The Son of Man
A divine figure "like a son of man" would receive universal authority, glory, and an everlasting kingdom.
The Prophecy
Daniel 7:13-14
~530 BCE
In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him.
Manuscript Attestation
Eight copies of Daniel at Qumran; 4QApocryphon of Daniel; all codices.
Ancient Jewish Interpretation
Talmud Sanhedrin 98a discusses this in messianic context. Saadiah Gaon identified the Son of Man as the Messiah. The Qumran 4QApocryphon of Daniel describes a figure called "Son of God" and "Son of the Most High" in language echoing Daniel.
The Fulfillment
Matthew 26:64
"You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:64)
Narrative Context
Jesus consistently identified himself as Daniel's "Son of Man," a figure who receives universal worship and an everlasting kingdom from God — a claim that constituted the charge of blasphemy at his trial.
The Evidence
The eight copies of Daniel found at Qumran confirm the book's antiquity. The 4QApocryphon of Daniel, written in the 1st century BCE, uses the phrases "Son of God" and "Son of the Most High" — the same language the angel Gabriel uses to describe Jesus in Luke 1:32, 35. This Dead Sea Scroll demonstrates that the concept of a divine messianic figure was present in pre-Christian Judaism.