Christ's doctrine of the atonement - Smeaton - X - Chapter 3 continued

Required reading
Christ's doctrine of the atonement by George Smeaton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 3 by reading Sections XVIII to XIX.

My summary
This week Smeaton continues to focus on the constituent elements of the atonement.

Firstly today Smeaton teaches us that Christ's receiving baptism from John the Baptist demonstrates he is the sin bearer: 'Hence, in submitting Himself to baptism as Mediator in an official capacity, the Lord 'Jesus virtually said, " Though sinless in a world of sinners, and without having contracted any personal taint, I come for baptism ; because, in my public or official capacity, I am a debtor in the room of many, and bring with Me the sin of the whole world, for which I am the propitiation." '

Secondly Smeaton demonstrates that Christ as the sin bearer took upon himself during his earthly life the burdens and sicknesses of his people.  We see this in Christ's:
(i) family life;
(ii) primeval curse of labour;
(iii) temptation;
(iv) healing of sicknesses and diseases.

What grabbed me
I appreciated Smeaton's point about Jesus' labour as a carpenter: 'He [Jesus] entered also, as we have every reason to conclude, into the PRIMEVAL CURSE OF LABOUR. When we find Him designated not only the carpenter's son, but the carpenter (Mark vi. 3), the language plainly refers to the fact, that during the course of His private life the Lord Jesus followed the occupation of a carpenter. We are constrained, both on exegetical and on dogmatic grounds, to decide for this interpretation. There seems no ground to doubt that Jesus earned His bread by the sweat of His brow, whether we look at the plain words used by the evangelist, or at the necessity devolving on the substitute of sinners of entering into every part of our curse. And He has in consequence transformed the curse of labour into a blessing, and sanctified not only manual and mental labour in every form in which it can be viewed, but also the entire earthly calling to all His followers till the end of time. '

Manual labour is certainly not shameful.

Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 3 by reading Sections XX to XXI.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.