Consider how Jesus called himself the Son of Man. Think of a children’s educational broadcast, say in stop motion, with various marionette characters, just one of which is a human child, while the other marionette characters are animals or other kinds of non-human character. Think how in the planning phase there might already have been a story board with the characters depicted in advance of their real marionette forms. Even at this stage, the main character might have been the human child. Then when given their final manifestation as marionettes, it becomes clear that this main character is a human child, although it might be that a further manifestation of the character in a live action adaptation of the broadcast, is a replacement with an actual child. This is not an analogy, but it helps describe the way God first made provision for there to be a most prominent, sent Son, who when in his original position side by side with angelic servants of God, was distinct by being one who would eventually be manifested as a real human, born as a human offspring. Prior to this, and prior to conception in human form, he had existence, but that existence was initially determined by what he would eventually be, a Son of Man. Before being flesh and bone, he had existence on a par with angels, yet greater by virtue of his intended human existence as ultimate judge to be sent by God into the world so as to be judge of humans, and mediator between them and God, Moreover, his name was higher than any angel’s name, and he would succeed where others had failed, in perfectly justly and lovingly shepherding humans, pleasing God in this, and God would therefore even make him the ultimate judge even over angels. Even if the angels were called gods, Jesus would still be made judge over them, and would be given to die in obedience to God as though he were on a par with failing human leaders, but be raised from the dead by God to demonstrate that God accepted him as not in any way a failure. These things given by God to him to do, along with striking miracles, would show that God was setting him apart as having a name greater than any other name, and doing so among the humans to whom He had sent Jesus. All this is a matter of distinctness from any angel, by virtue of being a human, actually born human, rather than the merely human appearance which angels could sometimes have. Jesus is the Son of Man, and described himself as such. It is his distinct nature. We can believe in this Jesus because though from among the angels he has come to us just like us: Human.
