Why Jesus Died by R.T. Kendall

Author:R.T. Kendall
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lion Hudson
Published: 2011-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Is healing in the atonement?

We saw in Isaiah 53:4 that he “took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows”. We saw that “infirmities” means sicknesses or illnesses. When Isaiah 53:4 is quoted in the New Testament it is translated: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” This was in the context of Jesus having healed Peter’s mother-in-law plus people being delivered from demon possession and sicknesses. When Matthew says that Jesus healed “all the sick” he followed it with these words: “This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases’” (Matthew 8:16–17). It is obvious, therefore, that when Jesus died on the cross he carried, or bore, our illnesses and diseases. Moreover, since Matthew quotes Isaiah 53:4 in connection with physical healing, the conclusion might be that we not only have forgiveness of sins in the atonement but even deliverance from the demonic and the healing of the body as well.

Not only that; Isaiah goes on to say: “By his wounds we are healed.” However, Peter does not apply Isaiah 53:5 to the healing of the body. The context of 1 Peter 2:24 suggests that the healing he means is with reference to our spiritual relationship with God. It refers to healing of one’s spirit or soul; it here means healing from having wandered like sheep going astray (1 Peter 2:25). This would have been Peter’s opportunity to bring in healing of the body, but he didn’t. This does not mean that Isaiah 53:5 does not mean healing of the body; I am only pointing out that Peter’s use of it points to one’s spiritual relationship with God.

A stronger case I believe can be made from Isaiah 53:4 – that Jesus carried our sicknesses and diseases – since Matthew clearly applied this to Jesus’ healing people’s bodies (as well as delivering them from evil spirits). I therefore believe we have grounds for appealing to Jesus’ death on the cross for the healing of sickness, disease, and deliverance from the demonic. But I do not believe this is the primary reason Jesus died on the cross. I fear that some people have appealed to the atonement for physical healing far more than they have for people to be justified by faith. This diversion from the primary purpose of Jesus’ atonement could amount to a complete change of emphasis and, if we are not careful, will allow people to forget the burden of Isaiah all along.

I have two objections to the view that healing is in the atonement in the sense that one can appeal to Jesus’ blood for their healing with the same authority that they do salvation. First, it puts pressure on the person who is unwell – to be sure that he or she has enough faith. If, therefore, the person is not healed one often hears the reason: “You did not have enough faith.” This leads to the poor person feeling guilty – and sometimes to despair.

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