When Jesus went
into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say
that the Son of Man is?”[1]
The question was posed: “Why does
Sts. Matthew and Mark quote Jesus utilizing the words “Son of Man” whereas St.
Luke quotes our Lord with the words “I am”?
It is extremely apparent from the responses that the disciples
understood him to be saying, “Who do people say I am?” The individual responded, “To remind us that
Jesus is wholly man because I have the tendency to think that Jesus is man but
that he is more than man because he is also God.” I can identify with that because I often have
the same thought. Then the question was
posed, “After reading (or hearing) the passage, did it become more apparent
that Jesus was wholly man?” The answer:
“No.” I agree wholeheartedly. As a consequence, it causes us to wonder,
“What is the significance of our Lord referring to himself as “Son of Man
(Adam)”?
First, I think it is obvious that
this is to remind us of his humanity, of his Incarnation, and that he is
something more than man.[2] However, this can be ascertained also in the
method that St. Luke phrased our Lord’s words.
He phrased it in the way that the disciples understood him, whereas St.
Matthew probably was utilizing his exact words.
Therefore, what is the import of utilizing the words “Son of Man”?
Let’s look at the questions of our
Lord. First, he asks, “Who do people say
that the Son of Man is?”[3] Then he asks, “But who do you say that I am?”[4] In this, he is telling his disciples that,
because they were with him always, they were no longer like ordinary people,
that they ought to have a higher opinion of him.[5] St. Jerome goes so far as to observe that the
apostles are being styled as not men but Gods.
He opines: “For when he had said, ‘Whom do you say that the Son of Man
is,’ he adds, ‘Whom do you say that I am,’ as much as to say: They, being men,
think of Me as man; you who are Gods, whom do you think I am?[6]
Let us consider: Yes, Jesus is the
Son of Man; however, all human beings are also the son of Adam. Notwithstanding, there is something special
about Jesus being the Son of Man, being more than man. As a consequence, those baptized into him
also are elevated. Because our Lord says
he is the Son of Adam, he is relating that this is what God envisioned in
creating man. The baptized are special
and elevated because they know that they were created for God’s purpose, not
for themselves and their purposes, and they just desire to fulfill God’s
purposes. God makes us special and
elevates us by virtue of Jesus and his Church, Jesus being the Head.
Because Jesus is the true Son of Adam,
by virtue of the Sacraments we are progressively being conformed into his
image. We desire his thoughts and his
desires. This is what, I believe, St.
Jerome is referring to when he states that the apostles were being styled not
as men but as Gods.
St. Athanasius surmises: “And what was the use of man having been
originally made in God’s image? For it
had been better for him to have been made simply like a brute animal than, once
made rational, for him to live the life of the brutes.”[7] We
also have the bold words of St. Augustine: “Without the assistance of [God],
what are human beings but that which the Apostle Peter says of them when he
describes them as ‘natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed’?”[8] Indeed, the baptized are more elevated,
because they are being conformed into the image of Christ.
Nonetheless,
this elevation does not make us boast.
We realize that this elevation has nothing to do with us. Because of original sin, because of the pride
that is within us, we cannot do anything to cause it or to increase it. Because we know pride is within us, we
realize that even the desire to do the will of God is placed within us by God
and we just cooperate with what he has done.
Jesus became incarnate not to do his own will but to do the will of the
Father. Jesus did not become perfect
because he desired to be perfect; God made him perfect because he only desired
to do the will of the Father.
“Son
though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made
perfect…”[9] Jesus learned obedience from what he
suffered, and this suffering was only embodied in his Passion. As Son of Man (Adam), Jesus suffered each
time he resisted temptation. Our flesh
suffers each time we resist desires of comfort and/or pleasures. Many of things we think are needs are nothing
but desires of comfort, pride, pleasure, etc.
Jesus, son of Adam, “in every respect has been tempted as we are.”[10]
He suffered when he underwent this yet
without sin. In order to accomplish
this, Jesus, the son of Adam, “offered prayers and supplications with loud
cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death.”[11] “He was heard because of his reverence.”[12] Jesus, himself, the son of Adam was beset
with weakness.[13] We, also, are the sons/daughters of
Adam. Jesus, being the son of Adam,
shows us how to be true sons/daughters of Adam.
When we do, we then also prove that we are children of God. We must also suffer, offering prayers and
supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who is able to save us from
death. During the Mass, we are
especially offering up this prayers and supplications, uniting ourselves with
our High Priest in the Sacraments, especially in the Eucharist. We are beset with weakness, but we will be
heard because of our reverence. I think
this is one of the purposes why it is relevant that the evangelists quote Jesus
referring to himself as Son of Man.
[1] New American Bible,
Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, 2011), Mt 16:13.
[2] Aquinas, Thomas. Catena Aurea - Gospel of Matthew -
Enhanced Version (Kindle Location 10829). Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Kindle Edition.
[3] New American Bible,
Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, 2011), Mt 16:13.
[4] Ibid.,
Mt 16:15.
[5] Aquinas, Thomas. Catena Aurea - Gospel of Matthew -
Enhanced Version (Kindle Locations 10844-10846). Christian Classics Ethereal
Library. Kindle Edition.
[6] Ibid., (Kindle Locations 10848-10849).
[7]
Athanasius of Alexandria, St. Athanasius:
Select Works and Letters, 1892, 4, 43.
[8]
Augustine of Hippo, Saint Augustin:
Anti-Pelagian Writings, 1887, 5, 290.
[9] New American Bible,
Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
2011), Heb 5:8–9.
[10]
Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Heb 4:15.
[11] New American Bible,
Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, 2011), Heb 5:7.
[12] Ibid.,
Heb 5:7.
[13]
Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible:
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Heb 5:2.
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