Required reading
Christ's doctrine of the atonement by George Smeaton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Chapter 3 by reading Sections XIV and XV.
My summary
Today Smeaton begins examining the constituent elements of the atonement.
Firstly Smeaton discusses Christ's conscious fulfilment of what was written of him in:
(i) the law of Moses;
(ii) the Prophets;
(iii) the Psalms.
Secondly Smeaton outlines the concept of a sin-bearer in order to start looking at the sayings of Jesus which speak of him as a substitute for sin.
What grabbed me
I appreciated Smeaton's perspective on the concept of the Messianic secret: 'But why was such ignorance and unbelief permitted to prevail ? The purpose of God was that He should die as a propitiation for sins, and in order to this be the despised and rejected of men. Hence He must be unknown (1 Cor. ii. 8). The Lord Himself avoided everything that might prevent the execution of the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. He neither, in His public instructions, announced His Messianic dignity nor suffered His disciples to make Him known, adding that He must suffer and die (Luke ix. 21). He avowed His Messiahship publicly only before Caiaphas, when the avowal hastened the consummation of His sacrifice. Here, then, we see the infinite wisdom of God. '
Jesus deliberately withheld information about himself in order to accomplish his plans.
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 3 by reading Section XVI.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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