Mention of Disability in the Bible: Verses, Quotes, Passages

Disability often comes with bundles of questions for the afflicted person as well as for the family and society as a whole. Individuals often start with the question “why me?” and the society ponders whether it is caused due to a sin of past or present life? Failing to get a satisfactory answer we sometimes turn towards our religion to understand what it has to tell us about conditions like disability.

Whether you find the explanation right or wrong, every religion has some opinion about disability and disabled people because they have been a part of human existence since the beginning. Christianity is no exception.

Let us see what the Bible has to tell us about the disability and existence of disabled people on the earth.

Mention of Disability in the Bible

Disability, in the Bible, has been viewed as a ‘disease’. And the most common diseases (disabilities) mentioned in the Bible are – blindness, deafness, dumbness, leprosy and paralysis. Persons with disabilities have been mentioned numerous times in the Bible but disability has not been mentioned as something natural.

Old Testament writers view disability as a punishment given by God to those who transgress to sin. It is also seen as a curse for ignorance and unbelief. There are several stories that indicate that disability is caused due to the wrath of the divine. The New Testament too links disability with sin at various places.

Disability has also been used metaphorically in Bible for indicating ignorance and lack of comprehension (Matthew15:14 – 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit). However, there are instances that indicate disability is allowed by God for his glory, to show his awesome love for all. And, there are verses that provoke discrimination based on physical disabilities.

Disabled People not to be allowed in God’s Sanctuary (Leviticus 21:16–23)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to Aaron, saying, None of your offspring throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long, or a man who has an injured foot or an injured hand, or a hunchback or a dwarf or a man with a defect in his sight or an itching disease or scabs or crushed testicles. No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to offer the Lord’s food offerings; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. He … shall not go through the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’

This is one of the most frequently cited verses that shows discrimination against Persons with Disabilities.

People with Disability Should Not be Ill-Treated (Leviticus 19:14)

…You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

This verse very clearly gives a command that people with disabilities should not be ill-treated. One should fear the Lord who watches what one does with the disabled people.

God has Created People with Disability (Exodus 4:11)

10. But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11. Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

Here when Moses says that he is slow of ‘speech and of the tongue’ the Lord assures him that man’s mouth, their muteness, deafness or blindness everything is created by the Lord Himself. The Lord then asks him to carry on with the work assigned to him.

Disability is Virtuous Suffering and should be accepted as God’s Blessings (2 Corinthians 12:9)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

On the surface verses like this seem to be in good taste and might also help a person in accepting their condition. But, according to social thinkers like Eisland glorifying disability in this manner encourages passive acceptance for social barriers and this certainly is not practically helpful for persons with disabilities.

Disability not caused due to sin but to show the works of God (John 9:1-3)

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Disciples of Jesus asks about the sin of the blind man or his parents that caused him to be blind indicates that the societal perception linked disability with sin. But, Jesus tells that the blindness of the man was for showing the work of the God and not due to his or his parent’s sin.

Charitable Work for Disabled People shall be Rewarded by the Lord (Luke 14:12-14)

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers[a] or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

This too is seen as one discriminating against Persons with Disabilities. Though the intention is to promote one for doing charitable work, it automatically segregates disabled people as ‘needy’ and one who cannot repay for the things given to them. This certainly is an example of looking at disabled people as lesser human beings.

Disability Makes a Person ‘Unclean’ (Mark 1:40-44)

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

This story of a man afflicted with leprosy shows the kindness and grace of Jesus. But at the same time, it indicates a person with a disability as unclean, subtly creating a stigma around disability.

Disability is Caused due to Sins and Gets Treated Once the Sins have been Forgiven (Mark 2:5)

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

This is a story of a paralyzed man who was brought on a bed. Jesus forgives his sins and the man walks away with his bed. This reiterates that disabilities are caused due to sins.

One Who Disobeys the Commands of Lord are Punished with Disability (Deuteronomy 28:28-29)

The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of mind, 29 and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind grope in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways. And you shall be only oppressed and robbed continually, and there shall be no one to help you.

Disability is among the many curses of disobedience listed. This indirectly indicates that the disabled are those who do not follow the right path of the Lord.

The Bible is full of incidents where Jesus shows compassion and cures those with disabilities. It commands its followers not to ill-treat persons with disabilities. But, it certainly places people with disabilities at a pedestal below those without a physical disability.