Question: "What does it mean that 'by His stripes we are healed'?"
Answer: “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 Savoir. “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. 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—sin carried out in spite of
God’s repeated warnings, sin that Jesus willingly took 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 being physically healed.