High Christology in Mark

Sometimes you see on National Geographic or Discovery a biography of Jesus. Inevitably, they discuss the titles Jesus uses for himself. His most favourite is "Son of Man." This title comes from Daniel 7, which is a description of the Jewish people, or righteous, reigning as God's vice-regents over his kingdom. The kingdom is given to these people and they are to rule.

Jesus, however, takes the title on himself. And his first uses of it are in connection with healing a paralytic and forgiving his sins (Mark 2:1-12), and healing on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-3:6). Jesus claims ability to forgive sins and to do as he wills on the Sabbath, as the Son of Man. Just following his claim to Lordship of the Sabbath, he appoints twelve as apostles (Mark 3:13-19). Twelve, for a Messianic figure, is obviously a symbolic number: Jesus has called the same amount of apostles as there are tribes of Israel. So, the Son of Man, previously a figure representing all Israel (Dan. 7:18, 27), is now, symbolically, calling Israel to him. And what does he do? He gives them authority to preach and to drive out demons, which is then explained as the end of Satan's rule (Mark 3:20-30). Jesus has given authority to a symbolic Israel to rule over the Accuser. The amazing thing is that the authority of the Son of Man in Daniel is one he receives (Dan. 7:14, 18, 27). The Kingdom if given to the Son of Man. Now, instead, it is the Son of Man giving this authority to symbolic Israel.

This means that Jesus accomplishes two things: First, Jesus as "Son of Man" is the Ruler for God. But Jesus is not just God's ruler, but God's doer--he does things that God does in Daniel: he gives authority to those he calls to himself.