Historic pastoral reading
Healing here is the wound of sin being dealt with. Physical healings in the Gospels sit beside that, they do not empty hospitals.
Isaiah 53:4-5
By his stripes we are healed.
The text
WEB
4 Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.
KJV
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, 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.
What kind of text
- Prophecy
- Servant song
- Atonement
Isaiah describes the suffering servant bearing the people's guilt.
How Christians have read this
Common misuse
Used to say a sick Christian must lack faith.
What the next verse does
Verse 6: all we like sheep have gone astray.
Older commentary
Matthew Henry
Henry on Isaiah 53:5: he was wounded for our transgressions; with his stripes we are healed. The healing in the song is the wound of sin.
Charles Spurgeon
Spurgeon preached this as the servant bearing guilt. 1 Peter 2:24 reads it the same way.