Daniel’s Divine Messiah
“Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, ‘Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?’ But he kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest questioned him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’
‘I am,’ said Jesus, ‘and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’
Then the high priest tore his robes and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What is your decision?’ They all condemned him as deserving death.”
I remember spending a season in college reading the Gospel of Mark over and over again. This critical moment in the Gospel account depicts Jesus finally revealing his identity. The author has expressed their opinion that Jesus is the Messiah (Mark 1:1), and Peter has also proclaimed this status to Jesus. (Mark 8:29) Now Jesus responds to the Sanhedrin in his own words and is condemned for blasphemy.
But why?
While the term “Son of Man” is used in different ways in the Old Testament, Jesus seems to link this title with Daniel 7. For this blog, we’ll focus on who the Son of Man in Daniel 7 is, and what Jesus is implying. Before jumping in, I do want to clarify that I am not a scholar, and there are multiple interpretations of both Daniel 7 and Messianic expectations in the Old Testament. This is simply my interpretation based on the research I’ve done.
Daniel 7
To set the stage, the prophet Daniel receives a multilayered vision of terrifying beasts dominating the earth. It is later explained that these beasts represent kings to come. (Daniel 7:17) Daniel is also given a vision of the heavenly throne, where judgment is proclaimed against the beasts. After the beasts are defeated, Daniel then sees this in the heavenly council:
I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. -Daniel 7:13-14
Why the Son of Man in Daniel is a Human King
Despite the divine descriptions of the Son of Man given in this passage (which we’ll unpack more in a moment), there’s a couple good reasons to believe the Son of Man is a human king. Not only that, but he is a Davidic King, giving Messianic implications.
First, it’s worth pointing out who the Son of Man stands in contrast to: the four beasts, who are confirmed to be kings. Verses 3-12 describe the kings having dominion, but then having their dominion stripped in God’s judgment. Following this, Daniel witnesses the Son of Man receiving dominion.
After this, while I was watching, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back. It had four heads, and it was given dominion. -Daniel 7:6
As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but an extension of life was granted to them for a certain period of time. -Daniel 7:12
He (the Son of Man) was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.-Daniel 7:14
James Hamilton argues that the description of the Son of Man echoes God’s promise to David in 2nd Samuel 7 to bring an eternal kingdom through his offspring. 2nd Samuel 7 is one of the key texts in Scripture that foreshadows a Messiah from the line of David.
The description of the Son of Man in Daniel 7 also echoes God’s promise to Abraham that his offspring will bless the nations. We’ve discussed in a previous blog how Psalm 72 prophecies Abraham’s offspring blessing the nations to continue through a Davidic King.
“The ‘one like a son of man’ who comes with the clouds of heaven and is presented before the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7:13 receives everlasting dominion and a kingdom never to be destroyed in 7:14. There is only one kingdom in the Old Testament that lasts forever—the one God promised to David in 2 Samuel 7.
This one like a son of man, then, should be identified as the future king from the line of David.”
Interpreting the Son of Man in Daniel 7 as Messianic is not a Christian invention. While there is diversity of Jewish tradition and Biblical interpretation, there were Jewish Sages who interpreted the Son of Man to be the Messiah. (Pod for Israel, 2023)
Why the Son of Man in Daniel 7 is Divine
So if it’s reasonable to interpret the Son of Man as the Messiah, why was Jesus condemned by the high priests? Because the Son of Man in Daniel 7 is also given divine attributes.
Michael Heiser has given attention to the Son of Man’s action of “coming on the clouds of heaven”. More than once, Jesus states this action when referring to himself as the Son of Man, including when he is condemned by the high priests. (Mark 13:26; 14:62)
“In the Ugaritic texts, the god Baal is called ‘the one who rides the clouds.’ The description became an official title of Baal, whom the entire ancient Near Eastern world considered a deity of rank. To ancient people all over the Mediterranean, Israelite or not, the ‘one who rides the clouds’ was a deity—his status as a god was unquestioned. Consequently, any figure to whom the title was attributed was a god.”
Heiser also points out how this divine attribute of riding the clouds is used in Scripture a few times to describe God. (Deuteronomy 33:26, Psalm 68:32-33, Isaiah 19:1)
When verse 14 states that all peoples of every nation will “serve” the Son of Man, Daniel also gives a subtle hint of divine status. The Aramaic word translated as “serve” can have broad usage, but in Daniel’s context it is always used to refer to worshiping divine beings, which happens six times in the book outside of Daniel 7:14. (Widder, 2016, Pg. 156) In her commentary on Daniel, Wendy Widder writes, “Daniel’s vision depicted a second power in heaven, a vice-regent, who received everlasting dominion and power… Israel’s divine council had exactly the right structure to understand Jesus in the New Testament.” (Widder, 2016, Pg. 157)
But what about Verse 27?
So if the Son of Man in Daniel 7 is referring to a specific individual, why is there a change of who has dominion later in the chapter? “The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey him.” (Daniel 7:27)
Understandably, due to this verse, some have interpreted the Son of Man to not refer to an individual, but to collectively represent the faithful of Israel. However, one issue with this interpretation is the divine description of the Son of Man, including verse 14’s mention of nations serving (worshiping) him. Israel is not to be worshiped, only God is.
In my opinion, a more consistent reading is that the “holy ones of the Most High” are the saints of the Son of Man’s Kingdom, and the Son of Man shares authority and power to his faithful saints. As a Christian, this would align well with the New Testament’s theology of the Kingdom of God.
“Note in Daniel 7:27 that the Kingdom is given to the nation of the holy ones of the Most High but it is still referred to as God’s kingdom (‘his kingdom’). This is a subtle reference to joint rulership in God’s kingdom. The nation of the holy ones refers to the human followers of Yahweh aligned with him and his council...
The Kingdom language of Daniel 7 informs us that all the nations once disinherited and ruled by corrupt gods will be subject to both God and to his people.”
So with all of this context in mind, it’s not surprising why Jesus was condemned by the priests. Jesus was making a Messianic claim, but was also making a divine claim.
It’s interesting to read Jesus’ statements with Daniel 7 in mind. This scene is also recorded in Matthew’s Gospel. (Matthew 26:64-65) With Daniel’s prophecy of dominion and glory being given to the Son of Man, it makes Matthew’s reference have even more of an impact when reading his epilogue: “Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Bibliography
Hamilton, J. (2022). Typology: Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns. Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan Academic.
Pod for Israel. (2023). Is the New Testament wrong about the Son of Man in Daniel? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_xsth20rJU&t=222s
Heiser, M. (2015). The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Bellingham, WA. Lexham Press.
Widder, W. (2016). The Story of God Bible Commentary: Daniel. Grand Rapids, MI. Zondervan.
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.