[Faith-talk] FW: [thefamilyoffaith] What Does It Mean That "By His stripes we are healed?"

[Eric Calhoun]

Original Message: 
From: "TONY_at_FloridaHealth" <FloridaHealth21 at verizon.net>
To: <thefamilyoffaith at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [thefamilyoffaith] What Does It Mean That "By His stripes we are
healed?"
Date: 
Tue, 24 May 2011 22:26:43 -0400




What Does It Mean That "By His stripes we are healed?" 




"Stripes," (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24) in the language of the King James
Version of the Bible, and in some others, means "wounds," as seen in more
modern translations such as the New International Version. These stripes
were administered by whipping the bare backs of prisoners whose hands and
feet were bound, rendering them helpless. The phrase "by His stripes we are
healed" refers to the punishment Jesus Christ suffered-floggings and
beatings with fists that were followed by His agonizing death on a cross-to
take upon Himself all of the sins of all people who believe Jesus Christ is
Lord and Savior. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

The whips used were made of braided leather, with pottery shards and
sharp stones affixed to the ends, which tore open the flesh of the prisoner
with each cruel swing of the whip. Deuteronomy 25: 2, 3a states: "If the
guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make him lie down and
have him flogged in his presence with the number of lashes his crime
deserves, but he must not give him more than forty lashes." 

When we picture this terrible, inhumane form of physical punishment we
recoil in horror. Yet the physical pain and agony were not all Jesus
suffered. He also had to undergo the mental anguish brought on by the wrath
of his Father, who punished Him for the sinfulness of mankind, carried out
in spite of God's repeated warnings, which Jesus had willingly taken upon
Himself. He paid the total price for all of our transgressions.

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Peter wrote: "He
Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins
and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed." 

 

In Isaiah 53, Jesus' future life on earth was foretold in the clearest of
terms, to include his eventual torture and death: "But He was pierced for
our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that
brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds (stripes) we are healed"
(Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

Although these two verses are central to the topic of healing, they are
often misunderstood and misapplied. The word "healed" as translated from
both Hebrew and Greek can mean either spiritual or physical healing. 

 

However, the contexts of Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2 make it clear that they
are referring to spiritual healing, not physical. "He himself bore our sins
in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24). 

 

The verse is referring to sin and righteousness, not sickness and
disease. Therefore, being "healed" in both these verses is speaking of
being forgiven and saved, not physically healed.

 

Jerry / brothermiller1 at yahoo.com