The Expression 'son of Man' and the Development of Christology: A History of Interpretation (Copenhagen International Seminar)

'Son of Man' is practically the only self-designation employed by Jesus himself in the gospels, but is used in such a way that no hint is left of any particular theological significance. Still, during the first many centuries of the church, the expression as it was reused was given content, first literally as signifying Christ's human nature. Later 'Son of Man' was thought to be a christological title in its own right. Today, many scholars are inclined to think that, in an original Aramaic of an historical Jesus, it was little more than a rhetorical circumlocution, referring to the one speaking. Mogens Müller's 'The Expression 'Son of Man' and the Development of Christology: A History of Interpretation' is the first study of the 'Son of Man' trope, which traces the history of interpretation from the Apostolic Fathers to the present, concluding that the various interpretations of this phrase reflect little more than the various doctrinal assumptions held by its interpreters over centuries. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Dedication 5 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 Preface 8 Abbreviations 10 Introduction 14 1. Early Church 22 2. The Son of Man in Gnosticism 45 3. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 66 4. The Son of Man in Medieval Exegesis 94 5. Reformation, Orthodoxy, Counter-Reformation, and Pietism 106 6. Enlightenment, Rationalism, and Idealism 128 7. Son of Man and the Life of Jesus Project 153 8. The Emergence of a Specific Apocalyptic Son of Man Concept 190 9. The First Aramaic Stage in the Son of Man Research 203 10. The Eschatological Interpretation 220 11. Mostly Backwater 229 12. The History of Religions School 246 13. Interlude 276 14. Continuations 284 15. The Second Aramaic Stage 321 16. Exit the Apocalyptic Son of Man? 339 17. Son of Man as a Product of the Gospel Tradition 388 18. Conclusion 430 Bibliography 433 Index of References 511 Index of Authors 517 Religion,Biblical Criticism & Interpretation,New Testament "'Son of Man' is practically the only self-designation employed by Jesus in the New Testament Gospels, yet it is used in such a way that no hint is left of any particular theological significance. During the first many centuries of the Church's history, the expression as it was reused came to be given content, first - literally - as signifying Christ's human nature. Later, 'Son of Man' was thought to be a christological title in its own right. Today, many scholars are inclined to think that, in the 'original' Aramaic of an historical Jesus, it was little more than a rhetorical circumlocution, referring to the one speaking."--Jacket Early church The Son of Man in Gnosticism Nicene and post-Nicene fathers The Son of Man in medieval exegesis Reformation, orthodoxy, counter-Reformation, and pietism Enlightenment, rationalism, and idealism Son of Man and the life of Jesus Project The emergence of a specific apocalyptic Son of Man concept The first Aramaic stage in the Son of Man-research The eschatological interpretation Mostly backwater The history of religion school Interlude Continuations The second Aramaic stage Exit the apocalyptic Son of Man Son of Man as an expression or title created in the Gospel tradition.