The Nugget:
John 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
My Comment:
“The Son of man” is a Messianic title which the words of our Lord Jesus Christ show that He claimed this title for Himself.
The best way to understand this Messianic title, “The Son of man,” is to go directly to the Scriptures themselves and learn what the Bible has to say from the Bible itself. To that end, I share below the notes and cross references as they are given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury.
To Dig Deeper into God’s Word, Study the Notes and Cross References I have given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury for John 1:51,
John 1:51
Verily. The repeated “verily” indicates the solemnity and certainty of this promise. FS84, +Gen 6:17. *Joh 3:3; *Joh 3:5; *Joh 3:11; **Joh 5:19; **Joh 5:24; **Joh 5:25; Joh 6:26; Joh 6:32; Joh 6:47; Joh 6:53; **Joh 8:34; **Joh 8:51; **Joh 8:58; Joh 10:1; Joh 10:7; Joh 12:24; Joh 13:16; Joh 13:20, 21; Joh 13:38; Joh 14:12; Joh 16:20; Joh 16:23; Joh 21:18, Neh 8:6, +**Mat 5:18; Mat 18:3, +Mar 3:28; Mar 14:18, +Luk 4:24.
Hereafter. Gr. arti (S# G737, Mat 3:15). “Hereafter” indicates the promise is to be fulfilled in the future, at the appearing and kingdom, the millennium (+*2Ti 4:1 note. *Rev 20:4; *Rev 20:6). Eze 1:1, Mat 3:16; **Mat 26:64, Mar 1:10, Luk 3:21; **Luk 22:69, Act 7:56; Act 10:11, Rev 4:1; Rev 19:11.
shall see. “Shall see” indicates the visibility of the promised kingdom. *Dan 7:13 note. +*Mat 16:27 note. +*Mat 24:3 note. *2Ti 4:1 note. +*Rev 1:7.
heaven open. Isa 64:1, Eze 1:1, Hos 2:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, Mat 3:16, Mar 1:10, Luk 3:21, Act 7:56; Act 10:11, Rev 4:1; Rev 19:11; Rev 21:23, 24, 25.
and the angels. Reference to “angels” indicates the visible ministration of angels upon the Son of man. If angels ministered to Christ at the first advent, there are no grounds for denial of the doctrine that they will minister at the second advent. Joh 5:3; Joh 12:29; Joh 20:12, *Gen 28:10, 11, 12, Exo 25:20; Exo 37:9, Dan 7:9, 10, Mat 4:11; Mat 16:27; Mat 25:31, Mar 8:38, Luk 2:9; Luk 2:13; *Luk 9:26; Luk 22:43; Luk 24:4, +*Act 1:10; +*Act 1:11, **2Th 1:7, 8, 9, 1Ti 3:16, *+Heb 1:6; *+Heb 1:14; **Heb 12:22, **Jud 1:14.
ascending. *Gen 28:12.
the Son of man. FS108H9, Idiom F/S 842. With the Greek article, “Son of man” is used as a Messianic title (alluding to Psa 8:4), and so understood by the Jews in Jesus’ day (Joh 8:28; *Joh 12:34), pertaining to Messiah’s future universal dominion in the earth. Use of the title “Son of man” in this prophecy affirms that Christ will reign forever in his kingdom still possessed of his visible human nature. Joh 3:13, 14; Joh 5:27; Joh 6:27; Joh 6:53; Joh 6:62; Joh 8:28; Joh 9:35; Joh 12:23; Joh 12:34; Joh 13:31, **Dan 7:13 note, Dan 7:14, +*Zec 13:7, +Mat 8:20; Mat 9:6; Mat 16:13, 14, 15, 16; +*Mat 16:27 note, Mat 16:28; +*Mat 25:31; **Mat 26:64, +Mar 2:10; Mar 14:62, +Luk 5:24; **Luk 22:69, Rev 1:13; Rev 14:14.