THE MEANING OF KHOLEE & MAKOBE
Beyond all question, the God who hates sin also hates sickness. The God who wants you saved also wants you well. He paid the price for his people to live healed and healthy on the Cross.
Isa 53:4-5 – Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
The translation of these Hebrew words is significant. The word translated as “griefs” is KHOLEE, meaning “weakness/sickness,” while “sorrows” is MAKOBE, meaning PHYSICAL PAINS. Throughout the Old Testament, these words are consistently translated as “sickness” and “pain,” except in this instance. This raises a question: Why the exception? In those days, healing was neither commonly preached nor practiced, so translators may have chosen less controversial words like griefs and sorrows to avoid confrontation.
To strengthen this point, consider how the Holy Spirit reveals the true meanings in the New Testament. The Bible, in fact, interprets itself.
TWO AUTHORS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT MAKE A REFERENCE TO THIS VERSE –
The First author is Apostle Matthew. He knew Hebrew and shows reference to it in Mat 8:16-18 – Matt 8:16-17
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.”
Clearly, the healing mentioned in Isa 53 is bodily healing.
Similarly, the Apostle Peter refers to Isaiah 53 in 1 Peter 2:24-25: 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.
Peter also understood the “Himself”. This is double emphasis. It declares that it was Jesus Himself who bore the sicknesses, not some saint or an angel.
Some might argue that Peter’s context is Jesus carrying our sins, therefore applying healing here only to forgiveness. However, if we look back to Isaiah 53:4, it is clear that physical healing is also included. Peter addresses both sin and healing together, reminding us that sin is the root of all curses. When Jesus carried away sin, He also bore sickness, poverty, and every other curse unleashed by sin.
Thus, Calvary becomes a place of exchange—He took our wounds so we could receive healing. As experts put it: Healing has been paid for.
SOZO: A COMPLETE PACKAGE CALLED SALVATION
Salvation in the Greek is SOZO. Sozo carries a whole encompassing meaning of nothing-missing and nothing-broken.
The Scoffield Bible further underscores that healing, prosperity, deliverance, protection, preservation, and forgiveness of sins are all elements of SOZO.
In Mt 9:22, Jesus calls the woman healed and saved interchangeably – healing is part of SOZO.
In Mk 6:56, we read that as many as touched his robe were all healed – “Healed” here is SOZO. Again, healing is a part of SOZO.
In Lk 8:35m we read that the demon-possessed man was delivered and was found in his right mind – “right mind” here is SOZO. So deliverance and having a sound mind are part of SOZO.
In 2 Tim 4:18, the Apostle Paul writes, “God himself stood with me and preserved me.” Here, SOZO is preservation.
3 WAYS GOD HAS ORDAINED FOR THE BELIEVER TO BE HEALED
1 – THE SIMPLE WAYS
Jas 5:14-15 – Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
In this first way, calling upon Pastors and leaders of the Church to pray for you, and the use of oil and other tokens of faith, is encouraged. I believe this method is especially intended for beginners in the faith—new believers who have not yet grown in the revelation of God’s word. However, as you grow as a Christian, God has provided more mature ways to receive healing.
2 – THE WORD OF GOD
Ps 107:20 – He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.
Pro 4:20-22 – 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.
Notice how God’s word holds the power to heal your body. Proverbs 4 highlights four specific actions to take with God’s word if you seek healing.
1 – Incline your ear: Keep hearing the word
2 – Do not let them depart from your eyes: Read the word regularly
3 – Meditate on the word in your heart
4 – Find the words that apply to your situation
When you honor God’s words and give them their rightful place, Scripture promises, “for they are life to all their flesh and health to all their flesh.” If a medicine existed that could cure every illness, you would invest in it, wouldn’t you? So why not invest yourself in the word of God, which brings healing to your entire body from the God who created all the doctors in the world?
3 – THE HOLY COMMUNION
Consider this: In the Corinthian church, there were many who were weak, sick, and had died prematurely. The Apostle Paul identified their problem as “not discerning the body of Christ and partaking of the Holy Communion in an unworthy manner.” Let’s read 1 Cor 11:26-30.
You see, in the Corinthian church, there were many who were weak, sick, and had died prematurely, and the Apostle Paul diagnosed their problem as “not discerning the body of Christ and partaking of the Holy Communion in an unworthy manner.” Read 1 Cor 11:26-30.
1 Cor 11:29-30 – For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
Paul explains that this failure resulted in sickness, weakness, and even death among believers in Corinth—specifically, failing to honor the broken body of Christ, treating the communion wafer as a mere formality, and partaking carelessly. Logically, the reverse must also hold true: when you take communion with reverence and understanding, the church can experience health and freedom from premature death. Amen? The Holy Communion is clearly a secret to believers’ health.
→TRUE STORY – an elderly mother had a series of surgeries but grew worse, &the doctors told them to prepare for the worst. The family took Holy Communion in the ICU and even put a crumb and a little grape juice into her mouth. On the third day, their mother regained consciousness, got well, and was soon discharged.