By His stripes we are healed

[2Joyful]

I have always understood that passage to mean by His physical stripes (His suffering) we are healed, Esther.

I never said it's not physical stripes, I said I believe the healing is spiritual, not physical. But that's not my question. I want to know where the stripes fit in with crucifixion and salvation?

In order for us to be whole.... must be covered with the Blood of Jesus. The crucifixion (a method of nailing that cause death), stripes (skin torn), this point to blood, the Blood of Jesus that was shed for mankind. We cannot receive salvation unless our sins are covered with the Blood of Jesus. Even the stripes that was brought by the beating Christ received drew blood...its all about the Power in the Blood of Jesus.

[HitmanR2]

The final phrase, referring to His stripes (chaburah, bruises or wounds), must be viewed in its poetic parallel with the two previous statements, which relate to spiritual iniquity. While many have attempted to read physical healing into this text, it simply is not there. MacRae correctly observes that the healing described in this verse is spiritual in nature. While God may choose to grant us physical healing, He is under no obligation to do so. By contrast, the statements in this verse are all definitely guaranteed to the recipient. It is sometimes argued that Christ’s crucifixion is the basis of our salvation and that His scourging is the basis of our healing. This is an unfortunate misreading of the obvious intention of the text. The entire context deals with the problem of our transgressions and iniquities and the means of our peace that we may be spiritually healed. Notice the double parallel emphasis of the verse:

His action-----Our need

Wounded----------------Transgressions

Bruised------------------Iniquities

Chastisement-----------Peace

Stripes-------------------Healed

[THIS IS TAKEN FROM THE KING JAMES BIBLE COMMENTARY]

I looked through several commentaries, and this one was easiest to understand. And, YES I do believe that Christ physical action was for my spiritual healing, just as His physical death was for my spiritual salvation, because my "physical" body must also face death. I am of the opinion the promise was spiritual. You are free to yours.

Edited June 6, 2010 by HitmanR2

[hr.jr.]

1. Why in Isaiah does it say that "by His stripes we are healed"? What's the significance of the stripes?

Lemme put it this way. Christ became sin, for that moment in time had the Father turn His face from His precious Son and the full wrath of God came down on Christ, on our behalves.

Where does the stripes fit in?

PS:: I am anti-prosperity teaching yadda yadda yadda, so I believe those stripes were related to spiritual healing, not physical. BUT, I am open to more discussion if I am wrong, as long as it lines up with scripture and truth.

53.5:: - But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Before we get into a discussion of outside scripture, lets discuss this one. You contend physical stripes for spiritual healing. Do you not think that seems quite odd?

No it doesn't. Jesus physically died and rose again - we die to self and is raised with Him - do we die physically? No, so why can't the physical stripes bring spiritual healing?

If the Stripes brought spiritual healing, why did Jesus need to die and rise again? If the beating healed us spiritually, there was no need for His death.

[Guest shiloh357]

The healing being spoken of in Isaiah 53:5 is spiritual wholeness. The surrounding context pertains to man

[Guest shiloh357]

1. Why in Isaiah does it say that "by His stripes we are healed"? What's the significance of the stripes?

Lemme put it this way. Christ became sin, for that moment in time had the Father turn His face from His precious Son and the full wrath of God came down on Christ, on our behalves.

Where does the stripes fit in?

PS:: I am anti-prosperity teaching yadda yadda yadda, so I believe those stripes were related to spiritual healing, not physical. BUT, I am open to more discussion if I am wrong, as long as it lines up with scripture and truth.

53.5:: - But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Before we get into a discussion of outside scripture, lets discuss this one. You contend physical stripes for spiritual healing. Do you not think that seems quite odd?

No it doesn't. Jesus physically died and rose again - we die to self and is raised with Him - do we die physically? No, so why can't the physical stripes bring spiritual healing?

If the Stripes brought spiritual healing, why did Jesus need to die and rise again? If the beating healed us spiritually, there was no need for His death.

