John 1.43-51 and 'the Son of Man' in the Fourth Gospel

Abstract

Most scholars agree that the Fourth Gospel's Christology is essentially incarnational in nature, but there is no scholarly consensus regarding the relation of the title 'Son of Man' to the incamational Christology. An examination of Jn 1.43—51—the peri cope containing the first 'Son of Man' reference—suggests a deliberate juxtaposition of the three titles 'Son of God', 'Son of Joseph', and 'Son of Man'. 'Son of God' emphasizes the heavenly origin and divine nature of Jesus, and 'Son of Joseph' his earthly origin and human nature. The resulting christological tension is restored by the title 'Son of Man'—a term implying either human or (with reference to Dan. 7.13-14) more-than-human nature, and, already in the pre-Johannine tradition, applied to Jesus. Precisely as 'Son of Man', Jesus is the 'ladder' between the heavenly and the earthly, between God and humankind.