© 17 Colin Melbourne
Symbolic or Factual?
Q: You write of 1 Pe. 2:24 “…by whose stripes ye were healed” to mean physical healing, whereas I have always understood it as symbolic of Christ healing our wounded souls. After all, it’s a quote from Isaiah 53 which speaks allegorically of the lost as sheep gone astray. Am I missing something?
A: Lovely question! There will be joy in your heart when you discover the answer.
Ask the LORD to open your spiritual eyes to perceive what He wants you to see in this scripture.
Actual or Allegory?
You have embraced the thinking of dead theologians and commentators from the Dark Ages. Men fluent in Hebrew and Greek, but devoid of the Spirit, so missing the Mind of Christ, they divide the word wrongly.
It’s always a mistake to interpret the word of God by what we experience, perceive, feel, and think, instead of believing it as God says and inspired it by His Spirit.
Attend to the Word and Spirit
You are correct in pointing out that Isaiah prophesied of lost mankind as sheep in an allegorical sense, but that is where the analogy began. Please don’t extend it backwards to include his prophecy of the crucified Messiah.
Let’s enjoy this precious word, Is. 53:4-6 KJV
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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.
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.
Notice the distinction, All we like sheep have gone astray;
That’s explicitly metaphorical.
But this is not;
…and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Is it?
Neither ought you to include the beautiful prior passage, quoted above, in the “like sheep” metaphor.
That’d be grievous.
Made Whole at Calvary
The Holy Ghost alludes to this fulfilled prophecy in the scripture you cite, 1 Pe. 2:24 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.
His stripes refers to more than His Roman scourging at Pilate’s bidding, which itself exceeded the severe 40 stripes required by Jewish Law (Deu. 25:3). “Stripes” means the whole penalty of God’s righteous judgment upon the sin of mankind. Here’s W.E. Vine on stripe:
[molops] a bruise, a wound from a stripe, is used in 1 Peter 2:24 (from Isaiah 53:5), lit., in the original, “by whose bruise,” not referring to Christ’s scourging, but figurative of the stroke of Divine judgment administered vicariously to Him on the Cross.
The Greek word for “healed” here is one that can be used both figuratively and literally for “made whole”.
It required far more than a severe whipping to redeem and make mankind whole: Christ had to submit to death and God’s wrath.
So the Spirit is here using “stripes” as a figure, or metaphor, of the whole stroke of Divine Judgement which Christ bore in our stead.
That would include the Roman torture, His crucifixion, His death, and enduring Hell on our behalf.
Contrary to what you have been taught, this figure, or metaphor, most certainly includes each believer’s physical, as well as spiritual, healing. As the Holy Ghost declares, Jas. 5:14-16 KJV;
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Here the Holy Ghost is writing about physical sickness, “Is any sick among you?” and says the elders can pray and anoint this sick believer, and; “the Lord shall raise him up“.
Believers are to; “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.”
Note: The Holy Ghost says, healed, plainly referring to physical healing, not only spiritual healing.
Christ Himself commissioned believers to proclaim His Gospel, and to continue His physical healing ministry, Mk. 16:18b KJV;
…they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Was Jesus speaking metaphorically?
Of course not, He said the sick shall recover.
Would the same Holy Ghost writing in 1 Pe. 2:24 contradict the Living Word?
Never! The Holy Ghost always confirms the written and Living Word of God Jn. 16:13-14 KJV;
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
When He writes in 1 Pe. 2:24 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.
He conforms precisely to what Almighty God says, in every sense He meant it.
Your Total Redemption
To imply that this scripture is merely metaphorical is an insult to Christ’s perfect redemption won for believers on the Cross.
Jesus bore our sins, that means your sins, literally.
Christ bore your sicknesses and infirmities, literally.
God in The Flesh took your guilt and punishment on Himself, literally.
To infer that His Spirit writing in 1 Pe 2:24, by whose stripes ye were healed was speaking metaphorically is illogical and ludicrous.
It is tantamount to telling Christ whilst He was being scourged and crucified for you,
“Now, as you are being scourged on the whipping post, with your back bleeding and split open, just keep in mind it is only a metaphor.”
“When these nails penetrate your hands and pierce feet, remember they are mere metaphors.”
No! A thousand times no!
The scourging was real, the agony was real, and the healing He bought for you is real: Take it by trusting the written word of God, 1 Pe. 2:24 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.
How to Really Believe The Word
Believe that word in your heart.
Then keep confessing that truth, despite all contrary evidence, persist in professing that truth, and God makes it good every time without fail. Heb. 10:23 KJV;
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Maintain your confession of God’s word, because it is eternal truth, and you will see your symptoms subside, as God confirms your profession of faith in Him. Heb. 11:1 KJV;
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Exercise your faith, put it into action, profess what you believe in your heart.
By His stripes I was healed!
When your physical senses point out symptoms of pain, or any abnormality, counter them by declaring what God says…
Yes, I do feel that pain, I notice that symptom, but God says He has healed me already, and I believe Him.
My faith in His Word is the substance the Holy Ghost is using in my body right now to restore me to perfect health.
My faith is giving substance to my healing: God is making it so right now!
Hold fast that profession, that confidence in God’s integrity, and the sickness and symptoms always disappear.
Two Kinds of Faith is the most life-changing of all Kenyon’s wonderful books. Once you comprehend what Bible faith is, and what it isn’t, you will begin to pray effectively, and get Bible results.
Bookmark each of these pages on Healing:
God’s Healing Covenant and Promises
Will you let Him heal you now?
7 Steps to Receive the Miracle You Need From Christ
Accounts of Christ’s Miracles in China Today
Discover Your Healing in The LORD’s Supper
What is The Day of Redemption?
© 17 Colin Melbourne