What does 'by his stripes we are healed' (Isaiah 53:5) mean?

Question

Scripture Analysis Method · Accepted Answer

The phrase primarily means spiritual/moral healing, being restored from the guilt and power of sin, as the highest-authority canonical interpreter (Peter) explicitly applies it. The same Servant passage is also applied to physical healing by Matthew, so the text carries both dimensions, but the primary and most authoritatively interpreted meaning is substitutionary atonement for sin. Peter, an eyewitness apostle, directly cites Isaiah 53:5 and defines the healing as dying to sins and living to righteousness (1 Peter 2:24). No single verse states "this means physical healing only" or "this means spiritual healing only", the conclusion is assembled from the canonical applications, with Peter's carrying the most weight.