Sunday, August 25, 2013

Healing in the atonement?

Healing in the Atonement1
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—1995

Some Christians claim the benefits of Jesus' atonement go beyond forgiveness of sin to include healing of disease.2 To support this notion, proponents appeal primarily to Isaiah's statement about the messiah: "by his wounds we are healed" (Isa 53:5b). They also say that Jesus illustrated this element in his earthly ministry, as one of the gospel writers observes.
Matt 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."
According to this view, believers can lay claim to this additional provision through prayer and through faith in the efficacy of Jesus' work.

However attractive this idea seems, it suffers from several deficiencies, one of which is to assume a far more specific meaning of the relevant biblical passages than their contexts indicate.3 Isaiah is not talking about physical maladies but about spiritual malaise, as a review of the entire verse makes clear.

Isa 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah is referring to the repair of man's sinful condition.4 Peter understood this to be the prophet's intention, for he quotes the phrase in his own discussion of Jesus' atonement.
1 Pet 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
While Matthew describes Jesus' curing the sick, the verse he quotes from Isaiah in connection with this work is the one before v. 5, which speaks in general terms.5
Isa 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our [diseases], yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
The prophet is describing the messiah's compassion for God's people, which is also Matthew's point: Jesus' healing ministry demonstrated his compassion.

Another deficiency of this position is the implication that Christians have access to an element of grace that was not available before Jesus came. The Old Testament contains several illustrations of physical healing in response to prayer, and God nowhere indicates this blessing is limited to a temporally select group (i.e., before Jesus).6
  • Abimelech experienced it.
Gen 20:17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again.
  • Miriam experienced it.
Num 12:13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, "O God, please heal her!"
  • David experienced it.
Ps 41:4 ...O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.
  • Hezekiah experienced it.7
2 Kgs 20:5b I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.
  • Israel experienced it.
2 Chr 30:20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
At Sinai, God states unequivocally that He is the source of physical healing for His
people (a reality then, not some distant hope).8
Exod 15:26 ... If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.
Divine healing is not a unique consequence of Jesus' advent.9 It has always been available to God's people. Although the final result of the savior's work is physical redemption, that event is yet future.
Rom 8:23 ...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24a For in this hope we were saved.
Only then will there be "no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things [will have] passed away" (Rev 21:4b).

For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.

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Relevant and civil comments are welcome. Whether there will be any response depends on whether Dr. Manuel notices them and has the time and inclination to respond or, if not, whether I feel competent to do so.
Jim Skaggs