Jesus tells His disciples that they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with power and great glory. The imagery has a particularly important Old Testament background in Daniel 7.
Jesus in Context
The Son of Man Coming With the Clouds
Jesus' language of the Son of Man coming with clouds draws directly upon Daniel's vision of one like a son of man receiving authority and an everlasting kingdom.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
Daniel describes 'one like a son of man' coming with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days and receiving dominion, glory, and a kingdom. His authority extends over peoples, nations, and languages, and his dominion does not pass away.
Cloud imagery elsewhere in Scripture is also associated with divine presence and majesty. Jesus' use of Danielic language therefore carries royal and heavenly associations that go well beyond the ordinary meaning of a person traveling through the sky.
Why It Matters
Recognizing Daniel 7 clarifies why the expression is so significant in the Gospels. Jesus places the Son of Man within a scriptural scene of divine authority, vindication, and universal dominion. The saying is therefore both eschatological and deeply rooted in Israel's Scriptures.