Could Ezekiel Forgive Sin?

Ezekiel addressed as Son of Man 63 times

The book of Ezekiel is chunked full of examples in which Yehovah addresses him as Son of Man. One example from Ezekiel 2:6-8

And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions.[fn] Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

What is apparent from this?

• No indication Ezekiel is a deity or non-mortal.
• He at least had the ability to be “rebellious”, thus sinful before Yehovah.

Jesus on numerous occasions referred to himself as “Son of Man”. Not a problem, there’s no reason to think the title was unique to Ezekiel alone. He also makes this statement in Matthew 9:6, Mark 2:10 and Luke 5:24:

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” —he said to the man who was paralyzed— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

So did Jesus basically cancel all references to “son of man” before him? He could have easily said “Jesus of Nazareth” is able to forgive sins. But instead, he used this title, a title not unique to him alone to identify who had the ability to forgive sins.

Ezekiel was not the only one

There are other instances of “Son of Man” mentioned by character only:

• In Numbers 23:19, he is someone who, unlike God, changes his mind.
• In Job 16:21, he is a person who has conflicts with neighbors to resolve.
• In Job 25:6, he is characterized as a “worm”.
• In Psalm 8:4 and Psalm 144:3, he is person so lowly the Psalmist marvels God cares for him.
• In Psalm 80:17, he is made strong by God.
• In Psalm 146:3, he is someone in which there “is no salvation”.
• In Isaiah 51:12, he is made like grass.
• In Isaiah 56:2, he is blessed because he keeps the Sabbath.

In the realm of Yehovah, certainly a son of man was within the grasp of humanity and mortality.

Ability to forgive???

The New Testament portrays the Pharisees as idiots because they don’t know the “son of man” has the authority to forgive. What would this mean to his audience? What it would not mean is that Jesus is the first “son of man” to ever exist. It would signify he identified with this people group. However, it would give rise to questions:

• Can someone who changes his mind forgive sins?
• Is the “worm” who is “like grass” tasked with forgiveness?
• How can the “son of man” in which there is “no salvation” provide salvation from their sins?
• Can Ezekiel, called by that title 61 times, is there any shred of evidence he forgave sins?

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