L26.⑶当论述主的降临时，主被称为“人子”，这一点从以下经文明显看出来，马太福音：
门徒对耶稣说，你降临和时代的完结，有什么预兆呢？然后主预言了教会直至结束的相继状态；论到教会的结束，祂说，那时，人子的兆头要显现，他们要看见人子，有能力，有大荣耀，驾着天上的云降临。（马太福音24:3，30；马可福音13:26；路加福音21:27）
“时代的完结”表示教会的末期；祂“有大荣耀，驾着天上的云降临”表示圣言的打开，并表明，圣言是唯独指着祂来写的。但以理书：
我观看，见有一位像人子的，驾着天云而来。（但以理书7:13）
启示录：
看哪！祂驾云而来，众目要看见祂。（启示录1:7）
这句话也论及人子，这一点从13节经文明显看出来。启示录：
我又观看，见有一片白云，云上坐着一位好像人子。（启示录14:14）
主用“神的儿子”来表示祂自己里面的一件事，用“人子”来表示另一件事，这一点从祂对大祭司的回答明显看出来：
大祭司对耶稣说，我指着永生神命令你告诉我们，你是神的儿子基督不是。耶稣对他说，你已经说了。然而，我告诉你们，从今以后，你们要看见人子，坐在那权能者的右手边，驾着天上的云降临。（马太福音26:63，64）
此处祂首先承认祂是神的儿子，后来又说，他们要看见人子坐在权能者的右手边，驾着天上的云降临，以此表示十字架受难之后，祂就会拥有打开圣言并重新建立教会的神性能力；而在此之前，这一切是不可能实现的，因为那时祂还没有征服地狱，荣耀祂的人身。至于驾着天上的云，在荣耀中降临表示什么，这在《天堂与地狱》一书（HH 1节）已经说明。
26. The Lord is called the Son of Humanity when the subject is his Coming, as we can see from the following: the disciples said to Jesus, “What will be the sign of your Coming and of the close of the age?”; and then the Lord foretold the states of the church in succession all the way to the end, saying this about its end: “Then the sign of the Son of Humanity will appear, and they will see the Son of Humanity coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory” (Matthew 24:3, 30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27). The close of the age means the last time of the church; coming in the clouds of heaven with glory means opening the Word and making it clear that it was written about him alone. In Daniel:
I was watching, and behold, the Son of Humanity was coming in the clouds of the heavens! (Daniel 7:13)
In Revelation:
Behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him. (Revelation 1:7)
This too is about the Son of Humanity, as we can see from 13 in the same chapter. Again in Revelation:
I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat someone like the Son of Humanity. (Revelation 14:14)
[2] In his own mind, the Lord understood “the Son of God” and “the Son of Humanity” to mean different things, as we can see from his response to the high priest:
The high priest said to Jesus, “I put you under oath by the living God: tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. I am. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Humanity sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63-64; [Mark 14:61-62])
Here he first declares that he is the Son of God, and then says that they are going to see the Son of Humanity sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. This means that after suffering on the cross he would have access to the divine power to open the Word and establish a church, things that he could not do before because he had not yet overcome the hells and glorified his human nature.
The meaning of coming in the clouds of heaven and coming with glory has been explained in 1 of Heaven and Hell.
26. The Lord is called the Son of man when the subject is His advent. This is clear from the following:
...the disciples (said to Jesus,) “...What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
And the Lord then foretold the succeeding states of the church to its end, and regarding the end said,
“...Then the sign of the Son of man will appear..., and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and...glory.” (Matthew 24:3, 30, cf. Mark 13:3-4, 26, Luke 21:7, 27)
The end of the age means the final period of the church. The Lord’s coming on the clouds of heaven with glory means the opening of the Word and showing that the Word was written about Him alone.
I was watching..., and behold, ...the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven! (Daniel 7:13)
In the book of Revelation:
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.... (Revelation 1:7)
This, too, is said of the Son of man, as is apparent from verse 13 in the same chapter.
And elsewhere in the book of Revelation:
I looked, when behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud One sitting like the Son of man.... (Revelation 14:14)
[2] That by the Son of God the Lord meant one aspect of Him and by the Son of man another is apparent from His reply to the chief priest:
The high priest...said to (Jesus), “I adjure you by the living God to tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “(I am.) Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of man sitting at the right of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63-64)
Here the Lord first confesses that He is the Son of God, and afterward says that they will see the Son of man sitting at the right of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. The meaning of this is that after His suffering of the cross the Lord would possess the Divine power of opening the Word and establishing a church, something He could not do before, because first he had to conquer hell and glorify His humanity.
The symbolic meaning of sitting on the clouds of heaven and coming in glory — this we have explained in the book Heaven and Hell 1.
26. 3. THE LORD IS CALLED THE SON OF MAN WHERE HIS COMING IS TREATED OF. This is evident from the following passages:
The disciples said to Jesus, What shall be the sign of thy Coming, and of the consummation of the age?
