Luk 12:58 | TNotes | STEP | 12:58 on the way to court: This lawsuit over an unpaid debt would result in debtor’s prison. The officer is the bailiff of the court or the warden of the prison. It is advisable to negotiate accounts with your accuser , if possible, before reaching the courtroom. It is also best to reckon with God before the final day of judgment. Thematic note: The Son of Man “Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. The phrase is just as odd in Greek as in English: It translates the Hebrew phrase ben ’adam, an idiom that means “human being” or “person” (see, e.g., Ezek 2:1-8 ). One reason Jesus preferred this name was because it was not an inflammatory title such as “Christ” or “Messiah.” The expression is used in three ways in the Gospels: (1) The background to Jesus’ use of the title is Dan 7:13-14 , where an exalted messianic figure “like a son of man” (that is, having human form) comes with the clouds of heaven and is given great glory and power. Jesus understood himself as the one who would return to earth in the clouds of heaven (see Mark 8:38 ; 13:26 ; 14:62 ). Sometimes Jesus used “Son of Man” in this sense, to refer to his role as judge, deliverer, savior, and vindicator (Matt 10:23 ; 13:41 ; 16:27 ; 19:28 ; 24:27 , 30 , 37 , 44 ; 25:31 ; 26:64 ). (2) Often Jesus used “Son of Man” to describe himself as a suffering redeemer (12:40 ; 17:9 , 12 , 22 ; 20:18 , 28 ; 26:2 , 24 , 45 ). This sense is rooted in Isa 52:13–53:12 . (3) At times, Jesus apparently used “Son of Man” to refer to himself as the representative of humans (Matt 8:20 ; 11:19 ; 12:8 , 32 ; 13:37 ). The book of Ezekiel uses “son of man” in a similar sense (e.g., Ezek 2:1-8 ). Jesus did not use “Son of Man” to distinguish his humanity from his deity (“Son of God”). By using this title, Jesus could define himself as Messiah on his own terms. He used “Son of Man” to describe his total identity and as a veiled suggestion that those who watched and heard him should pay attention to who he is. Passages for Further Study Ezek 2:1-8 ; 3:1 , 4 , 10 , 17 , 25 ; 4:1 ; Dan 7:13-14 ; 8:17 ; Matt 8:18-22 ; 9:6 ; 10:23 ; 11:19 ; 12:8 , 32 , 40 ; 13:37 , 41 ; 16:13 , 27-28 ; 17:9 , 12 , 22 ; 19:28 ; 20:18 , 28 ; 24:27 , 30 , 37-39 , 44 ; 25:31 ; 26:2 , 24 , 45 , 64 ; Mark 2:10 ; John 1:51 ; 3:13-14 ; 5:27 ; 6:27 , 53 , 62 ; 8:28 ; 9:35 ; 12:23 , 34 ; 13:31 ; Acts 7:56 ; Heb 2:6 ; Rev 1:13 ; 14:14

12:58 ^a on the way to court: This lawsuit over an unpaid debt would result in debtor’s prison. The officer is the bailiff of the court or the warden of the prison. It is advisable to negotiate accounts with your accuser, if possible, before reaching the courtroom. It is also best to reckon with God before the final day of judgment.

Thematic note: The Son of Man
“Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. The phrase is just as odd in Greek as in English: It translates the Hebrew phrase ben ’adam, an idiom that means “human being” or “person” (see, e.g., Ezek 2:1-8 ^b). One reason Jesus preferred this name was because it was not an inflammatory title such as “Christ” or “Messiah.” The expression is used in three ways in the Gospels:
(1) The background to Jesus’ use of the title is Dan 7:13-14 ^c, where an exalted messianic figure “like a son of man” (that is, having human form) comes with the clouds of heaven and is given great glory and power. Jesus understood himself as the one who would return to earth in the clouds of heaven (see Mark 8:38 ^d; 13:26 ^e; 14:62 ^f). Sometimes Jesus used “Son of Man” in this sense, to refer to his role as judge, deliverer, savior, and vindicator (Matt 10:23 ^g; 13:41 ^h; 16:27 ⁱ; 19:28 ^j; 24:27 ^k, 30 ^l, 37 ^m, 44 ⁿ; 25:31 ^o; 26:64 ^p).
(2) Often Jesus used “Son of Man” to describe himself as a suffering redeemer (12:40 ^q; 17:9 ^r, 12 ^s, 22 ^t; 20:18 ^u, 28 ^v; 26:2 ^w, 24 ^x, 45 ^y). This sense is rooted in Isa 52:13–53:12 ^z.
(3) At times, Jesus apparently used “Son of Man” to refer to himself as the representative of humans (Matt 8:20 ^aa; 11:19 ^ab; 12:8 ^ac, 32 ^ad; 13:37 ^ae). The book of Ezekiel uses “son of man” in a similar sense (e.g., Ezek 2:1-8 ^af).
Jesus did not use “Son of Man” to distinguish his humanity from his deity (“Son of God”). By using this title, Jesus could define himself as Messiah on his own terms. He used “Son of Man” to describe his total identity and as a veiled suggestion that those who watched and heard him should pay attention to who he is.

Passages for Further Study
Ezek 2:1-8 ^ag; 3:1 ^ah, 4 ^ai, 10 ^aj, 17 ^ak, 25 ^al; 4:1 ^am; Dan 7:13-14 ^an; 8:17 ^ao; Matt 8:18-22 ^ap; 9:6 ^aq; 10:23 ^ar; 11:19 ^as; 12:8 ^at, 32 ^au, 40 ^av; 13:37 ^aw, 41 ^ax; 16:13 ^ay, 27-28 ^az; 17:9 ^ba, 12 ^bb, 22 ^bc; 19:28 ^bd; 20:18 ^be, 28 ^bf; 24:27 ^bg, 30 ^bh, 37-39 ^bi, 44 ^bj; 25:31 ^bk; 26:2 ^bl, 24 ^bm, 45 ^bn, 64 ^bo; Mark 2:10 ^bp; John 1:51 ^bq; 3:13-14 ^br; 5:27 ^bs; 6:27 ^bt, 53 ^bu, 62 ^bv; 8:28 ^bw; 9:35 ^bx; 12:23 ^by, 34 ^bz; 13:31 ^ca; Acts 7:56 ^cb; Heb 2:6 ^cc; Rev 1:13 ^cd; 14:14 ^ce