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10[Jesus said] "But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins …"

Jesus revealed and concealed himself by using this somewhat mysterious phrase. He was clearly human, but he was divine as well. His ministry progressively revealed this fact. To those who would oppose him, he chose to conceal his identity. To those who would accept him as the Messiah destined to give his life for humanity, the term revealed his identity.

Son of Man is used 14 times in Mark and was Jesus' favorite term for himself. It describes the servant role he willingly assumed. Sometimes the term is used to describe his divine authority, his sacrificial role and his future glory when he returns. By taking on this title in Mark 13:26 and 14:62, Jesus established himself as the fulfillment of the heavenly authority figure of Daniel 7 who is granted the right to come to earth, rule and judge on behalf of God.

The term blends the heavenly and earthly aspects of Christ. Because of his divine nature, God grants authority to Jesus to forgive sin. Because of his earthly purpose to be a ransom for many, he must suffer, be rejected, betrayed and killed, finally to rise again. While others may not have immediately grasped what Jesus meant by this title, Jesus used it to claim authority, demonstrate power and assume responsibilities no other man could.

A sample from the best-selling Quest Study Bible. Copyright Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. www.Zondervan.com. To order, click here.

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