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"By His wounds we are healed" is a part of a verse quoted by some Christians to affirm faith in God to give them physical health and to claim healing when they become sick (Is.53:5). After a sincere examination of the Bible and consulting different people's views on this, I have concluded that this is not the right way to interpret this passage. I know some brothers and sisters will not agree with me on this, but I hope they will be willing to look at this with an open mind.

Most people will agree that Isa.53 is a crucial part of the Bible prophecy about the death of the Messiah as a sacrifice for our sins. By taking our death on Himself which we deserve for our sins, He offers us salvation from the guilt and power of sin in our life. The above phrase occurs in the middle of that prophecy, and because of the use of the word 'healed' some are prompted to think that His salvation also includes our physical healing. Some take it that if we become sick, we can therefore claim healing, and some others think that it offers us total health without sickness.

If physical healing is meant here, it will be a most powerful part of salvation apart from that from sin. But there are problems. 1. Why is it that there is no detailed teaching about it, asking us to claim and enjoy it? 2. Why did believers such as Timothy, Epaphroditus, Trophimus and possibly Paul too, suffer from sickness? 3. When Paul proclaimed the Gospel, if physical healing was a part of the Gospel, how could he leave behind anyone sick? 4. Peter referred to Is.53:5 and connected it to spiritual healing (1Pe.2:24).

The conclusion we have to arrive at when we consider the above is that there does not seem to be any backing in other parts of the Bible for the teaching that salvation includes physical healing. If we conclude that, and hold the position that all of scripture must hold together, we will have to explain what Matthew meant, where he says that Jesus did miraculous healings to fulfil Isaiah's prophecy, "He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases" (Mt.8:16,17). Matthew seems to want to show that Jesus was the One Isaiah was referring to, rather than to prove that healing is included in our salvation.

Jesus healed all kinds of diseases supernaturally, and it goes with the nature of God to heal. He heals now too, but what we see is that there is no blanket guarantee for healing or health as some conclude from Is.53:5.

My aim in writing this is first of all to deliver people who misunderstand Is.53:5 and expect miraculous healing always and even refuse medical treatment. Secondly, those who put their hope on this verse and got disappointed should not stop believing in God and His word. Surely sickness was one of the results of sin, but so was death, climate change, etc. Full redemption from sin waits for us only in eternity (Re.21:4). A lot of confusion, unbelief and disappointment can be avoided if we understand things rightly.

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