What do you understand from these words of the prophet Isaiah, "...with his stripes we are healed" (Isa.53:5)?

These words have been freely taken by preachers to mean that when our Lord Jesus received His 40 stripes in the Roman Prætorium, we get physical healing in His atonement. Simply, it is taught by many (especially among the Pentecostal and the Charismatic people) that physical healing is in the atonement. But is it?

Preachers were once students. They heard sermons preached by the older ones and read books written by able ministers. Because a teaching or an interpretation of certain passage of Scriptures was often echoed by the majority, the preacher-students would (almost always) take such teaching/interpretation as the truth. For example, take the doctrines of the Trinity, Water Baptism in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and Eternal Hell Fire, and if you can, analyze how they have become embedded in Christian "faith". There are many other examples.

It is commonly said by Bible believers that God interprets His own Word. True, yet in saying that, many are not even able to comprehend the mind of the Spirit within the context of the word usage as uttered by the prophets or as written by the apostles. That's the crux of the matter.

Now, Matthew 8:16-17 is taken to interpret Isa.53:5 "...with his stripes we are healed".

MAT 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Taking the two verses and conclude that physical healing is in the death of Christ is much the same as what Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16). However, the fact remains as to how much is "THIS" to "THAT" in context of the thoughts and interpretations. Read the whole of Joel chapter 2.

Three other common examples of how certain words have been selectively taken out of context to imply a so-called "truth" are:

i) REV 3:20  "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me". This verse is often interpreted that Christ is knocking at sinners' heart and pleading them to let Him come in to be their Saviour. Is it?

ii) GEN 3:6  "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat."  Now, Christians are asking Bible believers, "If Eve partake of sex with the Serpent, that means Adam was watching – "her husband with her". See?  How much of "this is that" in her husband with her?  Where was Adam when Eve fornicated with the Serpent?  Was Adam standing there watching that illicit sexual act?

iii) ACT 15:20  "But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood."  Majority of Christian people insist that God's people are not to eat anything strangled and blood. They would take this verse and make its interpretation from the many commandments given on it in the Old Testament. Bible interprets Bible, they would say.  But how much is "this is that" as written in the Old Testament with that New Testament verse?

Many other such cases have also been taken for granted and over a period of time, the hearers are "indoctrinated" to accept them as true interpretations.  Preachers are greatly to be blamed for "parroting" them as truths.

Now, does the words "infirmities" and "sicknesses" (in Matt.8:16-17) speak directly of physical diseases? Or was a hasty conclusion made by Christians simply because Matthew made a reference to Isaiah's utterances?  How much is "this" to "that"? The verse in fact speak of those who were possessed with devils and that Christ cast the spirits out of them with His Word healing them all. A sin-sick soul needs a spiritual cleansing, not a physical healing.

The atonement was to provide a healing for man's sin-sick soul. "Without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin" (cf. Heb.9:22). Certainly, it is not "without the shedding of blood is no physical healing".

Because blood was involved in the Fall, blood was required in payment for sin. Life for life, eye for eye, blood for blood. Sin came by one act of fornication between Eve and the Serpent. Adam identified with Eve in her sin so as to "redeem" her from the wrath of God's judgement. (I pray that you understand why Adam had to do that. If not, read THE ORIGINAL SIN ~ What is it? &  THE SERPENT SEED.) Hence, "by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom.5;12).

The BLOOD atones and heals the soul, not the physical body.  The blood of Christ was shed to redeem man back to his Creator. Christ was made an offering for sin. Before there was Calvary, there was already healing for the physical body for God Himself is the Healer - "I am the Lord that healeth thee" (Ex.15:26).

Now, let's us take a closer look at Isaiah's prophetic words and see if those words, or even the other statements in the passage of Isa.53:4-12, speak of "physical healing is in the atonement".

ISA 53:4 Surely he hath borne our grieves, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

There is no doubt that with his stripes we are healed refers not to physical healing but spiritual healing. All Scripture verses on sin and salvation are clear – that Christ died to save man from their sins.  Nowhere can one find that Christ died to heal man of their physical diseases.  Isa.53 has been mis-interpreted.  Physical healing is in God's Word.

In all His wounding, bruising and chastising, Christ took away our transgressions, our iniquities, and restore our peace with God.  All these were for our salvation (cf. Isa.52:7; Acts 10:30; Rom.5:1).  Hence, "with his stripes we are healed" – that is, with all those painful violence tearing at Him we are spiritually healed.

1PE 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.