“Stripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes reach the innermost parts.”

Some scriptures seem to be written to be a stumbling block to those who, like Satan himself, would misuse them to justify their wicked and oppressive hearts.  When I spoke with my kids about this verse, I told them how this was the thought and goal of discipline.  “Back in the day, parents used to give their wayward kids a whooping, and it was considered love!”  We then spent some time talking about how ‘lucky’ they were that they were such good kids, otherwise…, and then I slapped my hands together- Whap!!!  I said all this in humor, of course, but in my heart I was thanking God for my kids.
 
When we thought of Jesus, the Spirit opened our eyes to a deeper love that was shown to us on the cross.  This proverb was revealed to be more than a ‘core’ or ‘this and more’ proverb.  This one was found to be a ‘key’, of sorts, to understand the price that was paid for us.  Why should the sinless One get what we in our disobedience deserved?  For all have sinned, Romans 3:23-24.
 
Afterward, as I thought more on this, another passage came to mind:
 
Isaiah 53:5 NASB
 
“But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging, we are healed.”
 
Or again by another version KJV
 
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
 
The scourging of Jesus purged us from evil.  Our inmost parts were purified by His piercing.  Jesus fulfilled this proverb to make us a spotless bride, a holy people, a new creation clothed in His righteousness, 1 Peter 2:19-25.
 
Thank You Jesus!  “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29