Note 11 at Joh 5:27: This is a very important statement. Jesus had this authority because of His humanity (see note 12 at this verse). God is a spirit (Joh 4:24), and when He created this physical world and all of its inhabitants, He gave mankind authority to rule and subdue His creation (Ge 1:26, 28; Ps 8:4-8, and 115:16). Although God still owned the universe and all that was in it (Ex 9:29; Ps 24:1, and 89:11), He gave the control of the earth to man.

When mankind sinned, they began to use this power against God's wishes. God did not ordain all the terrible things that have happened throughout history, yet He did not take back man's right to dominate the earth. Instead, He became a man (1Ti 3:16) and took back that authority to Himself by conquest. After Jesus' resurrection, He said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Mt 28:18), and then He gave the Great Commission to His disciples, thereby conferring that authority upon them also. Jesus becoming flesh was absolutely essential for gaining all power (or authority) in heaven and in earth.

Note 12 at Joh 5:27: The phrase "Son of man" always refers to the humanity of Jesus. Jesus was a "God man." As stated in 1Ti 3:16, He was God manifested in the flesh, which is a great mystery.

The phrase "Son of man" is used eighty-five times in the Gospels: thirty-two times in Matthew, fifteen times in Mark, twenty-six times in Luke, and twelve times in John. The title "Son of God" refers to Jesus' divinity (see note 5 at Mr 1:1), while "Son of David" is distinguishing Him as the Jewish king.