Why did Jesus often refer to himself in the third person?

‘Third person’ is a grammatical term. Jesus often spoke of Himself in the third person:

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be….And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:27,30.

In this passage (and many others) Jesus was talking about Himself, not someone else. It is Jesus who is the Son of man who will come again. But He was speaking about Himself in the third person, not in the first person. This was not an uncommon way for our Lord to speak. Jesus would at times speak of Himself as if He were speaking of someone else. He would seem to be talking about someone else, yet it would be Himself. Notice (On the walk to Emmaus):

“Thus Christ discoursed to His disciples, opening their minds that they might understand the Scriptures. The disciples were weary, but the conversation did not flag. Words of life and assurance fell from the Saviour's lips. But still their eyes were holden. As He told them of the overthrow of Jerusalem, they looked upon the doomed city with weeping. But little did they yet suspect who their traveling companion was. They did not think that the subject of their conversation was walking by their side; for Christ referred to Himself as though He were another person.” {EGW, DA 800.1}

“After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.’ Mark 16:12

When Jesus appeared in “another form” it was still Him. When Jesus talks about “another Comforter” is it possible that it also could be Him?

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” John 14:16

Who is this “another Comforter”? Who is this “Comforter” that will abide with us for ever? Jesus plainly answers these questions for us:

“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” “And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” John 14:18; Matthew 28:20

yesmar2011-10-13T08:04:47Z

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Such is the complexity of the triune nature of God. Even though Jesus reveals God's true nature to us in some terms we can grasp, he is beyond our limited ability to fully understand.

dewcoons2011-10-13T08:11:03Z

The use of the third person to speak of ones self is very common in many languages. It was common for a long time in English, and is still often used by royalty to speak of themselves.

It served two purposes. The first was as a sign of humility. You did not call attention to yourself, so you spoke of yourself in the thrid person. You will find that also in the gospels, where Matthew speaks of his calling by Jesus from his tax collecting job in the third person. Mark speaks of his following Jesus to garden on the night of his betrayal in the third person, and John refers to himself in the third person as "the disciple that Jesus loved". All are trying to keep from calling attention to themselves.

It was also used as a sign of authority and respect. When Jesus spoke of himself as "the son of man" it was to show that he was an authority and someone to be respected. That is that way that royalty often uses the third person or the royal "we".

As for the identity of the "another Comforter", Jesus himself tells us who that is. He states in the very next that this Comforted is the Holy Spirit (third person of the Trinity). In fact, verses 16 and 17 are actually one sentence. What he said was "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth." So no, the "another Comforter" is not Jesus himself.

Anonymous2016-05-16T06:13:00Z

He was born naturally, just as any other baby would be born, from a mothers womb. If Jesus was the son of God then why would Christians have to be called the children of God. If God really wanted to have children & grandchildren on Earth then he would have ordered Jesus Christ to marry & have children. God is a spiritual power & no spiritual being, let alone God, can ever make a child. All of Gods prophets were human beings but they are very special beings because they showed us the path to God.

Anonymous2011-10-13T08:15:21Z

Jesus and the Christ are to separate things...Jesus is the person...the Christ is a bestowal of "universal Sonship" (the Great Father-Mother's acknowledgement of this individual as the representation of their august office, Christ Consciousness/Cosmic Consciousness is God Realization or Self Realization)
The Christ was an altogether different Power/Office, but Jesus possessed the Christ and others began to refer to him as both.
Jesus realized that he by himself was not the Christ, but when he was bestowed with Christ it was like speaking of an altogether different entity.
God bestows the Christ office upon those who merit it, such as those who have come to this world to teach a world message...
If you were to be given a godlike power, you would see your former self as an altogether different entity because you would be so un-alike in capacities and abilities....

He Heals the Broken Hearted2011-10-13T17:19:36Z

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17

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