Matthew 8:20

the Son of man The origin of this expression as a Messianic title is found in Daniel 7:13: "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with (in) the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him before him." Hence to the Jews it would be a familiar designation of the Messiah the King whose "everlasting dominion" is described in the next verse (Daniel 7:14). (See Dr Pusey, On Daniel, Lecture ii.)

The Hebraism may be considered in the light of similar expressions, "sons of light," "son of perdition," "son of peace," &c., in all of which the genitive denotes a quality inherent in the subject. Sons of light=the spiritually enlightened, sons of wisdom=the wise. By the Son of man then is meant He who is essentially man, who took man's nature upon Him, who is man's representative before God, shewing the possibilities of purified human nature, and so making atonement practicable.

The title "Son of man," so frequently used by our Lord of Himself, is not applied to Him except by Stephen (Acts 7:56), "I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." It occurs also in the Vision of St John with a direct reference to the words of Daniel (Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14).