who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.
on the tree -- [cross] -- The phrase “on the cross” may have a connection to Deuteronomy 21:23, where anyone who was impaled on a stake (i.e. tree) instead of being properly buried was cursed by God. By Jesus’ day the rabbis had interpreted this as including Roman crucifixion. Jesus was accused of blasphemy which, according to the Mosaic Law, demanded stoning. Why then did the Jewish leaders want Him crucified, which required Roman approval and ceremonial defilement for them before the Passover? Some have said they did this because the Jews did not have the authority under Roman law to put someone to death, but what about Stephen in Acts 7?