Then the Lord foretold the successive states of the Church even to the end; and concerning the end He said,
Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man ... and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and glory. Matthew 24:3, 30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27 By the consummation of the age is meant the last phase of the Church; by the Coming [of the Son of Man] in the clouds of heaven with glory, is meant the opening of the Word, and a manifestation that the Word was written concerning the Lord alone.
In Daniel:
I saw ... and, behold, one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. Daniel 7:13.
In Revelation:
Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him. Revelation 1:7.
This also is said of the Son of Man, as appears from verse 13 of the same chapter. It is also said in another part of the same Book,
I looked, and, behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud One sat like unto the Son of Man. Revelation 14:14.
[2] That the Lord meant one thing in Himself by the Son of God, and another by the Son of Man, is evident from His answer to the high priest:
The high priest said to Jesus, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus said unto Him, Thou hast said: I am. Nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Matthew 26:63-64.
Here He first confessed that He was the Son of God, and afterwards said that they should see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. By this is meant that, after the passion of the cross, He should possess the Divine power of opening the Word and establishing the Church. This could not be effected before, because He had not yet conquered hell and glorified His Human. What is signified by sitting on the clouds of heaven and coming in glory, is explained in the work HEAVEN AND HELL, No. 1.
26. That the Lord is called "the Son of man" when His advent is treated of, is evident from these passages:
The disciples said to Jesus, What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the consummation of the age? And then the Lord foretold the successive states of the church down to its end; and of its end He said, Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Matthew 24:3, 30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27).
"The consummation of the age," means the last time of the church; His "coming in the clouds of heaven with glory," means the opening of the Word, and the making manifest that the Word has been written about Him alone.
In Daniel:
I saw and behold one like the Son of man came with clouds of the heavens (Daniel 7:13).
In the Revelation:
Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him (1:7).
This also is said of the Son of man, as is evident from verse 13.
I saw and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man (14:14).
[2] That by "the Son of God" the Lord meant one thing in Himself, and by "the Son of man" another, is evident from His reply to the chief priest:
The high priest said unto Jesus, I adjure Thee by the living God that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said; nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matthew 26:63-64).
Here He first confessed that He was the Son of God, and afterwards said that they should see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven, by which is meant that after the passion of the cross He would possess the Divine power of opening the Word and setting up the church anew, 1which could not be effected before, because He had not then conquered hell and glorified His Human. What is signified by sitting upon the clouds of heaven, and coming in glory, has been set forth in the work on Heaven and Hell, 1.)
Footnotes:
1. Latin instaurare, to set up, not originally, but in restoration and repair. [Tr.]
26. Quod Dominus dicatur "Filius hominis" ubi agitur adventu Ipsius, constat ex his:-
Discipuli dicebant ad Jesum, "Quodnam signum tui adventus et consummationis saeculi?" Et tunc Dominus praedixit statui ecclesiae successivos usque ad finem, et de fine ejus haec: "Tunc apparebit, signum Filii hominis;... et videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nubibus caeli cum virtute et gloria" (Matthaeum 24:3, 30; Marcus 8:26 [NCBSP: 13:26]; Lucam 21:27):
Per "consummationem saeculi" intelligitur ultimum tempus ecclesiae: per "adventum in nubibus caeli cum gloria," intelligitur aperitio Verbi, et manifestatio quod Verbum de Ipso solo scriptum sit. Apud Danielem,
"Vidi... et ecce cum nubibus caelorum... Filius hominis veniens" (7:13).
In Apocalypsi,
"Ecce venit cum nubibus. et videbit Ipsum omnis oculus" (1:7);
Hoc etiam de Filio hominis, ut patet a vers. 13, ibi; tum alibi in Apocalypsi,
Vidi cum ecce nubes alba, et super nube sedens similis Filio hominis (14:14).
[2] Quod Dominus aliud apud Se intellexerit per "Filium Dei," et aliud per "Filium hominis," patet a responso Ipsius ad Principem sacerdotum;
"Sacerdos magnus dixit ad Jesum, Adjuro Te per Deum viventem, ut nobis dicas num Tu sis Christus, Filius Dei. Dixit illi Jesus, Tu dixisti, Ego sum: veruntamen dico vobis, a nunc videbitis Filium hominis sedentem a dextris potentiae, et venientem in nubibus caeli" (Matthaeum 26:63-64):
Hic primum confessus est quod sit "Filius Dei," et postea dicit quod "visuri sint Filium hominis sedentem a dextris potentiae, et venientem in nubibus caeli;" per quae intelligitur, quod post passionem crucis in Divina potentia esset aperiendi Verbum, et instaurandi ecclesiam; quod non prius fieri potuit, quia non prius vicerat infernum, et glorificaverat Humanum suum. Quid per "sedere super nubibus caeli," et "venire in gloria," significatur, in opere De Caelo et Inferno 1 explicatum est.