By His Stripes We Are Healed Spiritually Not Physically

By His stripes, you have spiritual healing (i.e., restored favor not healing for your body). Above all, Jesus gave a spiritual solution to a spiritual problem. So, He did not suffer and die to heal our bodies! By all means, invest about 7 minutes to get more details, please.

STM Bible Lesson

Lesson focus: Isaiah 53:4-6 (5). Bible lesson background: Many misunderstand Isaiah 53:5. Particularly that “(with) by His stripes He healed us”. As a matter of fact, many believe this is speaking of healing for sickness, disease, or physical conditions.

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. Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)

Transgressions – H6588 פֶּשַׁע pesha` (peh’-shah) n-m. a revolt or rebellion against God (religious).
Iniquities – H5771 עָוֹן `avon (aw-vone’) n-m. wickedness of mind or heart; absence of religious feeling and principle; sin. Total depravity.
Healed (Isaiah 53:5) – H7495 רָפָא rapha’ (raw-faw’) v. רָפָה raphah (raw-faw’) of hurts of nations involving restored favour (fig).

They pierced (wounded) Jesus in His side for our wrong-doings (transgressions). This refers to what happened to Jesus on the cross [see John 19:31-37 (34)].

But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. John 19:34 (KJV)

Jesus suffered to save (heal) us

He was beaten (scourged) [see Matthew 27:26-30; Mark 15:15-19; John 19:1-3] for our sins (iniquities). Again, this refers to His treatment before His death on the cross.

Matthew 26:28 (CEV)

This is my blood, and with it God makes his agreement with you. It will be poured out, so that many people will have their sins forgiven.

1 Corinthians 15:3 (NIRV)

What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would.

Galatians 1:4 (OEBus)

[Jesus] gave himself for our sins, in accordance with the will of God and Father.

1 Peter 3:18 (AFV)

Because Christ indeed once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God; on the one hand, He was put to death in the flesh; but on the other hand, He was made alive by the Spirit.

Then Pilate, therefore, took Jesus, and scourged him. 2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. John 19:1-3 (KJV)

Jesus suffered on the cross for your salvation (healing). In other words for your spiritual healing not physical.

Barnes’ Notes: [We are healed] literally, it is healed to us; or healing has happened to us. The healing here referred to, is spiritual healing, or healing from sin.

Problem: Sin; Solution: Jesus

Jesus took upon Himself our sins [when] His body was placed upon the cross so that we, [through] dying to [i.e., giving up] the sinful life, would live for righteousness. You were healed [from your sins] by His being brutally treated. 1 Peter 2:24 (AUV)

Healed (1 Peter 2:24) – G2390 ἰάομαι iaomai (ya’-o-mai) v. to make whole i. e. to free from errors and sins, to bring about (one’s) salvation.

The spiritual problem: SIN; separates you from God. Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. Psalm 80:3 (NIV) The spiritual solution: JESUS; by His stripes, reconciles you to God. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:2 (NLT)

The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament by Warren W. Wiersbe: The “healing” in Isaiah 53:5 refers to the forgiveness of sins, not the healing of the body (1 Peter 2:24; Psalms 103:3). Sin is not only like a burden, but it is also like a sickness that only God can cure (Isaiah 1:4-6; Jeremiah 30:12; Nahum 3:19).

The road to the cross

Jesus was beaten, mocked, spit on, and pierced for your sins. In fact, He did this so you can be restored to God’s favor! Jesus was given to die for our sins. And he was raised from death to make us right with God. Romans 4:25 (ICB)

Matthew 27:15-56; Mark 15:6-41; Luke 23:13-38; John 18:39-19:30.

Pilate told some of the soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. from Matthew 27:26 (ICB)

By His stripes, salvation came

Why did Jesus come to live and die on Earth? Of course, the simple answer is to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21; John 3:16). It is a true saying, in which all may put their faith, that Christ Jesus came into the world to give salvation to sinners, of whom I am the chief: 1 Timothy 1:15 (BBE)

A Loving God

What a loving God! Who put on flesh, suffered, and died to restore favor. At one time you were separated from God. You were his enemies in your minds, because the evil you did was against him. 22 But now he has made you his friends again. He did this by the death Christ suffered while he was in his body. He did it so that he could present you to himself as people who are holy, blameless, and without anything that would make you guilty before him. Colossians 1:21-22 (ERV)

Finally, my friends when you read or think of Isaiah 53:3 remember, Jesus suffered and died for you. Specifically to free you from sin and its penalty. In the final analysis, He healed us (spiritually and not physically) by His stripes. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺

Related studies/lessons/snacks for further Spiritual growth:

Receive Your Healing By Faith in the Name of Jesus – an estimated 18-minute read.

Follow 3 Simple Keys for True Followers of Jesus – an estimated 5-minute read.

By Faith Watch Your Faith Work in Jesus Name – an estimated 4-minute read.

Better Life Through Christ Becomes Eternal Life With Christ – an estimated 5-minute read.

See what is available on the Sound Truth Ministry website.

Reference Scriptures

Note: parenthesis (#) encloses the key verse(s).

Isaiah 53:4-6; 1 Peter 2:18-25 (24); Romans 4:13-25 (25); Matthew 1:18-25 (21), 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (15), and 1 John 2:28-3:10 (3:5)

Bible Hub – Barnes Notes on Isaiah 53