5.] [Footnote 5: John v.

22, 27.] The success of the teaching of the new prophet was this time decisive.
A group of men and women, all characterized by the same spirit of juvenile frankness and simple innocence, adhered to him, and said, "Thou art the Messiah." As the Messiah was to be the son of David, they naturally conceded him this title, which was synonymous with the former.

Jesus allowed it with pleasure to be given to him, although it might cause him some embarrassment, his birth being well known.

The name which he preferred himself was that of "Son of Man," an apparently humble title, but one which connected itself directly with the Messianic hopes.

This was the title by which he designated himself,[1] and he used "The Son of Man" as synonymous with the pronoun "I," which he avoided.