Power of the Blood of Jesus – Volume 09
Message Summary by AFT Team
JESUS BORE WHAT?
He bore our infirmities and sicknesses.
Isaiah 53:4 says Surely He has borne our griefs and sorrows. The two Hebrew words used here – ‘griefs and sorrows’ has been translated in 19 other places in the Bible as ‘sickness and pain’, referring to a physical condition. The phrase in Isaiah 53 along has been translated vaguely as griefs and sorrows. So when people read this, they do not get a sense of the reality of physical healing from sickness, infirmity and pain. The result of Jesus bearing our sickness and pain by His striped is that we are healed. Surely He has borne our griefs… …and by His stripes we are healed. The way that these phrases ought to be understood is ‘Jesus bore our sickness and pain by His stripes as a result of which healing was obtained for us’. He was wounded physically so that we may be healed physically.
Scripture interprets Scripture
Since we are not experts of the Hebrew language, let’s go to another method to ascertain that it is indeed physical sickness and pain that this verse in the book of Isaiah is referring to. There is a principle of Bible interpretation that says ‘Scripture interprets Scripture’. Not everyone can understand Greek or Hebrew, so this principle helps the common man understand the Bible better. When you don’t understand something well, go to another place in the Bible where it is mentioned to understand it better. This is particularly true of Old Testament verses; read New Testament passages where it is mentioned or quoted and you will be able to interpret it correctly.
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” – Matthew 8:16, 17
Matthew had a unique way of presenting the gospel; he would state an incident from the life and ministry of Jesus and then say that it happened in order to fulfil a particular prophecy. We see that in the above verse as well. He says that Jesus healed the physical sickness of people so that He might fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah saying “Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses”. But where in the Old Testament does Isaiah say that the Messiah would bear our infirmities and sicknesses? Isaiah only says ‘He bore our griefs and sorrows’. Everyone agrees that it is this verse of Isaiah that Matthew is referring to; there is no dispute on that. Matthew however says ‘infirmities and pain’. Matthew, a Jew, who knew Hebrew (not English or Tamil) understood that Isaiah was indeed prophesying that the Messiah would bear our ‘infirmities and sickness’. And he connects the prophecy to the event of Jesus healing the people of their physical sickness. We must consider that Matthew not only knew Hebrew, but also that he is a Spirit-inspired writer of the gospel. The Holy Spirit Himself is saying that Jesus bore our physical sicknesses so that we may be healed.
WHO BORE OUR SICKNESSES?
Surely He, He Himself!
Isaiah uses the phrase ‘Surely He’ in the verse. Surely – Isaiah uses the word ‘surely’ here to emphasise ‘what’ Jesus did on the Cross. He – In Hebrew grammar, there is no necessity to use the pronoun ‘He’, because it is part of the word. But Isaiah uses the pronoun ‘He‘ to emphasise ‘who’ did it. So we see that there is a double emphasis here – ‘Surely’ and ‘He’. Isaiah uses the double emphasis ‘surely He’ to denote the importance of what he is prophesying – Jesus, the son of God Himself, bore our sickness and pain. Matthew also uses double emphasis to denote that Jesus bore our physical infirmities. Matthew uses the phrase ‘He Himself’. He could have just said, “He took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses”, but he used the extra emphasis “Himself”.
These two writers of the Bible use the double emphasis to highlight the significance of the person who bore it. It was not just somebody. Just some person cannot bear another person’s sickness and pain. And even if they could, they would not have been able to do a complete job. But when Jesus Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses, it ensures us that the job is complete and finished. Jesus, the appointed redeemer, the Messiah, the son of God took it upon Himself to bear our sicknesses and pain, so that we need not bear it anymore. We are healed.
Peter also quotes Isaiah’s prophecy. Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Peter 2:22-24. Peter uses the same phrase as Matthew – ‘who Himself’ while referring to Jesus, thereby laying emphasis on the person of Jesus. Peter says that Jesus himself bore our sins and its consequences on His body on the Cross (the tree), by whose stripes we were healed. Since sickness was one of the consequences that Jesus bore on the Cross, we now no longer have to bear it. That is why Peter says ‘by His striped we were healed’.
