The title Son of God is a much more superior title to Jesus it was the most popular title and the most important and it shows his mission on earth, he is unlike anyone else as he is special. Mark highlights this title by showing a personal relationship between God and Jesus like at the baptism when God said,
‘You are my own dear son, I am pleased with you’
He is the beloved son the anointed one.
‘Thou art my son my beloved and thee my favour rests’
This is when Peter, James and John where on the mountain with Jesus and God commanded them to listen.
‘Truly this man was the Son of God’
This was when the Roman officer realized Jesus was the Son of God after his crucifixion.
‘Here begins the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God’
Mark begins his gospel like this to remind us of the creation which starts with the coming of God’s son.
The first followers hoped for someone that would free them from suffering and sin and guide them through life, the Jews expected a Messiah that would free them from Roman rule some even expected a warrior type Messiah who would fight for them. Son of God portrayed the fact that God was at work in him.
Some people sometimes misinterpret Christ as a surname as some people would say ‘Jesus Christ’ but to be correct we should really say ‘Jesus the Christ’.
Christ in English means anointed one, Christ is a Greek word and in Hebrew it means Messiah they are the same.
This title was not used often in Mark’s Gospel as Jesus did not wish to be thought of as the popular military leader that was going to free the Jews from Roman rule and by giving himself this name he was exposing the messianic secret which would result in him being arrested and killed before he was supposed to be.
At Caesarea Philippi Peter makes his profession of faith,
‘You are the messiah’
Jesus warns him not to tell anyone, as he knows that if he is found out then he’ll be killed.
‘Are you the messiah the son of the blessed one’?
‘I am’
Only at the end during the trial before the Sanhedrin does Jesus admit his messiah ship resulting in his crucifixion.
Even though the actual title is rare Jesus did act as messiah. For example, he rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday as a messianic King.
The significance for the first followers is he would be a descendant of David chosen by God, he would bring about a period of happiness and peace, he’d defend the Jews and establish a kingdom for them alone, he would establish an earthly kingdom which the Jews would rule in Palestine. Jerusalem would be the centre of the world.
Jesus was a peaceful messiah who was to free the Jews from sin, the kingdom was offered to everyone who was willing to listen to the message. The kingdom he established was not earthly but everyone doing the will of God where ever they happened to be. He was humble, poor, loving and forgiving and not a rich powerful leader. In addition there can be no doubt that in the work and words of Jesus the church came quick in the certainty in faith that Jesus was the long awaited messiah of God.
No one else calls Jesus the Son of Man. It is the name he calls himself. The term Son of Man can mean
- An ordinary human being
- In the Aramaic language which Jesus spoke it meant ‘I’
- But there was another meaning which meant he was someone that definitively was not ordinary.
In the book of Daniel the prophet Daniel sees a vision of the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven which is very like what Jesus said to the high priest in using it to describe himself, he is saying that he is one who receives eternal kingship.
‘The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the chief priests…He will be put to death but in three days will rise to life.’
These are descriptions of what happened to Jesus.
In Mark 2: 10-12 he announces that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins, then forgives sins himself. In Mark 2:28 he justifies his claims to do away with the Sabbath customs by claiming that the Son of Man is the master of the Sabbath.
The term suffering is used in two main ways in Mark’s gospel,
- Jesus suffers as the Son of Man to save people from their sins (the theme of Isaiah)
- Jesus will return as Son of Man: as judge, in power and in glory to set up the rule of God on earth (the theme of Daniel)
The title Son of Man is the most difficult title for 21st Century Christians as they rarely use the title in every day thinking and speaking about Jesus. However the title has great importance. The title Son of Man warns that there will be a time when humanity will be faced with judgement.
Such judgement makes sense when it is placed in the context of the suffering of the Son of Man. This title reminds us that suffering is part of the Christian lifestyle.
Christians believe that a person who accepts the death and resurrection of Jesus as the way in which they can be united with God will be saved from the power of evil called sin.
The title Son of David was only used twice in Mark’s gospel it was mostly used at Christmas and in Christmas carols e.g. Once in Royal David City.
It reminds us that God made promises in the Old Testament that a saviour would come who would be a descendant of David and he came as God promised, so it proves that God always keeps his promises. David was the second and the greatest King of Israel and was very close to God. As a result God promised that one of his descendants would always rule. Son of David meant descendant of David and was a title for the Messiah.
‘Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me’
In the story of blind bartimaeus they refer to Jesus as Son of David, Jesus did not silence the crowd or blind Bartimaeus because he knew his death was near and there was no point in concealing his messiah ship any longer.
‘God bless the coming kingdom of David our father! Praise God!’
Jesus took a lot of trouble to enter Jerusalem which shows this is significant, most people referred to him as Son of David at this point, many people shouted for him to save them.
In Mark’s gospel there is also minor titles used such as ‘teacher’ mark uses it quite often in his bible in fact he uses it fourteen times to be exact and Jesus was also addressed like this by his disciples and other friends and supporters. Jesus never really used the name himself. Teaching was a very big part of Jesus’ life on earth, it might have been the only way Jesus could of obtained respect from people but Mark emphasizes that Jesus’ mission on earth had nothing to do with being a teacher.
The title ‘Lord’ was not actually used in Mark’s gospel to address Jesus rather it was to mean ‘Sir’ or ‘Master’. Jesus only received this title after his resurrection to symbolize his greatness, power and divine authority.
Another title is Prophet although it was not used by many except people who may not of believed Jesus was the Messiah but a prophet. Jesus even uses this title himself saying,
‘A prophet will always be held in honour except his own hometown, and among his kinsmen and family.’ (6:16, 8:28)
In the Old Testament a prophet is considered a very powerful man who called people back to God, to show them the path of God and to warn them if they did not obey his rules.
Other even smaller titles used in Mark’s Gospel were ‘King of the Jews’ this was only used once or twice. At one stage it was used before Pilate at Jesus’ crucifixion.
From the work and research I have done in this coursework I realize that Jesus had many different titles was interpreted and thought of as different by various people. I have learned a lot from this assignment not just about Jesus and his many titles but also about what this means for Christians today, it has give me a much better understanding of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.