way home, queer noises start coming
from under the bonnet; it clonks and splutters and
spits and jars and joggles and BI-bl-bl-bll-blll-bllll-
stop ! You get out and look under the bonnet you
had never thought to do that before; you were so
taken up with the bodywork. Oh dear! It is dirty and
messy and oily; there are frayed wires; some bits are
hanging loose. What a mess! The car is towed away to
the local garage. The engine is taken out and taken to
So David, the youngest son, was chosen, and
anointed as king.
Yes, it is what we are inside that really counts. The
prettiest girl in school might have the nastiest temper.
The strongest lad could be the biggest bully. We see
only the pretty girl or the well-built lad, but God sees
what they are really like.
You are all quite pretty, girls. And you lads, all
quite strong, handsome. But what about your engine
-
I mean your heart, the real you? What is that like,
-
the part others cannot see? God can see it. Is he
pleased? Or is he sad? We see only the outside, which
may look very nice. God sees inside, the part that
matters.
God not only sees what we are like inside, but if
what he is ugly, he can begin to put it right
sees if -

we are willing to allow him. He can provide a new

pieces. The mechanic scratches his head sadly. He
shows you the engine, worn out, scratched where it heart, a new engine, making us the kind of people he
should be smooth, broken -
it is a wonder it ever wants us to be.
even started.