SALVATION INCLUDES HEALING
‘Sozo’ is a Greek word used to denote ‘salvation’; and it means not merely ‘forgiveness of sin’, but has a broader meaning to include healing, safety, deliverance, preservation and wellness. Let’s look at some of the instances that the word ‘Sozo’ is mentioned and what it includes.
Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. – Luke 8:35, 36. The word used here is ‘sozo’. Salvation includes deliverance from the evil one. It includes deliverance in mind and body. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. – 2 Timothy 4:17, 18. Paul uses the word ‘sozo’ here to mean preservation. The devil goes around seeking to devour and destroy through persecution and troubling circumstances, but Paul here says that God ‘preserved’ him. Salvation includes preservation; it is one of the blessings of the blood of Jesus.
Let’s go to instances in the Bible where ‘sozo’ means healing.
In Matthew’s gospel, we see the incident of the woman with the flow of blood for 12 years getting healed by touching the garment of Jesus. Jesus told her, “Your faith has made you well.” – Matthew 9:22. The word used here for ‘made you well’ comes from the Greek word ‘Sozo’. In fact, in the Tamil Bible says “Your faith has saved you.” In saving her, Jesus also healed her. Healing is included in salvation.
Let’s look at another incident. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well. – Mark 6:56. They were ‘made well’; here again, ‘sozo’ is used to mean ‘healing’ or ‘wellness’.
Let’s look at one more incident. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:7. The religious authorities asked Peter and John by what name they healed the man? And in replying, they say that there is no other name by which a person can be saved. They talk about ‘healing’, but the apostles reply about ‘salvation’. Here too, the word ‘sozo’ is used. And that is because salvation includes healing.
HOW TO APPROPRIATE HEALING
Through the Holy Spirit
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you – Romans 8:11
In the Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit descended upon certain men at certain times to prophesy or to perform mighty miracles. But under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit indwells in the believer. He is the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, who gave life to the lifeless body of Jesus. Does the Holy Spirit give life? Let’s look at the first instance that it happened – the Holy Spirit gave life to the first man ever created. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. – Genesis 2:7. At the beginning, God made the body of man with the dust of the ground. The Holy Spirit gave life to the body of Adam by breathing into him. The clay body of Adam became a living and functioning body because of what the Holy Spirit did. Let’s go back further. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. – Genesis 1:1,2. When the Spirit of God hovers, something wonderful is about to happen. And we see that at creation. When the Spirit hovered and God spoke light, there was light. Whatever God spoke came into being because of the Holy Spirit. Out of the chaos, void and darkness came a wonderful and beautiful earth because of the work of the Holy Spirit as God spoke. The Holy Spirit makes God’s word come into being.
Paul refers to this Holy Spirit – the same Spirit who made a harmonious earth out of nothingness, the same Spirit who breathed life into the clay body of Adam, the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead; this same Holy Spirit dwells in you and gives life to your mortal bodies. He dwells ‘in’ you. The Healer is ‘in’ you. You don’t have to seek a minister of God or pray over a bottle of oil to get healed. Such measures may be necessary for those who are new in faith. But when you understand that this same Holy Spirit dwells in you, when you realise that the Healer is in you, you can appropriate your healing yourself.
With the word of God
He sent His word and healed them. – Psalm 107:20.
God heals by sending His word.
My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. – Proverbs 4:20-22.
Find them:
Find what? Find the word of God. Today you found that Isaiah says that Jesus bore your infirmities, sicknesses, diseases and pain. You found that none other than Jesus Himself bore your physical ailments.
4 ways to find:
- Pay attention to God’s words
- Turn your ear to His sayings
- Do not let God’s word out of your sight
- Guard them deep within your heart
You have to search in order to find the word of God. Search for God’s word. Read and listen to resources that teach His word. Go to a church that teaches you the word of God. Search for them. And then you will find them. And when you find the word of God, what happens?
The result of finding:
They are life and health to all your flesh. When you search for the word of God and you find them, you are able to understand that healing is indeed yours and you will be able to appropriate healing, health and wellbeing in your life.
Other links
- Watch the video of the whole message
- Start here with blog post of Volume 01
