The interpretation that the 39 strokes Jesus received and his internal bleeding were for the healing of our physical sicknesses is a convenient interpretation that is not doctrinally and contextually accurate.
We cannot also prophetically imply the stripes for bodily healing because Isaiah’s prophecy and Peter’s quotation of the prophecy give a doctrinal context that we must stick to.
“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.”
— 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV)
The reference to healing in the above scripture is regarding salvation from sin. This is corroborated by Isaiah’s prophecy, from where it was taken.
“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.”
— Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
The death of Jesus Christ had nothing to do with our physical healing because whatever the death of the cross accomplished must be impossible to accomplish outside Jesus’ death.
Sicknesses were healed by the power of God before the death of the cross, and even Jesus healed sicknesses before the cross.
The death of the cross was specifically for man’s salvation from sin through the shedding of blood as typified in the levitical pattern of the atonement.
The only part of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 53 that had to do with bodily healing was fulfilled by Jesus Christ before he went to the cross.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
— Isaiah 53:4 (KJV)
Matthew 8 (KJV)
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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.
Notice the use of the phrase “That it might be fulfilled.” Jesus healed sicknesses by the power of God before the death of the cross to fulfill Isaiah 53:4.
But the next verse of Isaiah’s prophecy found fulfillment in the death of the cross for our healing from sin, which is what is also regarded as our salvation from sin.
“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.”
— Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
“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.”
— 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV)
An understanding of the use of the colon in a sentence further proves that the word “healed” as used in both texts refers to salvation from sin.
So, for doctrinal accuracy, we do not reference 1 Peter 2:24 and Isaiah 53:5 for bodily healing as the death of the cross was to the end that man’s sins may be eternally forgiven which in implication is man’s salvation from sin.
In light of the contextual implication of the death of the cross and the suffering that preceded it in the receiving of 39 strokes, we cannot posit that Jesus was given 39 strokes to represent 39 streams of diseases. Such a conclusion is not supported in the Scripture of Truth.
So, I advise that we only reference Isaiah 53:4 and Matthew 8:16-17 alongside any other supporting scriptures for Jesus’ healing of our sicknesses.
With love,
Apostle Destiny Kingston