Jesus' death removed, forever, the death sentence that hung over the head of all humanity. Jesus death delivers us from the "curse of the law" which is properly understood as eternal separation from God.

The blood of Jesus deals with forgiveness of the things we do. There are two things in play: The work of the blood and the work of the cross. Jesus, according to Scripture, was raised for our justification. Our sin debt was paid in full on the cross.

[Guest LadyC]

just dropping in to do a hit and run with my 2 cents worth.

i think it's limiting to say that the healing by His stripes refers ONLY to spiritual healing. yes, it definitely is referring to that as well, but if i may point out the obvious, physical sickness is a result of the fall of mankind. and for that reason, i believe that the scripture is not limited to spiritual issues, not limited to salvation and redemption, but also extends to include physical ailments.

the preceding verse says that He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows... some translations say he bore our "infirmities", which would mean sicknesses. and in matthew 8, it says He took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.

so it seems to me that since the word of God doesn't place spiritual limitations on the Healing referred to in isaiah, we shouldn't either.

[Guest shiloh357]

just dropping in to do a hit and run with my 2 cents worth.

i think it's limiting to say that the healing by His stripes refers ONLY to spiritual healing. yes, it definitely is referring to that as well, but if i may point out the obvious, physical sickness is a result of the fall of mankind. and for that reason, i believe that the scripture is not limited to spiritual issues, not limited to salvation and redemption, but also extends to include physical ailments.

the preceding verse says that He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows... some translations say he bore our "infirmities", which would mean sicknesses. and in matthew 8, it says He took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.

so it seems to me that since the word of God doesn't place spiritual limitations on the Healing referred to in isaiah, we shouldn't either.

The issue, though, is context. The entire context reference's man spiritual condition. It is not to say that God doesn't heal or that physical healing isn't available, but that physical healing is not the object the author has in view. In this particular passage healing is being used metaphorically (as it is in other parts of Scripture) to address a spiritual matter.

[Guest LadyC]

i respectfully disagree, shiloh. maybe i'm just not as well studied in ancient hebrew or something, but to me, when the Bible speaks of infirmities and sicknesses, it's meaning is infirmities and sicknesses, of all forms, spiritual, emotional, physical. i'm just simple that way. and i think God spoke to simple people. and this simple person just does not see any definitive exclusion of the physical in the context of a passage which speaks of sickness.

[~esther~]

IMO:

If it was physical healing then why are there still sick christians? Lack of faith? If so, then we all fall short and if the healing was physical then what did Jesus need the stripes for, since a physical sick person can still go to heaven, but a spiritual sick person (unsaved) not - it doesn't add up. The whole idea of physical healing doesn't make sense to me - on the other hand, spiritual healing does, as this is why He actually died for us. God the Father did not turn His face from His son because He saw physical sickness... He did so because He saw Sin (Christ). Like on reply said, He is under no obligation to physically heal the sick (saved or unsaved), but as for spiritual healing, He has to as this is what His Son died for on the cross.

Back to the stripes. 2Joyful's answer made the most sense to me - it was to "draw blood" and the Blood of Christ is what washes away/covers our sin. That was actually my whole question - what was the meaning of the stripes/lashes relating to the whole crucifixion.

So, am I on the right track if I interpret that it was:

a) Innocent blood that was flowing due to the lashes/stripes?

b) Without the lashes/stripes there would not have been blood on the cross? (Apart from the spear in Christ's side)

Sigh, I feel so lost and ignorant

[EricH]

We are probably making a delineation between physical and spiritual healing that the original writers would not have made. Physical death and illness are symptoms of spiritual death. We try to divorce the 2. It is true that Jesus death and resurrection made a new birth possible. We have now been made spiritually alive. In spite of this, our physical bodies are still subject to death and decay. This will be true until we receive our new glorified bodies. The Holy Spirit dwelling in us is a down payment on this eventual glorification.

The bottom line is that our Spiritual rebirth has also guaranteed us full healing. The question is not a matter of if we will be fully healed, but when.