The Son of Man sayings are some of the most contested sayings in the Gospels. They preserve a phrase employed by Jesus to refer to himself, yet the meaning of the saying in its various contexts has been hotly debated for centuries. Some identify allusions to other literature in the bible, including the book of Daniel. Others see it as simply being a strange rendering in Greek of an Aramaic phrase that was relatively commonplace.
The history of research on these sayings is here presented by Benjamin E. Reynolds in a volume of critical readings, which provides access to over 50 years of scholarly research. These essays and articles include the most often cited articles that address the various aspects of the Son of Man debate. In addition to these most well-known pieces Reynolds includes carefully
selected additional essays that allow readers to trace different
developments in the debate and to provide an entry into the waters of
‘the Son of Man Problem’ and the numerous solutions that have been
offered. Each section features an introduction and a section of
annotated further readings.
Abbreviations Preface and Acknowledgments Part One: Son of Man Debate and Method Introduction to Part 1 1. Is the Son of Man Problem Insoluble? – A.J.B. Higgins, St David’s University College, UK 2. Neglected Features in the Problem of “the Son of Man.” – C.F.D. Moule, University of Cambridge, UK 3. Is the Son of Man Problem Really Insoluble? – Morna D. Hooker, University of Cambridge, UK 4. New research on the Son of Man Problem – Carsten Colpe, University of Göttingen, Germany 5. Method in Our Madness, and Madness in Their Methods: Some Approaches to the Son of Man Problem in Recent Scholarship – Maurice Casey, University of Nottingham, UK 6. Further Reflections on ‘the Son of Man:’ The Origins and Developments of the Title – Frederick H. Borsch, Lutheran Theological Seminary, USA 7. The Synoptic ‘Son of Man’ Sayings in the Light of Linguistic Study - I. Howard Marshall, University of Aberdeen, UK. 8. Summary and Concluding Observations – Larry W. Hurtado, University of Edinburgh, UK Annotated Bibliography: Son of Man Debate and Methodological Concerns Part Two: Idiomatic Solutions to the Son of Man Problem Introduction to Part 2 9. The Use of Son of Man in Jewish Aramaic, Appendix E – Geza Vermes, University of Oxford, UK 10. The New Testament Title “Son of Man” Philologically Considered – Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Catholic University of America, USA 11. The Son of Man: “A Man in My Position” or “Someone”?’ – Richard Bauckham, University of St Andrews, UK 12. General, Generic and Indefinite: The Use of the Term “Son of Man” in Aramaic Sources and in the Teaching of Jesus – Maurice Casey, University of Nottingham, UK 13. Speaking up for Qumran, Dalman and the Son of Man: Was Bar Enasha a Common Term for “Man” in the Time of Jesus?’ – Paul Owen, Montreat University, USA, and David Shepherd, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland 14. The Son of Man Debate Revisited (1960–2010) – Geza Vermes, University of Oxford, UK 15. Expressing Definiteness in Aramaic: A Response to Casey’s Theory Concerning the Son of Man Sayings – Peter J. Williams, Tyndale House, UK Annotated Bibliography: Idiomatic Solutions to the Son of Man Problem Part Three: Danielic Origins of ‘the Son of Man’ Introduction to Part 2 16. The Son of Man in Daniel, Enoch, and the Gospels – T.W. Manson, University of Manchester, UK 17. The Son of Man in Ancient Judaism and Primitive Christianity: A Suggestion - Norman Perrin, University of Chicago, USA 18. Exit the Apocalyptic Son of Man – Ragnar Leivestad, University of Oslo, Norway 19. Re-enter the Apocalyptic Son of Man – Barnabas Lindars, University of Manchester, UK 20. The Messianic Associations of “The Son of Man.” – William Horbury, University of Cambridge, UK 21. The Apocalyptic Son of Man Sayings – Adela Yarbro Collins, Yale University, USA 22. The Danielic Son of Man - John. J Collins, Yale University School, USA 23. ‘Son of Man’: Its Origin and Meaning in Second Temple Judaism – Lester L. Grabbe, University of Hull, UK Annotated Bibliography: Danielic Origins of ‘the Son of Man’ Part Four: The Son of Man in the Septuagint Version of Daniel 7 Introduction to Part 4 23. Daniel 7,13 and the Septuagint – J. Lust, Leuven University, Belgium 24. One like a Son of Man as the Ancient of Days” in the Old Greek Recension of Daniel 7:13: Scribal Error or Theological Translation? – Loren T. Stuckenbruck, Ludwig Maximillians University Munich, Germany 25. The Septuagint Version of Daniel 7,13-14 – Otfried Hofius, University of Tubingen, Germany 26. The “One Like a Son of Man” According to the Old Greek of Daniel 7,13–14 – Benjamin E. Reynolds, Tyndale University, Canada Annotated Bibliography: ‘One like a son of man’ in the Greek Versions of Daniel 7 Select Bibliography Index of References Index of Authors Index of Subjects
Benjamin E. Reynolds is Chair of the Department of Biblical Studies and Theology, and Associate Professor of New Testament at Tyndale University College, Canada.
Reviews for The Son of Man Problem: Critical Readings
This splendid collection provides classic and seminal essays on the Son of Man problem in the gospels. Key contributions from both past and present are here assembled, with an extensive and informative introduction showing how the debate has developed over the years. The book will provide a rich resource for all those interested in one of the most fascinating problems in gospel studies today. * CHRISTOPHER TUCKETT, EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, UK * This selection of twenty-seven of the most influential articles on the meaning of `Son of Man', covering 1959 to 2016, is a valuable gift to scholarship. A well-informed general introduction, as well as introductions and annotated bibliographies to each of the four sections, makes the volume an indispensable tool in the future discussion of this central question in New Testament theology, contrasting highly different presuppositions to reach for the elusive and definitive conclusion. * MOGENS MUELLER, UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK *
