This monograph develops the view that the Synoptic Gospels suggest that Jesus expected vindication of his earthly mission after his death by receiving a status of exaltation in the presence of God. This would involve the exercise of the functions of judging and ruling associated with the Jewish concept of the Son of man. A variety of alternative explanations has been offered concerning the origin and meaning of this title as it appears in the Gospels. The earlier part of this book examines the most important of these against their Jewish background. The second part examines in detail the most important Son of man sayings attributed to Jesus in the first three Gospels.